Should be required reading for lawmakers, but I often had to re-read many paragraphs to get the point, and that's why it's getting only four stars from me. That is not to say that it isn't excellent content, well researched, and provided me with a lot of facts. This was one of many books I am currently reading on the cannabis subject and it ranks high, (no pun intended), on my list of "must read" books for anyone who believes cannabis prohibition is a good thing, or is sitting on the fence about beneficial cannabis uses, or is considering activism for putting an end to prohibition. My difficulties with Doug's writing style is a personal thing, and while it was a bit distracting for me, re-reading did help to "drive home" many important facts that I want to retain for the future. Often, when I thought a point was trying to be made in one direction that seemed contrary, upon re-reading I got it. That's probably just me, but I do read a lot and his style is a bit different. This is NOT a reason to skip this book.
While written in a journalistic style, you do get that it was really becoming a personal crusade for Doug to bring people to the understanding that prohibition in this country, and the world as a whole, is nothing short of ignorance and misinformation. It reads like a story that takes a lot of side trips to explain facts and fiction about cannabis uses, medicinally and industrially, now as well as throughout the ages. He provides information that enables understanding of how deep the issues of cannabis prohibition run, who the players are on both sides of the issue and what stake they have in this political game. He clearly defines the issue as NOT being liberal vs conservative, but rather a matter of education and the conditioning about the stigma of cannabis use as has been drilled into modern minds over the last 70+ years, (including the author and my ex-hippie self). Generations of Americans have been mislead, and he presents the how and why of it.
The author never mentions partaking in cannabis use, and doesn't come off sounding like "just another stoner" professing their right to smoke weed if they want. Everything presented is well researched and/or observed first-hand. It isn't a book to educate you on the medical use of cannabis. It isn't a "how to" book on growing or using. It IS a book on the economic impact of prohibition and propaganda in America for the last 40+ years. It IS a book that presents the state of cannabis use in America today and offers a very plausible positive scenario of what can happen in the future. It IS a book that explains how many lives have been and are currently being affected by prohibition on a personal level. It IS a book that presents a scenario of how things CAN work well for a society that is well informed, drops the stigma and works together.
While the author is very upbeat in his presentation and predictions for the future and the potential for cannabis legalization worldwide, I was left feeling awfully depressed after finishing this book. But in that same vane I feel that the only people who could possibly NOT realize the damage done by prohibition, and the potential for this "weed" becoming an economic success if legalized and regulated, are the same kind of people who will never overcome racism. Some people can never overcome personal beliefs no matter how much you educate them, but this should still be required reading, (along with Julia Holland's "The Pot Book"), for every law maker in America, although it's not likely since most of them have obviously skipped their history lessons and/or will not face facts about something that is contrary to their personal beliefs.
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