H.J. Anslinger letter regarding Devil's Weed film   Save
Ohio Division of Film Censorship Collection
Description: This letter from H.J. Anslinger, U.S. Commissioner of Narcotics, supports the Ohio Division of Censorship's decision to ban the film, "The Devil's Weed." The letter is one page and measures 8.5" x 11" (21.59 x 27.94 cm). The Ohio Division of Film Censorship was established as part of the Ohio Department of Education in the 1910s and continued through the 1950s. It evaluated hundreds of movies prior to release in the state. Hallmark Productions in Wilmington, Ohio, submitted "The Devil's Weed" to the censorship board in 1950 and was rejected. According to Hallmark Productions, the educational film showed the students the consequences of marijuana use and discouraged students from trying the drug. The censorship board rejected the film, however, arguing that it promoted marijuana use among teenagers. The case went to the Ohio Supreme Court in June 1950; it was the third time the state court reviewed a decision of the censorship board. In all three instances, the court upheld the decision of the censorship board to ban the films. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: Om1407_1168344_005
Subjects: Ohio Government; Arts and Entertainment; Education; Censorship; Marijuana; Educational films; Social guidance films
Places: Columbus (Ohio); Franklin County (Ohio); Washington (District of Columbia)