---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Marijuana was made illegal because of…"
description: "\"Marijuana was made illegal because of William Randolph Hearst, the big newspaper guy. He owned thousands of acres of timberland and he didn't want hemp..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac2/jesse-ventura-1236_acres_marijuana-was-made-illegal-because-of-wi_2436959.png"
---

#  Marijuana was made illegal because of William Randolph…

![“Marijuana was made illegal because of William Randolph Hearst, the big newspaper guy. He owned thousands of acres of timberland and he didn't want hemp to be used for paper, he wanted to force everyone to buy his trees. And that's why he was the one that spearheaded making it illegal in…” quote by Jesse Ventura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac2/jesse-ventura-1236_acres_marijuana-was-made-illegal-because-of-wi_2436959.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac2/jesse-ventura-1236_acres_marijuana-was-made-illegal-because-of-wi_2436959.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac2/jesse-ventura-1236_acres_marijuana-was-made-illegal-because-of-wi_2436959.png)

> “Marijuana was made illegal because of William Randolph Hearst, the big newspaper guy. He owned thousands of acres of timberland and he didn't want hemp to be used for paper, he wanted to force everyone to buy his trees. And that's why he was the one that spearheaded making it illegal in Washington. Always follow the money, it's done for money purposes.”

[Jesse Ventura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-ventura/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The claim argues that economic interests, specifically Hearst’s timber business, motivated the criminalization of hemp, urging scrutiny of financial motives behind policy.

**In simple terms:** Money drove hemp ban; investigate motives.

Key Takeaway

Question financial influences on laws.

Themes

politics economics media drug policy

Mood

critical inquisitive skeptical

Type

historical investigative political

When to use this quote

- policy analysis
- journalistic research
- activist campaigns
- educational seminars

Key Concepts

corporate power propaganda legal history

Questions to Reflect On

- What other factors contributed to drug bans?
- How can we uncover hidden financial agendas?

A Different Perspective

Evidence may be anecdotal and lacks comprehensive proof.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Follow The Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/follow-the-money/) [Hemp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hemp/) [Marijuana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marijuana/) [Newspapers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/newspapers/) [Purpose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purpose/) [Tree](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tree/) [Wine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wine/)

## Related quotes

> [What is really shocking in America isn't what's done in and by Washington that is illegal by that what is done in and by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-will/what-is-really-shocking-in-america-isn-t-what-s-done-in-and-by/)

[George Will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-will/)

> [States should pass laws making it illegal to own or trade wild animals; the phony 'educational' permits that many private owners have used to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-orlean/states-should-pass-laws-making-it-illegal-to-own-or-trade-wild/)

[Susan Orlean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-orlean/)

> [While I am opposed to elected officials running for multiple offices simultaneously, or within several months of one another, I do not support a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lori-lightfoot/while-i-am-opposed-to-elected-officials-running-for-multiple-offices/)

[Lori Lightfoot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lori-lightfoot/)

> [You cannot make a man worth a given amount by making it illegal for anyone to offer him anything less. You merely deprive him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-hazlitt/you-cannot-make-a-man-worth-a-given-amount-by-making-it-illegal-for/)

[Henry Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-hazlitt/)

> [Health care for everybody, by making it illegal not to have health care. It's so simple, why didn't we think of this before?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-slagle/health-care-for-everybody-by-making-it-illegal-not-to-have-health/)

Tim Slagle

> [There was a law in Connecticut - I believe it is still formally unrepealed - making it illegal for a man to kiss his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/there-was-a-law-in-connecticut-i-believe-it-is-still-formally/)

[Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/)

> [Science could never get you to make alcohol and tobacco legal and marijuana illegal. Only racism can do that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maia-szalavitz/science-could-never-get-you-to-make-alcohol-and-tobacco-legal-and/)

[Maia Szalavitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maia-szalavitz/)

> [By making marijuana illegal, the agricultural people can't grab hold of it like they did with corn and wheat. So those companies are scrambling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-chong/by-making-marijuana-illegal-the-agricultural-people-can-t-grab-hold/)

[Tommy Chong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-chong/)

> [Marijuana may be illegal, but so is the music on your phone and iPod.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/marijuana-may-be-illegal-but-so-is-the-music-on-your-phone-and-ipod/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“So just take a look at the different prosecution rates and sentencing rules for ghetto drugs like crack and suburban drugs like cocaine, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/so-just-take-a-look-at-the-different-prosecution-rates-and-sentencing/)

[Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/)

> [“In America they say "In God We Trust", but making marijuana illegal is like saying God made a mistake.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-g-ortiz/in-america-they-say-in-god-we-trust-but-making-marijuana-illegal-is/)

