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Cannabis: A History
To some it's the classic "gateway drug," to others it is a harmless way to relax, or provide relief from pain. Some fear it is dangerous and addictive, while others feel it should be decriminalized. Whatever the viewpoint, cannabis incites debate at every level, and the effect it has on every corner of the globe is undeniable.
In this comprehensive study, Martin Booth crafts a tale of medical advance and religious enlightenment; of political subterfuge and law enforcement; of cunning smugglers, street pushers, gang warfare, writers, artists, and musicians. And above all, Booth chronicles the fascinating process through which cannabis became outlawed throughout the Western world, and the effect such legislation has had on the global economy.
In this comprehensive study, Martin Booth crafts a tale of medical advance and religious enlightenment; of political subterfuge and law enforcement; of cunning smugglers, street pushers, gang warfare, writers, artists, and musicians. And above all, Booth chronicles the fascinating process through which cannabis became outlawed throughout the Western world, and the effect such legislation has had on the global economy.
448 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2003
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1740 people want to read
About the author
Martin Booth
105 books95 followersMartin Booth was a prolific English novelist and poet. He also worked as a teacher and screenwriter, and was the founder of the Sceptre Press.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
May 4, 2021
Currently, 16 states and Washington, DC, have legalized marijuana for adults over the age of 21, and 36 states have legalized medical marijuana.
I have always found it absurd and ignorant that marijuana was/is illegal when alcohol was/is not. They are both intoxicants, and alcohol is far more dangerous. At a very basic level, alcohol for some individuals is physically addictive. Weed is not. Alcohol can also trigger violence in some people, while weed can trigger laziness and over-snacking. The first aspect is over-stated--while weed can make you feel lazy and chill, the right hit of the right breed, and marijuana can also induce bursts of creative thinking, activity and dare I say, laughter? Generally speaking, Indica strains induce relaxation and vegetation while Sativa can energize. As with anything...overdoing it is not recommended. Your lungs are organs, but so is your liver. Edibles and vaporizing can help reduce the negative effects of smoking. (Remember, there is no nicotine in marijuana.) Furthermore, alcohol has near-zero therapeutic effects. While weed can be used to reduce nausea such as that triggered by chemotherapy, it can provide pain relief for chronic pain sufferers, and it can reduce eye pressure for those with glaucoma. I sold marijuana for several years when I was an actor. One of my customers had stomach cancer, and it helped her pain. For the most part, though, I sold to people who just enjoyed getting high. Like I did. I still do occasionally, although not frequently. The biggest difference being that I can go down the block to a nice modern store, wait in line for five minutes, and then pick a strain based on a recommendation by the "budtender." And pay for it with my debit card. They even give you a proper receipt.
I remember the first time that I visited Amsterdam and dropped into a marijuana cafe. It was really kind of mind-blowing. The culture shock that comes from being an American and seeing weed as something clandestine. Something that has to remain secret because it's risky. You could get arrested for possession. And here, in the 'daam, you can sit down, order an espresso, pull out a notebook and draw or write while smoking a joint. You can go alone, bring a friend, or strike up a conversation with your neighbor. Some are very friendly social places. It was NO. BIG. DEAL. In fact, it was quite uplifting. It felt like I was being treated like an adult instead of being treated like a child by conservative ideology. Such a simple difference was an eye-opening experience for me that demonstrated social bias and how culture has the power to define morality in pursuit of social control. This system is aligned with sexism, racism, and the many other tools that frightened little men use to cling to their political power. Liberating us from marijuana laws certainly doesn't free us from the many other social controls, but it never hurts to take down another brick in the wall.
Cannabis: A History by Martin Booth is at times dry but had some very interesting content and kept my attention as a whole. The most fascinating parts were about methods of smuggling marijuana as well as the weed hysteria in the 1950s and 60s. I never realized how a great deal of the anti-marijuana sentiment was driven by racism. Weed smoking in the 50s was most common for Mexicans, Indians, and black Americans. It was seen as a corrupting vice that white women and teenagers needed to be protected from because it brought them into dangerous proximity to those other races and their out-of-control jazz music. There was even a period where it almost could have become legalized due to the numerous uses of hemp, a plant that is very good for the soil to grow. But fear of those non-whites drove hysteria about marijuana and kept prison sentences long and cruel. They were on par with heroin sentencing.
