Why Was Reefer Madness Made?

Originally released in the mid-1930s, Reefer Madness or “Tell Your Children” was established as an educational movie against cannabis use. It was designed to elaborate on the moral ills of using cannabis and why it was causing society to implode at the seams.

What was the purpose of Reefer Madness?

“The Reefer Madness campaign was an attempt to create a narcotics scare and, in particular, to paint marijuana as a narcotic that was as dangerous as heroin and cocaine,” says Alexandra Chasin, author of Assassin of Youth: A Kaleidoscopic History of Harry J. Anslinger's War on Drugs.

Is Reefer Madness based on true story?

Most online accounts claim that it was produced by a church group, then purchased and re-edited with sensational additions by notorious exploitation film producer Dwain Esper. I cannot find any confirmation, however, that this version of events is true. ... Reefer Madness and its ilk were the original exploitation films.