Machine generated contents note: pt. I A WEED BY ANY OTHER NAME -- One.Cannabis as Plant and Product -- pt. II THE GOVERNMENT STEPS IN -- Two.Early Regulation and a New (Drug) Deal -- Three.Marijuana as an Enemy, Foreign and Domestic -- Four.Richard Nixon Fires the Opening Shots in the War on Drugs -- Five.Prosecuting the War on Drugs -- Six.Ronald Reagan Opens New Theaters in the War on Drugs -- pt. III POT, THE PUBLIC, AND THE POWERFUL -- Seven.Demographics and Death Reshape Views on Marijuana -- Eight.Cannabis Use as a Lifestyle of the Rich and Famous -- pt. IV MARIJUANA REFORM BLOSSOMS INTO PUBLIC POLICY -- Nine.Decriminalization as the First Retreat from Prohibition -- Ten.Ganja Gridlock: The Failures of Federal Reform -- Eleven.The Fight for Medical Marijuana -- Twelve.Recreational Marijuana Sprouts in the West -- pt. V THE FUTURE OF MARIJUANA -- Thirteen.Weighing the Costs and Benefits of Legalization.
Summary:
a--Cannabis sativa Millions of Americans have used marijuana at some point in their lives, yet it remains a substance shrouded by myth, misinformation, and mystery. This book offers an up-to-date, cutting-edge look at how a plant with a tumultuous history has emerged from the shadows of counterculture and illegality. Today, marijuana has become a remarkable social, economic, and even political force, with a surprising range of advocates and opponents. Public policy toward marijuana, especially in the United States, is changing rapidly. Marijuana: A Short History provides a brief yet compelling narrative that discusses the social and cultural history of marijuana but also tells us how a once-vilified plant has been transformed into a serious, even mainstream, public policy issue. Focusing on politics, the media, government, and education, the book describes why public policy has changed, and what that change might mean for marijuana's future place in society.