The only criticism I can aim at Cannabis: A History is that it wouldn't be any fun to read high.
I have always found it absurd and ignorant that marijuana was/is illegal when alcohol was/is not. They are both intoxicants, and alcohol is far more dangerous. At a very basic level, alcohol for some individuals is physically addictive. Weed is not. Alcohol can also trigger violence in some people, while weed can trigger laziness and over-snacking. The first aspect is over-stated--while weed can make you feel lazy and chill, the right hit of the right breed, and marijuana can also induce bursts of creative thinking, activity and dare I say, laughter? Generally speaking, Indica strains induce relaxation and vegetation while Sativa can energize. As with anything...overdoing it is not recommended. Your lungs are organs, but so is your liver. Edibles and vaporizing can help reduce the negative effects of smoking. (Remember, there is no nicotine in marijuana.) Furthermore, alcohol has near-zero therapeutic effects. While weed can be used to reduce nausea such as that triggered by chemotherapy, it can provide pain relief for chronic pain sufferers, and it can reduce eye pressure for those with glaucoma. I sold marijuana for several years when I was an actor. One of my customers had stomach cancer, and it helped her pain. For the most part, though, I sold to people who just enjoyed getting high. Like I did. I still do occasionally, although not frequently. The biggest difference being that I can go down the block to a nice modern store, wait in line for five minutes, and then pick a strain based on a recommendation by the "budtender." And pay for it with my debit card. They even give you a proper receipt.
I remember the first time that I visited Amsterdam and dropped into a marijuana cafe. It was really kind of mind-blowing. The culture shock that comes from being an American and seeing weed as something clandestine. Something that has to remain secret because it's risky. You could get arrested for possession. And here, in the 'daam, you can sit down, order an espresso, pull out a notebook and draw or write while smoking a joint. You can go alone, bring a friend, or strike up a conversation with your neighbor. Some are very friendly social places. It was NO. BIG. DEAL. In fact, it was quite uplifting. It felt like I was being treated like an adult instead of being treated like a child by conservative ideology. Such a simple difference was an eye-opening experience for me that demonstrated social bias and how culture has the power to define morality in pursuit of social control. This system is aligned with sexism, racism, and the many other tools that frightened little men use to cling to their political power. Liberating us from marijuana laws certainly doesn't free us from the many other social controls, but it never hurts to take down another brick in the wall.
Cannabis: A History by Martin Booth is at times dry but had some very interesting content and kept my attention as a whole. The most fascinating parts were about methods of smuggling marijuana as well as the weed hysteria in the 1950s and 60s. I never realized how a great deal of the anti-marijuana sentiment was driven by racism. Weed smoking in the 50s was most common for Mexicans, Indians, and black Americans. It was seen as a corrupting vice that white women and teenagers needed to be protected from because it brought them into dangerous proximity to those other races and their out-of-control jazz music. There was even a period where it almost could have become legalized due to the numerous uses of hemp, a plant that is very good for the soil to grow. But fear of those non-whites drove hysteria about marijuana and kept prison sentences long and cruel. They were on par with heroin sentencing.
The only criticism I can aim at Cannabis: A History is that it wouldn't be any fun to read high.
December 18, 2008
very very extensive history! of a plant i enjoy. it starts from ancient times, to tribal cultures, to literary circles in late 1800s, to early jazz, to the 60s counter culture, aslingers zealous campaign against it (hence the over-extreme paranoid stances of today) and beyond. he discusses uses for industrial applications and more so using as a mind altering substance. there are a lot of interesting details of usages by artists, writers, and musicians a lot of us love. how it was smuggled through time and hot spots of cultivation were covered well. took me a while to get through it, not because it's boring, but its extensive, in a good way. i finished with much more knowledge of the history and impact this plant has had on our world....which is probably more immense than people imagine.
