Cannabis Time Capsule, 1904: "A Bad Mexican Habit"

This week's Colorado Cannabis Time Capsule is a news brief from the Telluride Daily Journal from 1904 that's yet another example of the papers of the era slandering not only cannabis, but Mexicans as well. It's actually similar to another story from 1904 we recently shared with you, about two...

By William Breathes

June 28, 2013

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This week's Colorado Cannabis Time Capsule is a news brief from the Telluride Daily Journal from 1904 that's yet another example of the papers of the era slandering not only cannabis, but Mexicans as well.

It's actually similar to another story from 1904 we recently shared with you, about two men going crazy after smoking some herb.

This time, however, the star's a little kid.

The brief, titled "A Bad Mexican Habit", talks about the "evil of marihuana smoking" and the lower-class type of people who use it -- namely the "alarming" trend of youth smoking the plant. To illustrate this, the unnamed writer tells the story of a boy no older than twelve who ran amok "down the center of the thoroughfare, tearing his clothes and attacking all who crossed his path."

The item makes the boy sound like the Incredible Hulk or something, and we can just imagine the feigned outrage it must have caused among well-to-do Telluride residents the day it ran.

Don't try this at home, kids.

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