Reefer Madness (1936)

Reefer Madness is an American public service announcement and exploitation film about drug use and abuse. It was originally titled Tell Your Children, and it has been known by the titles The Burning Question, Dope Addict, Doped Youth, and Love Madness as well.

In the film, aspiring high school students are enticed by pushers to try marijuana. They become addicted and engage in criminal activities such as a hit and run, manslaughter, murder, conspiracy to murder and attempted rape. They suffer hallucinations, descend into manic-depressive episodes and insanity, and associate with organized crime. One character commits suicide.

The film was produced in 1936 by mainstream independent filmmaker George Hirliman. It was financed by a church group and intended to be shown to parents as a morality tale about the dangers of cannabis use. Directed by silent-era pioneer Louis J. Gasnier, it featured a cast of mainly little-known actors. In 1938, exploitation film producer Dwain Esper purchased the film and recut it for distribution to exploitation houses, catering to vulgar interest while escaping censorship under the guise of moral guidance. Esper retitled the film Reefer Madness.

Reefer Madness was "rediscovered" in the early 1970s, and it became an underground hit on college campuses. It gained new life as an unintentional satire among advocates of cannabis policy reform. Critics have called it one of the worst films ever made, and it has gained a cult following within cannabis culture. It is in the public domain in the United States, due to the film carrying an improper copyright notice.