The introduction of cannabis to the African diaspora can be traced back to the 13th century when Arab merchants brought it through the extensive trading networks of the region. In the 1800s, the British transported indentured servants from India to the Caribbean as laborers for rubber and sugar plantations. These servants brought cannabis with them, leading to a blending of Indian and Jamaican cultures and the incorporation of cannabis into the communities of young, Black Jamaican field workers.

When slavery was abolished by the British in 1833, the Indian servants were no longer under their rule in colonies like Jamaica and Barbados. This resulted in the migration of workers who settled in Jamaica, further popularizing the use of cannabis in the region.

The entry of cannabis into the United States occurred through Caribbean sailors and immigrants who arrived at the borders. Recreational cannabis consumption began to be embraced by Black and brown communities in America. For many Black Americans, cannabis was not a new substance as their ancestors had been enslaved and forced to work on hemp fields, familiarizing them with the plant.

On September 22, 1862, in the midst of the Civil War, President Lincoln issued the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation. It stated that if the rebels did not cease their fighting and rejoin the Union, all enslaved individuals in the Confederacy would be granted freedom on the first day of the following year. The final Emancipation Proclamation was issued by Lincoln on January 1, 1863, declaring the freedom of all enslaved people in the Confederate States of America who were in rebellion and not under Union control.

The geographical isolation of Texas led to an influx of planters and slaveholders from eastern states seeking refuge from the war, bringing with them thousands of enslaved people. This significantly increased the enslaved population in Texas by the end of the Civil War. While the majority lived in rural areas, over 1,000 resided in Galveston or Houston by 1860, and several hundred were in other major towns. By 1865, it is estimated that Texas had around 250,000 enslaved individuals.

Even after the surrender of Confederate General-in-Chief Robert E. Lee on April 9, 1865, the western Confederate Army of the Trans-Mississippi did not surrender until June 2. On the morning of June 19, 1865, Union Major General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston to assume command of the over 2,000 federal troops recently stationed in Texas. Their purpose was to enforce the emancipation of the enslaved population and oversee the process of Reconstruction, rendering null and void all laws passed by Confederate lawmakers in Texas during the war. General Granger's order conveyed the message that, as per the Proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all enslaved individuals in Texas were now free.

OVER 100 YEARS AFTER CANNABIS BECAME POPULAR IN JAMAICA, ISLAND MUSIC FROM BOB MARLEY AND OTHER MUSICIANS TRANSFORMED CANNABIS INTO A CULTURAL PHENOMENON.

While the War on Drugs was officially launched during Nixon's presidency in 1971, many experts attribute the founding of this campaign to Harry J. Anslinger. Anslinger served as the inaugural commissioner of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics (FBN) in 1930 and played a significant role in propagating a racist narrative surrounding cannabis and drug use. During his appointment, alcohol prohibition was ending, and heroin and cocaine were already banned. As a result, Anslinger directed his focus towards cannabis.

Interestingly, prior to assuming his position, Anslinger had acknowledged that the notion of cannabis causing madness or violence was an "absurd fallacy." However, in order to justify the existence and purpose of the newly established bureau, Anslinger began demonizing cannabis.

Utilizing fear-mongering tactics and employing prejudiced rhetoric, Anslinger targeted cannabis and associated it with jazz, which was predominantly an African American cultural phenomenon. The harmful effects of the War on Drugs became more pronounced during the Nixon Administration in the 1970s, leading to the disproportionate impact of cannabis enforcement on Black communities. This has had lasting consequences.

To this day, the disparities persist. According to a study conducted by the ACLU, Black individuals are 3.73 times more likely to be arrested for cannabis-related offenses compared to their white counterparts, despite similar rates of cannabis usage across racial lines.

The history of cannabis is undeniably complex. It becomes evident with a simple observation that Black Americans have been using cannabis long before it became a billion-dollar industry. The intertwined roots of Black heritage and culture run deep alongside the cannabis plant itself.

Recognizing and acknowledging this history is why several legal states, including Illinois, Massachusetts, and Missouri, have implemented social equity programs. These programs in Massachusetts, for example, offer various forms of assistance and training to applicants, expedited application reviews, waived fees, exclusive access to certain licenses, and more.

However, while we appreciate the progress made in the cannabis industry, we must also acknowledge that there is still much work to be done. Black history should not be confined to the month of February alone. The best way to honor our Black brothers and sisters is to celebrate their history throughout the year. We encourage everyone to continuously learn and unlearn, expanding their understanding of the over 400 years of cannabis history beyond a 28-day timeframe.

