Via Universal Hub, we have a wonderful tableau from 72 years ago, as captured by the Boston Herald:

It’s described thusly:

Police began their annual chore-cutting down a mysterious growth of the dope weed in a field off Willow court, Dorchester. The growth has several times been mowed, uprooted and burned over, but it still thrives. Patrolmen John Abraham, William Doyle and Thomas Mullen help in eradication.

The whole image is amusing, including the kid in the background who looks to be sticking his tongue out at the camera. But I was most tickled by the left-most man, who is presumably Patrolman Abraham:

It’s probably just a bad snap, but it sure looks like this officer may have been sampling the contraband.