Authors: Matilda Gibb
Mentors: Ami Comeford
Insitution: Utah Tech University
Prior to 1930, cannabis was used frequently in therapeutic practices and was found in many over the counter health products. However, around this time what has been dubbed the “pot panic” began infecting American citizens. It was then the film Reefer Madness came onto the scene, exacerbating the public’s trepidation over the allegedly morally degrading effects cannabis inflicted. Putting melodrama at the forefront, the film exploits societal queasiness over sex, drugs, violent crime, and immigration to push its propagandist agenda. The fear mongering rhetoric and imagery used effectively poisoned the public and altered societal perceptions of medical and recreational cannabis use. The goal of this project is to analyze the rhetorical argument presented in the film and address its broader reach and effects. Lastly, I will argue that the message presented in Reefer Madness was not based on any logical argument; it was based on folklore.