October 21, 2010
It's extremely difficult to come by any well-researched, reliable, and generally impartial material on this plant. Those writing about it are generally either of the opinion that it's a Satanic weed sent to destroy our way of life or convinced that it's the holy Tree of Life from which all wisdom and joy are derived. Booth, meanwhile, is even-handed and thorough, providing an incredible amount of information about the history of this plant as well as its many uses—not just as an intoxicant, but also as a medication, fiber, and base material for plastics and fuel. In doing so, he dispels many commonly believed myths about the plant and uncovers the appallingly racist origins of draconian modern drug prohibition policy. The book is a bit dry in passages, but that's only to be expected of so thorough an overview. An excellent read—I'm glad it caught my eye on the sale table at the Strand.
July 29, 2009
There were areas I wish he would have went more in depth with, like how the coffeehouse scene in Holland came into existance and other areas I wasn't as interested in, like hippy pop culture. Also he overemphasizes a lot of things that went on in Britain, which historicly isn't exactly the epicenter for Marijuana activity and culture. The author isn't a stoner, or at least doesn't come off as one, but he seems to be pro-Cannabis at least to the extent of showing the stupidity of the law enforcement witchhunts against what is more or less a harmless "drug". Overall a good general history of Cannabis.
February 24, 2012
This book seems like it would only belong on the shelf of a stoner, but shouldn't be- it is a really interesting perspective on world history; tackling racism, culture and ethics with a focus on religion, government, and art.
October 5, 2019
Really impressive text on the origins, history, culture, health implications and legality of cannabis.
Martin Booth has clearly researched the subject extensively, and his broad knowledge comes across in his writing, which is fascinating and informative.
As always, anything that is natural and has health benefits is lambasted by the "authorities", banned, censored, prohibited, then sanitised and synthesised by those same arseholes trying to sell it back to people at a profit!!
A great read.
Martin Booth has clearly researched the subject extensively, and his broad knowledge comes across in his writing, which is fascinating and informative.
As always, anything that is natural and has health benefits is lambasted by the "authorities", banned, censored, prohibited, then sanitised and synthesised by those same arseholes trying to sell it back to people at a profit!!
A great read.
July 21, 2023
It's a pretty all-encompassing summation of the long and tangled history of cannabis. Booth does an excellent job of interweaving the various historical and cultural aspects of cannabis worldwide in an engaging and relatively easy read that does not sacrifice too much detail. Booth does a decent job of presenting the nuances of cannabis and culture, as well as the centuries-long cycles of repression and tolerance for this ancient plant.
January 28, 2010
A very interesting book about a plant that has been unfairly given a bad rap. Looks at the role cannabis has played in almost every aspect of human existence from agriculture to counter culture. Also shows how cannabis has been blacklisted for so many wrong reasons. Very illuminating. Should be read by more politicians, law officers and critics, as well as anyone who has ever had an interest in "the herb". I highly recommend this book!
July 25, 2011
A very well rounded, open look at this oft maligned, but also extraordinary plant. Covers many interesting aspects of Cannabis' influence throughout history - from the ancient Hindu traditions in India, to the truth behind the legendary Assassins, and touching upon many of the 19th and 20th century figures that are essential to the drug counterculture; Aleister Crowley, Timothy Leary, Allen Ginsberg, and Harry Anslinger, among others. Also reveals many lesser known facts and historical events. A great read for history buffs and enthusiasts alike.
December 18, 2007
A little slow and dry at the beginning but once you realize how far back the history of Mary Jane telescopes back, makes one ask why this plant with so much history is the most hated next to morning glories.
February 18, 2008
Epiphanous! When I learned that botanists created a new family of plants in order to properly classify cannabis (hemp) and humulus (hops), I achieved a rare moment of total clarity.
July 30, 2011
A very good history of cannabis that I would recommend to people who partake in it and also people who are against it.
December 18, 2019
I am not going to lie, I have learned a lot from this book. It's pretty eye opening in regards to the racism and ill-informed policies that resulted in the War on Drugs that continues to this day.
April 29, 2012
Abandoned not because it wasn't good, but because I have way too much in my queue and I really don't need to know this much about any one plant right now. This book is exhaustive to say the least. Many, many details of the ecology, properties, history and biology of Cannabis plants, of which there are many varieties that are also described in detail and their uses listed. If I ever need info on Cannabis, I will grab this book again, but until then, I think I'm good. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for information on Cannabis. It is well written, although removed from any feeling, and a professional, interesting look at Cannabis facts.
