In the annals of prohibition history, the early days of cannabis prohibition stand out as a stark example of industrial collusion and manipulation. Central to this narrative are figures like Harry Anslinger, William Randolph Hearst, and the DuPont family, who are often cited as the chief architects behind marijuana’s ban. Anslinger, a seasoned bureaucrat who cut his teeth during the era of alcohol prohibition, found a new target in marijuana as the curtains drew on the prohibition of spirits. His motivations, deeply intertwined with the desire to maintain and exert federal control, led him to pivot towards vilifying cannabis.