Evolution of Cannabis through the decades

1900s-1930s 
Cannabis was widely used for medicinal purposes at the turn of the twentieth century and was widely available in pharmacies across the United States. However, the Marijuana Tax Act, passed in 1937, effectively criminalized cannabis use, cultivation, and sale, laying the groundwork for decades of prohibition.   

1940s-1950s 
Cannabis was widely regarded as a dangerous drug in the 1940s and 1950s, associated with criminal behavior and social deviance. The "reefer madness" campaign of the time portrayed cannabis as a highly addictive drug capable of driving users insane or violent. 

1960s-1970s 
With the rise of the counterculture movement and a growing interest in alternative forms of spirituality and consciousness exploration in the 1960s and 1970s, attitudes toward cannabis shifted culturally. Cannabis use became increasingly associated with nonconformity, love, and peace, and many musicians and artists of the time openly used and celebrated cannabis.   

1980s-1990s 
With the rise of the "War on Drugs" and a push for stricter drug laws and enforcement in the 1980s and 1990s, there was a renewed crackdown on cannabis use. Cannabis use was still associated with criminal behavior and social deviance, and many politicians and law enforcement officials saw it as a gateway drug that could lead to the use of more dangerous drugs.