Is the prohibition of marijuana just a scam to hide industrial hemp benefits?

The prohibition of marijuana and hemp has a complex history that cannot be explained solely by a single motive or scam. The reasons for the initial prohibition of marijuana and hemp in the early 20th century were shaped by a range of political, economic, and social factors, including concerns about the impact of drug use on public health, as well as prejudice and fear towards Mexican immigrants and African American communities who were associated with the use of marijuana at the time.

However, it is also true that the prohibition of marijuana and hemp had the effect of suppressing the development and use of hemp as an industrial crop. This was due in part to the fact that marijuana and hemp were often lumped together under the same laws and regulations, despite their distinct differences, and also because the marijuana industry became a major target of law enforcement efforts.

In recent years, there has been a growing movement to legalize and regulate both marijuana and hemp, driven by increasing recognition of their potential benefits, as well as changing attitudes towards drug use and drug policy. While the motivations for this change are complex and multi-faceted, they reflect a growing recognition of the potential benefits of these crops and a desire to end the harms caused by prohibition.

So to answer your question, while the prohibition of marijuana and hemp did have the effect of suppressing the development and use of hemp, it is not accurate to say that it was simply a scam to hide the benefits of industrial hemp. Rather, the reasons for prohibition are rooted in a complex and changing mix of political, economic, and social factors.