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The true name of marijuana is Cannabis and it used to be given as medicine for centuries. The name marijuana came to be in popular use as the US Government called it “marihuana” during its campaigns against it in the 1930's. During the great depression Mexican workers came to the US and they called it “marihuana”. The government referred to it by this name as that is what it was being called out West where most of the migrant workers were. After the great depression there were too many migrant workers and the US didn't need them anymore and the Federal Government wanted US citizens to get back to work. In order to reverse this, they believed they had to free up jobs that were currently taken by the migrant workers, namely Mexicans. Since a large portion of Mexican workers smoked marijuana they decided that making it illegal would drive them thereby out automatically freeing up the jobs for US citizens.
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