August 9, 2021
DNF. I will continue to plug along. But IDK how long this will take me. Lots of interesting info. Maybe even more than necessary, some of the detailed stories. He could've condensed some.
I feel a bit put off by some of his assumptions. Marijuana was NOT responsible for jazz. That came from the genius of those musicians. Don't deflect the credit. Come on.
From what he says, I should assume my gramma knew all about marijuana. If it was common knowledge, she would've known something. I actually never thought about it. I knew my grandparents as quiet, respectful people. Unassuming, with strict codes of conduct. They would have been scandalized by it.
When I was a kid, I asked my mother what a "cucaracha" was, because she would sing "La Cucaracha" to us little kids, entertaining us. The song, at least the refrain, which was what my mother sang to us, was in the mainstream, in some form. "La coo-cah-rah-cha, la-coo cah-rah-cha. Tada tada tada ta." Or some such thing. It's in some old old cartoons, horns tooting, "Tata tata ta..." Anyway, my mother explained that a cucaracha was a bug no one liked and moved very fast. "La Cucaracha" is a nickname given to Pancho Villa, because he was fast and resilient; the authorities hated him, and they couldn't catch him. The song was about him.
The translation I find online of this refrain (La Cucaracha, La Cucaracha, ya no puede caminar. Porque no tiene, porque le falta, marijuana que fumar) reads, "The cockroach...can't walk because he doesn't have any marijuana to smoke." But that's wrong. That's a literal translation. Plus, it is a nickname, so it should be capitalized. The song is saying, "The Cockroach...can't advance. Because he needs and doesn't have any marijuana to smoke." Pancho Villa was a revolutionary. A militant, fighting for the disenfranchised. As I understand this little ditty, Pancho Villa was a pothead. Dude needed his weed. That's what the song says. The ode can raise him into a folk hero, an antihero, or be used as propaganda to criticize and criminalize him. I don't know where the song originated, or what the intention.
I asked my mother what was "marijuana." She said, "It's something bad men smoke." "But what is it," I wanted to know. I was about seven. "I don't know," she said. I have no idea if she ever saw it, or what she knew exactly. But she obviously knew it existed. In her view, hooligans used it. Her view never changed.
The late 1960's and the hippies brought marijuana into mainstream awareness. I guess the Beats brought it some attention in the 1950's, but not like the hippies did. As far as I know. (I have more to read. IDK what else Booth will say about his researched history; my point of view is personal observation/interpretation.) They made it mainstream. In the movie "9 to 5," in 1980, the women get stoned with a joint that one of the women's son puts in her purse; he tells her it will relieve her stress. In the next scene Dolly Parton, Lilly Tomlin, and Jane Fonda are rolling (um, I mean, laughing), munching out, and sharing stories. It's very funny. That's quite different from Easy Rider in 1969. Never mind the propaganda film Reefer Madness in 1936. This suggests to me a trend toward "normalizing," a change in mainstream attitudes toward cannabis. An evolution of the mind, if you will.
Cannabis can be used to smudge. I had a meeting with a Native healer, a Canadian First Peoples. She lit a big, fat, green bud and set it down in a small ceramic dish to burn, to smudge the space where we sat (in a small room, sitting in chairs, btw). Another time, in a Talking Circle a few years ago, with a Native American healer, before the event began, a guy said he thought marijuana should be legal (it was being debated) and asked the healer what he thought. The healer (I won't mention the tribe, cuz it isn't my place to) said it was used, and should be used only, for the final crossing (dying). These are sacred ceremonies.
When I worked at a survey research center, years ago, if there was a question on the survey about the use of street drugs, many people answered, "Yes," marijuana being the most common one checked, sometimes the only. People from ALL walks of life: dentists, teachers, attorneys, students, grocery clerks, homemakers, real estate agents... You name it. I once knew the daughter of a politician who said her father asked her to get him a joint, cuz he couldn't. She could, and she did. I met her in college. The point is, there's been a lot of hypocrisy around cannabis.