[Kenneth G. Ortiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-g-ortiz/)

> [Marijuana is illegal but has never caused any deaths from usage, Cigarettes kills millions &amp; they are legal... Makes sense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maicy-rasmus/marijuana-is-illegal-but-has-never-caused-any-deaths-from-usage/)

Maicy Rasmus

> [The number one reason why marijuana is illegal is because the Pharma Cartel does not want you to grow your own medicine. The Declaration…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-rogan/the-number-one-reason-why-marijuana-is-illegal-is-because-the-pharma/)

[Joe Rogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-rogan/)

> [Do you want to know why marijuana is illegal? Because the drug companies want marijuana to be illegal. You see, if it came down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/do-you-want-to-know-why-marijuana-is-illegal-because-the-drug/)

[Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/)

> [I don't think marijuana should be illegal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/i-don-t-think-marijuana-should-be-illegal/)

[Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/)

## More by Jesse Ventura

> [I will not be a Democrat or a Republican. They are the problem, not the solution. We need to abolish political parties in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-ventura/i-will-not-be-a-democrat-or-a-republican-they-are-the-problem-not-the/)

[Jesse Ventura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-ventura/)

> [I live in Mexico in the wintertime, and I live off the grid down there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-ventura/i-live-in-mexico-in-the-wintertime-and-i-live-off-the-grid-down-there/)

[Jesse Ventura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-ventura/)

> [I've jumped out of an airplane 34 times. I've dove 212 feet under water. I've done a lot of things that defied death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-ventura/i-ve-jumped-out-of-an-airplane-34-times-i-ve-dove-212-feet-under/)

[Jesse Ventura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-ventura/)

> [If you work for the federal government, the average salary is $7,000 higher than the private sector. Something's wrong with that, when you're making…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-ventura/if-you-work-for-the-federal-government-the-average-salary-is-7-000/)

[Jesse Ventura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-ventura/)

> [I want to try to become friends with Russia.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-ventura/i-want-to-try-to-become-friends-with-russia/)

[Jesse Ventura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-ventura/)

> [Learn from history or you're doomed to repeat it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-ventura/learn-from-history-or-you-re-doomed-to-repeat-it/)

[Jesse Ventura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-ventura/)

> [You can grow marijuana, so the government can't tax you and they don't like that, that's why they prohibit it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-ventura/you-can-grow-marijuana-so-the-government-can-t-tax-you-and-they-don-t/)

[Jesse Ventura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-ventura/)

> [Prostitution is criminal, and bad things happen because it's run illegally by dirt-bags who are criminals. If it's legal, then the girls could have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-ventura/prostitution-is-criminal-and-bad-things-happen-because-it-s-run/)

[Jesse Ventura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-ventura/)

> [I don't think I would want the responsibility for enforcing the death penalties. There's always the inevitable question of whether someone you gave the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-ventura/i-don-t-think-i-would-want-the-responsibility-for-enforcing-the-death/)

[Jesse Ventura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-ventura/)

> [For every day the government is shut down, it should be that we don't have to pay income tax that day because they're not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-ventura/for-every-day-the-government-is-shut-down-it-should-be-that-we-don-t/)

[Jesse Ventura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-ventura/)

> [I believe in the separation of church and state. We all have our own religious beliefs. There are people out there who are atheists,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-ventura/i-believe-in-the-separation-of-church-and-state-we-all-have-our-own/)

[Jesse Ventura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-ventura/)

> [Okay, fluoride in the water to help our teeth. Well, shouldn't that be the job of your mom and dad? To teach you how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-ventura/okay-fluoride-in-the-water-to-help-our-teeth-well-shouldn-t-that-be/)

[Jesse Ventura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-ventura/)

> [I'm not allowed on FOX, and I'm not allowed on MSNBC.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-ventura/i-m-not-allowed-on-fox-and-i-m-not-allowed-on-msnbc/)

[Jesse Ventura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-ventura/)

> [Barack Obama's large contributor was Goldman Sachs - same thing on the Republican side. If you go to both their conventions, you see the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-ventura/barack-obama-s-large-contributor-was-goldman-sachs-same-thing-on-the/)

[Jesse Ventura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-ventura/)

> [In wrestling, my mustache made me look more like a villain. A good mustache can give you the look of the devil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-ventura/in-wrestling-my-mustache-made-me-look-more-like-a-villain-a-good/)

[Jesse Ventura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-ventura/)

[Explore all 269 Jesse Ventura quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-ventura/)

## More Acres quotes

> [“I suppose there was never a reason for tearing down a cabin or scrapping a stopped automobile, if you had all those acres.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-lethem/i-suppose-there-was-never-a-reason-for-tearing-down-a-cabin-or/)