Cannabis has been known by various names throughout history, including dope, grass, herb, gage, tea, reefer, and chronic. However, the most commonly used and recognizable term for the dried buds of the cannabis plant, which has endured over time, is "marijuana."

During the era of prohibition almost a century ago, the term "marijuana" was deliberately chosen by the proponents of prohibition to emphasize the drug's foreignness and appeal to the xenophobia prevalent at that time among white Americans. Like other racist ideas of that era, a common claim was that marijuana would lead to miscegenation.

Harry Anslinger, the bureaucrat who spearheaded the prohibition effort, is attributed to saying at the time: "There are 100,000 total marijuana smokers in the US, and most are Negroes, Hispanics, Filipinos, and entertainers. Their Satanic music, jazz, and swing result from marijuana use. This marijuana causes white women to seek sexual relations with Negroes, entertainers, and any others."

The intentional use of racially charged rhetoric by figures like Anslinger played a significant role in shaping the negative perception of cannabis and perpetuating discriminatory attitudes towards communities of color.

In the cannabis industry today, the terms "cannabis" and "marijuana" are often used interchangeably. However, there is a vocal group that advocates for using the term "cannabis" instead, considering "marijuana" to be a racially charged word with a troubling history. This sentiment is driven by a desire to move away from the negative connotations associated with "marijuana" and to emphasize the plant's medicinal and holistic properties.

Businesses like Harborside, one of California's oldest and largest dispensaries, prefer the term "cannabis" for branding purposes, as they believe that "marijuana" perpetuates the idea that cannabis is a dangerous and addictive substance rather than a natural medicine. The stigma attached to "marijuana" has hindered cannabis legalization efforts across the United States.

The word "marijuana" is believed to have originated from Mexico, although its exact etymology remains uncertain. It may have derived from an Aztec language or soldiers' slang for "brothel" - "Maria y Juana." The practice of smoking cannabis was introduced to the United States from the south during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Mexican laborers and soldiers brought it to the American southwest, while sailors brought it from Brazil and the Caribbean to New Orleans, where black jazz musicians embraced it.

Despite the growth of the multi-billion dollar marijuana industry through state legalization efforts in recent years, many individuals still face severe consequences for possessing small amounts of cannabis. After legalization in Colorado, there was an increase in arrests of black and Latino juveniles for illegal possession. In 2016, nearly 600,000 marijuana-related arrests occurred in the United States, surpassing the number of arrests for all violent crimes combined. The majority of these arrests were for minor possession offenses, disproportionately affecting minorities.

Although marijuana usage rates are similar across different races, racial minorities are more likely to face punishment. According to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), between 2001 and 2010, African Americans were arrested for marijuana possession at a rate almost four times higher than that of white individuals. Even minor marijuana convictions can have long-lasting consequences, such as limiting access to housing, student loans, and employment opportunities.

Following the 2016 election, Donald Trump nominated Jeff Sessions, the former senator from Alabama, to be the attorney general of the United States. While some Republicans, including Trump, have shown openness to the coexistence of marijuana, particularly for medical purposes, Sessions has maintained his stance as a staunch opponent of drugs. In 2016, he stated that "Good people don't smoke marijuana." Despite concerns, the National Cannabis Industry Association (NCIA), the primary trade group representing the cannabis industry, chose not to risk antagonizing Sessions by protesting his almost certain confirmation.

As attorney general, Sessions reversed the more lenient policies of the Obama administration and directed federal prosecutors to pursue the harshest charges possible, potentially leading to longer prison sentences for drug offenders.

Sessions has demonstrated a preference for cracking down on ordinary lawbreakers, who are disproportionately people of color, rather than targeting state-licensed cannabis business owners, who are predominantly white.

In response to Sessions' actions, the cannabis industry has largely allowed him to proceed while encouraging the use of the term "cannabis" instead of "marijuana."

Similar to other symbols of past oppression, such as the pink triangle or the n-word, marginalized communities have a long tradition of reclaiming symbols associated with their oppression. It is these communities, rather than businesses, who possess the moral authority to determine whether "marijuana" is a racist word that should be avoided or if it serves as an important reminder of a more racially discriminatory past. Here at The Refinery, it will be used through it's scientific term cannabis.