I was introduced to marijuana by a white girl, a co-worker at a title company, in my early twenties. Reading this history by Martin Booth, you'd assume it'd be the other way around. I didn't like the experience, and it would be many years after I met that chick, that I tried it again, at a high stress time in my life. It's a good sleep aid, and used right works well for anxiety. I think it's a good move to legalize it, since so many people use it, especially medicinally and in a spiritual context. It's excellent for meditation, and some people use it as anti-depressant, as it can elevate mood. Besides, it's a good source of tax revenue. That's good for the country. I do think it's sick and disgusting that Boehner's "thinking on cannabis has evolved," as he said, and he is now profiting from it, having been dead set against legalizing it before. (The lives that were impacted.)
Cannabis: A History has some information I find interesting. It is a long read. I'm not done. Some of it hurts me to read, and I have to set it down for a minute. But I do want to finish it.
I feel a bit put off by some of his assumptions. Marijuana was NOT responsible for jazz. That came from the genius of those musicians. Don't deflect the credit. Come on.
From what he says, I should assume my gramma knew all about marijuana. If it was common knowledge, she would've known something. I actually never thought about it. I knew my grandparents as quiet, respectful people. Unassuming, with strict codes of conduct. They would have been scandalized by it.
When I was a kid, I asked my mother what a "cucaracha" was, because she would sing "La Cucaracha" to us little kids, entertaining us. The song, at least the refrain, which was what my mother sang to us, was in the mainstream, in some form. "La coo-cah-rah-cha, la-coo cah-rah-cha. Tada tada tada ta." Or some such thing. It's in some old old cartoons, horns tooting, "Tata tata ta..." Anyway, my mother explained that a cucaracha was a bug no one liked and moved very fast. "La Cucaracha" is a nickname given to Pancho Villa, because he was fast and resilient; the authorities hated him, and they couldn't catch him. The song was about him.
The translation I find online of this refrain (La Cucaracha, La Cucaracha, ya no puede caminar. Porque no tiene, porque le falta, marijuana que fumar) reads, "The cockroach...can't walk because he doesn't have any marijuana to smoke." But that's wrong. That's a literal translation. Plus, it is a nickname, so it should be capitalized. The song is saying, "The Cockroach...can't advance. Because he needs and doesn't have any marijuana to smoke." Pancho Villa was a revolutionary. A militant, fighting for the disenfranchised. As I understand this little ditty, Pancho Villa was a pothead. Dude needed his weed. That's what the song says. The ode can raise him into a folk hero, an antihero, or be used as propaganda to criticize and criminalize him. I don't know where the song originated, or what the intention.
I asked my mother what was "marijuana." She said, "It's something bad men smoke." "But what is it," I wanted to know. I was about seven. "I don't know," she said. I have no idea if she ever saw it, or what she knew exactly. But she obviously knew it existed. In her view, hooligans used it. Her view never changed.
The late 1960's and the hippies brought marijuana into mainstream awareness. I guess the Beats brought it some attention in the 1950's, but not like the hippies did. As far as I know. (I have more to read. IDK what else Booth will say about his researched history; my point of view is personal observation/interpretation.) They made it mainstream. In the movie "9 to 5," in 1980, the women get stoned with a joint that one of the women's son puts in her purse; he tells her it will relieve her stress. In the next scene Dolly Parton, Lilly Tomlin, and Jane Fonda are rolling (um, I mean, laughing), munching out, and sharing stories. It's very funny. That's quite different from Easy Rider in 1969. Never mind the propaganda film Reefer Madness in 1936. This suggests to me a trend toward "normalizing," a change in mainstream attitudes toward cannabis. An evolution of the mind, if you will.
Cannabis can be used to smudge. I had a meeting with a Native healer, a Canadian First Peoples. She lit a big, fat, green bud and set it down in a small ceramic dish to burn, to smudge the space where we sat (in a small room, sitting in chairs, btw). Another time, in a Talking Circle a few years ago, with a Native American healer, before the event began, a guy said he thought marijuana should be legal (it was being debated) and asked the healer what he thought. The healer (I won't mention the tribe, cuz it isn't my place to) said it was used, and should be used only, for the final crossing (dying). These are sacred ceremonies.
