It’s no secret that cannabis flower has been used since ancient times for medicinal, recreational and ceremonial purposes. At the same time, the cannabis plant provides strong fibers that are ideal for industrial uses like making rope. Its versatility has earned the cannabis plant worldwide notoriety, but the United States has had a rocky relationship with reefer.
While it’s unclear if George Washington and the founding fathers were actually toking up, hemp farming was the norm in the late 1700s. In fact, the industry helped propel the U.S. into self-sufficiency. At one point, farmers in colonial America were mandated by the government to grow it. So how did the country move out of a hemp heyday and into decades of prohibition?
The acceptance of cannabis has seen its ups and downs in the past 100 years, and pop culture has played an essential role in the evolution of attitudes toward it. Let’s explore some of the marijuana milestones that set each American generation apart, dating back to the 1920s.
The Silent Generation — Born 1928-1945
This generation fell victim to propaganda such as Reefer Madness, a widely-spread 1936 film that intertwines elements of horror into a scary (and fabricated) reefer reality. The next year, The Marijuana Tax Act of 1937 was passed and was the first federal law to criminalize marijuana nationwide. It imposed an excise tax on the sale, possession or transfer of all hemp products.
Why did the U.S. government have a change of heart about cannabis? Many speculate that excessive taxation was a move sponsored by wealthy businessmen to snuff out hemp farming because they had financial interests in competing products (like nylon). With many people jaded post-war and wanting to live peaceful lives, there were less activists willing to make waves about issues like marijuana laws (hence the name “The Silent Generation”).
Baby Boomer Generation — Born 1946-1964
As the Vietnam war heated up, Bob Dylan began passing his poetic peace pipe across American radio waves in the early 1960s. With the world-famous Woodstock festival taking place by the end of the decade, recreational marijuana use became much more mainstream for Baby Boomers. For the free-spirited hippies of the day, the vibe was fun-loving and carefree. (In fact, just hearing the word “Woodstock '' conjures up a mental image of a hippy chick wearing a flower wreath in her hair and smoking a fatty. Wouldn’t you agree?)
Generation X — Born 1965-1980
Recreational pot use was alive and well in the 70s, which is evidenced by the popular film Dazed & Confused that features high school kids smoking their way through an epic summer in 1976. While the movie wasn’t made until the 90s, generation X saw its fair share of pro-cannabis messaging seep into the media.
As Willie Nelson was bridging the gap between hippies and rednecks, Pink Floyd was making hits like “Dark Side of The Moon,” and Bob Marley was spreading his Rastafarian, pro-cannabis philosophy. Cheech & Chong, everyone’s favorite weed-smoking comedy duo, gained massive popularity with the release of their 1978 cult classic Up in Smoke, which raked in $44 million at the box office.
Back then, the weed was also laced with a hint of rebellion. Hunter S. Thompson’s 1971 fictional autobiography, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, promoted the use of cannabis and a slew of other drugs. In the early 80s, Gen X-er “Dimebag” Darrell Abbott arrived on the scene shredding guitar solos with Heavy Metal Band Pantera. With so many diverse personalities promoting pot, it’s difficult to find a social demographic cannabis hasn’t touched.
At the same time cannabis culture was revving up, the Ronald Ragan administration was working tirelessly to dim its shine. In 1970, the Controlled Substances Act classified marijuana as a schedule one controlled substance, lumping it in with LSD and heroin.
Generation Y (Millennials) — Born 1981-1996
In the 80s, First Lady Nancy Raegan pioneered the “Just Say No” campaign that encouraged kids to refrain from illegal recreational drug use. The program remained popular into the 90s. Still, Millennials are the type of people who celebrate 4/20 by watching a marathon of That 70s Show or Weeds. They know and love Snoop Dogg, the rapper who encouraged them to “smoke weed everyday.” They remember when Olympic gold medalist Michael Phelps was shamed for his love affair with the green goddess. Many from this era were also coming of age when well-known pothead Seth Rogen was putting out legendary movies like Pineapple Express. The rise of the Internet enabled mass communication among cannabis enthusiasts, and many pot-related forums were born. Aided by the world wide web, millennials witnessed unprecedented growth in regard to cannabis culture.
In addition to posters from High Times Magazine being plastered on the walls of stoners everywhere, marijuana legislation came to the forefront. In 1996, California was the first state to legalize medical marijuana, and most states followed suit by 2016.
Generation Z — Born 1997-2012
Most Gen Z-ers could likely tell you what the health benefits of cannabis-derived cannabidiol are. That’s because CBD dispensaries are common in most urban areas these days. This is also the generation of memes, and there are plenty of weed trends circling the Internet.
Podcasts are another marker of Gen Z, and popular programs like The Texas Hemp Show, The Dr. Greenthumb Podcast and The Joe Rogan Experience openly discuss all aspects of cannabis. Along with the rest of the world, many Gen Z-ers will never forget seeing Socialite Kim Kardashian fight for marijuana reform alongside President Donald Trump at the White House in 2018.
Generation Alpha — Born 2013-2025
To grasp where we are, it helps to understand where we’ve been. But where are we going? What will cannabis culture be like for the 8-year-olds of the world? With more states moving toward legal recreational use, this age group is likely to grow up seeing cannabis as just a regular part of life. Alongside Gen Z, they will reap the long-term benefits of legalized hemp farming as resources become more widespread.
A nation that once heavily relied on hemp later transformed into a place that imprisoned its citizens for possessing it. In modern times, states have been slowly inching their way out of cannabis criminalization. Some might say the situation is even more twisted than a doobie. This historical roller coaster really begs the question, “Can’t we all just get a bong?”