1937 "Marihuana - Assassin of Youth" Matchbook Cover

Description

1937  “
Marihuana -
Assassin of Youth” Matchbook
The classic anti-marijuana film styled after Reefer Madness. Originally titled Marihuana, the AOY title came from a 1937 Harry Anslinger article line in The American Magazine.
There were two publicity matchbook designs for this film.
Variant #1
– “Assassin of Youth”
Black/Yellow/Lt Blue/Med Blue 1937 Lion Match
Front cover: "A Puff---A Party---A Tragedy! Daring!”
Back cover:
"Marihuana Daringly Exposed---Assassin of Youth."
Illustration of a "reefer" emitting smoke on front cover. (Tucked in, obscured)
This variant is a must have for any serious collection and yet a very scarce and difficult find. The uniqueness of this first movie trailer style cover was the "smoking reefer" which was cleverly drawn to tuck into the striker fold. The second orange/black variant production started just less than a year later with
fiery colors and
a more relaxed smoothness to the design and the "smoking reefer" fully exposed on the reverse.
Vintage Reefer Madness-era ephemera collected and protected since the same year that marijuana became illegal.
Marijuana Tax Act, 1937