New Research Debunks One of the Oldest Myths About Marijuana

It may be nearly 80 years old, but for many Americans Reefer Madness is still terrifying.

Before it became a cult classic, the 1936 anti-drug propaganda flick stands as one of the biggest morality tales in the history of cinema. In the film, all-American high school students Bill Harper and Jimmy Lane have their lives ruined by a single doobie, descending into a mad spiral of murder, attempted rape, and insanity, all in the throes of marijuana addiction. The film's message and rhetoric remain at the core of moral arguments against marijuana legalization to this day. (The anti-pot argument is best captured by the shrill pleas of Simpsons character Helen Lovejoy: "Won’t someone please think of the children!")

As it turns out, the kids are going to be all right: According to a new comprehensive analysis, legalizing medical marijuana does not result in a corresponding increase in consumption...

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URL: 
http://www.psmag.com/politics-and-law/it-is-okay-to-watch-reefer-madness-high-that-movie-is-completely-insane