[Jonathan Lethem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-lethem/)

> [It were good to know how much hay an acre of every sort will bear; how many cattle the same weight of each sort…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-petty/it-were-good-to-know-how-much-hay-an-acre-of-every-sort-will-bear-how/)

[William Petty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-petty/)

> [In the 24 hours since this time yesterday, over 200,000 acres of rainforest have been destroyed in our world. Fully 13 million tons of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-hartmann/in-the-24-hours-since-this-time-yesterday-over-200-000-acres-of/)

[Thom Hartmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-hartmann/)

> [About five years ago, the courses we run in the Field Trials were 52 percent timber. The hawks live in trees, and the quail…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-carlisle/about-five-years-ago-the-courses-we-run-in-the-field-trials-were-52/)

[Rick Carlisle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-carlisle/)

> [ \[Footnote:\] Pliny the Elder described a Whale called "Balaena or Whirlpool, which is so long and broad as to take up more in length… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-cuppy/footnote-pliny-the-elder-described-a-whale-called-balaena-or/)

[Will Cuppy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-cuppy/)

> [One time we did have 300 acres in watermelons. That was fun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/delta-burke/one-time-we-did-have-300-acres-in-watermelons-that-was-fun/)

[Delta Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/delta-burke/)

> [Our problem with limited resources is not primarily overpopulation; it is greed. Our problem with pollution is not the invention of fluorocarbons or mass…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winkie-pratney/our-problem-with-limited-resources-is-not-primarily-overpopulation-it/)

[Winkie Pratney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winkie-pratney/)

> [Only by himself, with one acre and a house, will a dunce be a dunce. Once he manages to gain power, he'll turn into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-grillparzer/only-by-himself-with-one-acre-and-a-house-will-a-dunce-be-a-dunce/)

[Franz Grillparzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-grillparzer/)

> [And we never got the mule, let alone the forty acres.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-evers/and-we-never-got-the-mule-let-alone-the-forty-acres/)

[Charles Evers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-evers/)

> [I grew up in a town outside of Waco, Texas, and we had 30 acres.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-plemons/i-grew-up-in-a-town-outside-of-waco-texas-and-we-had-30-acres/)

[Jesse Plemons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-plemons/)

> [The poet is at the edge of our consciousness of the world, finding beyond the suspected nothingness which we imagine limits our perception another…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-davenport/the-poet-is-at-the-edge-of-our-consciousness-of-the-world-finding/)

[Guy Davenport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-davenport/)

> [We live on a 500-acre ranch, beautiful ranch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanya-tucker/we-live-on-a-500-acre-ranch-beautiful-ranch/)

[Tanya Tucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanya-tucker/)

> [There is not an acre of ground on the globe that is in possession of its rightful owner, or that has not been taken…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/there-is-not-an-acre-of-ground-on-the-globe-that-is-in-possession-of/)

[Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/)

> [The city of London, within the walls, occupies a space of only 370 acres, and is but the hundred and fortieth part of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-mayhew/the-city-of-london-within-the-walls-occupies-a-space-of-only-370/)

[Henry Mayhew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-mayhew/)

> [The ploughman knows how many acres he shall upturn from dawn to sunset: but the thinker knows not what a day may bring forth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lancaster-spalding/the-ploughman-knows-how-many-acres-he-shall-upturn-from-dawn-to/)

[John Lancaster Spalding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lancaster-spalding/)

Browse all 218 Acres quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Marijuana was made illegal because of William Randolph Hearst, the big newspaper guy. He owned thousands of acres of timberland and he didn't want hemp to be used for paper, he wanted to force everyone to buy his trees. And that's why he was the one that spearheaded making it illegal in Washington. Always follow the money, it's done for money purposes.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Jesse Ventura"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-ventura/marijuana-was-made-illegal-because-of-william-randolph-hearst-the-big/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Acres"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-ventura/marijuana-was-made-illegal-because-of-william-randolph-hearst-the-big/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac2/jesse-ventura-1236_acres_marijuana-was-made-illegal-because-of-wi_2436959.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac2/jesse-ventura-1236_acres_marijuana-was-made-illegal-because-of-wi_2436959.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac2/jesse-ventura-1236_acres_marijuana-was-made-illegal-because-of-wi_2436959.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Marijuana was made illegal because of William Randolph Hearst, the big newspaper guy. He owned thousands of…” — Jesse Ventura",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Jesse Ventura",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-ventura/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Marijuana was made illegal because of...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-ventura/marijuana-was-made-illegal-because-of-william-randolph-hearst-the-big/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-ventura/marijuana-was-made-illegal-because-of-william-randolph-hearst-the-big/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