When I worked at a survey research center, years ago, if there was a question on the survey about the use of street drugs, many people answered, "Yes," marijuana being the most common one checked, sometimes the only. People from ALL walks of life: dentists, teachers, attorneys, students, grocery clerks, homemakers, real estate agents... You name it. I once knew the daughter of a politician who said her father asked her to get him a joint, cuz he couldn't. She could, and she did. I met her in college. The point is, there's been a lot of hypocrisy around cannabis.
I was introduced to marijuana by a white girl, a co-worker at a title company, in my early twenties. Reading this history by Martin Booth, you'd assume it'd be the other way around. I didn't like the experience, and it would be many years after I met that chick, that I tried it again, at a high stress time in my life. It's a good sleep aid, and used right works well for anxiety. I think it's a good move to legalize it, since so many people use it, especially medicinally and in a spiritual context. It's excellent for meditation, and some people use it as anti-depressant, as it can elevate mood. Besides, it's a good source of tax revenue. That's good for the country. I do think it's sick and disgusting that Boehner's "thinking on cannabis has evolved," as he said, and he is now profiting from it, having been dead set against legalizing it before. (The lives that were impacted.)
Cannabis: A History has some information I find interesting. It is a long read. I'm not done. Some of it hurts me to read, and I have to set it down for a minute. But I do want to finish it.
January 30, 2010
A more accurate title might have included the word "cultural" before "history," because this excellent volume does particularly well in not abstracting its subject from the context in which it is most valued. I've read other reviews that bemoan Booth's sonorous writing style (and I've read the same thing about Hofstadter), but I found it to be a lively and very engaging study. Of particular note is the astute commentary on cannabis' political uses. I highly recommend this work.
June 24, 2009
"Cannabis is non-toxic. No deaths have been recorded from overdosing. Indeed, it has been suggested that it would take 800 joints to kill, coming from carbon monoxide rather than cannabinoid poisoning. By comparison 300 ml of vodka or 60 mg of nicotine would be lethal."
February 22, 2008
Excellent comprehensive history. Extremely well researched. Not a far out groovy trippy read but a straight ahead history. This guy covers it all. The sections about pot legislation are my favorite.
May 3, 2008
A great historical overview!
December 28, 2010
Excellent historical overview
April 20, 2015
Puff, puff... pass. Good solid history. Dry writing style, but chock full 'o dank nugs o' knowledge.
March 22, 2021
Fabulous book on the history of cannabis.
For almost 7.000 years cannabis has been used for medical issues. Moving from China west into India, middleeast and Africa. The narrative of the medical application of cannabis has been strong. And is to this day.
This is also the story of an amoral and political approach to regislation. Often played out in an US American context and with ignorance and racism as a motive. The primary driver was in years Harry J. Anslinger and his lies and unscientific claims are still driving much of the debate round Cannabis these days. To mention one: 'Cannabis is a gateway drug to harder drugs'. No it's not.
The US Declaration of Independence was written on hemp paper and two of the founding fathers was hemp producers (George Washington and Thomas Jefferson).
This is an important historical exploration of the history of cannabis. It ends in the early 2000s and doesn't include much of the liberalisation done in most western countries and it doesn't include the UNs more inclusive attitudes to Cannabis.
Cannabis can be a tool for industries, for medicin and for recreational use. The world needs a free debate on this and the ability to research into various areas of the use. Some of the answers to our climate challenges lies here. Building blocks, paper and oils for replacing fossile fuels.
I can highly recommend this book.
For almost 7.000 years cannabis has been used for medical issues. Moving from China west into India, middleeast and Africa. The narrative of the medical application of cannabis has been strong. And is to this day.
This is also the story of an amoral and political approach to regislation. Often played out in an US American context and with ignorance and racism as a motive. The primary driver was in years Harry J. Anslinger and his lies and unscientific claims are still driving much of the debate round Cannabis these days. To mention one: 'Cannabis is a gateway drug to harder drugs'. No it's not.
The US Declaration of Independence was written on hemp paper and two of the founding fathers was hemp producers (George Washington and Thomas Jefferson).
This is an important historical exploration of the history of cannabis. It ends in the early 2000s and doesn't include much of the liberalisation done in most western countries and it doesn't include the UNs more inclusive attitudes to Cannabis.
Cannabis can be a tool for industries, for medicin and for recreational use. The world needs a free debate on this and the ability to research into various areas of the use. Some of the answers to our climate challenges lies here. Building blocks, paper and oils for replacing fossile fuels.
I can highly recommend this book.
June 14, 2023
Nice title. So what did I expect from the book title as above and subtitled a definitive history. Well, I expected, not unsurprisingly, a history of the plant in question. Well, not a full history, I wasn’t expecting to understand how the plane evolved, and I am glad to say that is not where this journey begins
What we do have, without spoilers, is a solid history of how the plant came into human contact and the diverse uses that it was applied to. Building material, sustenance and therapeutic use. Good, solid start. Then
It becomes a modern political view. Prohibition pros and cons. Villains and would be saviors. Naïvety driven by racism in the United States of America. Impacts of prohibition in the USA and the transfer, at times by coercion and bullying, onto others of their stances, beliefs and restrictions.
To this reader, for whom this is not the first exposure to the opinions express, it became a predicable route, position and outcome. If however this is your first delve into the history of the plant, well, the subtitle may well live up to its premise.
Well written and structured. Engaging. 3.5
What we do have, without spoilers, is a solid history of how the plant came into human contact and the diverse uses that it was applied to. Building material, sustenance and therapeutic use. Good, solid start. Then
It becomes a modern political view. Prohibition pros and cons. Villains and would be saviors. Naïvety driven by racism in the United States of America. Impacts of prohibition in the USA and the transfer, at times by coercion and bullying, onto others of their stances, beliefs and restrictions.
To this reader, for whom this is not the first exposure to the opinions express, it became a predicable route, position and outcome. If however this is your first delve into the history of the plant, well, the subtitle may well live up to its premise.
Well written and structured. Engaging. 3.5
April 4, 2023
“The sensations it then produced were those, physically, of exquisite lightness and airiness—mentally of a wonderful keen perception of the ludicrous, in the most simple and familiar objects … I noted, with careful attention, the fine sensations which spread throughout the whole tissue of my nervous fibres, each thrill helping to divest my frame of its earthly and material nature, till my substance appeared to me no grosser than the vapors of the atmosphere, and while sitting in the calm of the Egyptian twilight, I expected to be lifted up and carried away by the first breeze that should ruffle the Nile.”
October 27, 2017
Sooo entertaining, full of information about the plant's biography from its earliest use to the fact-twisting era of this useful species! I loooove how Booth narrated the rotten rationale behind the cannabis legislation in the US and around the world. It's bad, bad law motivated by disgusting causes. Quoting the Independent: "This book should be on the shelf of anyone interested in human freedoms and bad laws." Indeed!
October 10, 2019
This book is straight fire. The historical breakdown of Mary Jane across history is astounding. The corruption in its criminalization is interesting. I only got bored in the last chapter as it was exploring the state of weed as I entered adulthood, and was the only time I felt I was familiar with what was discussed.
A must read for our culture in my humble opinion.
A must read for our culture in my humble opinion.
January 31, 2022
I read this in 10th grade due to a premature interest in marijuana and a budding interest in history. I remember being quite captivated by Booth's deep reaching account of cannabis. The section on Henry J. Anslinger's psychotic anti-cannabis campaign, and the frightening account of hashish are two parts I will always remember.
October 28, 2020
I wrote a weekly column about medical cannabis in California for Vice for almost a year. This book was hugely informative in my research. I cannot recommend it enough for those who seek to comprehend why cannabis is illegal right now, and who made it that way.
June 28, 2022
This is a very interesting and rich book with a lot of information for all those who are interested in this awesome and exciting world of hemp, cannabis and more. As it says in the title this is history.
January 21, 2019
Anyone who would like to know more about Cannabis, be it for medicinal reasons and/or as a "Marijuana" afficionado should certainly put this book on their reading list.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews