Marijuana: A Short History

by John Hudak

Overview

From “Reefer Madness” to legal purchase at the corner store

With long-time legal and social barriers to marijuana falling across much of the United States, the time has come for an accessible and informative look at attitudes toward the dried byproduct of Cannabis sativa. Marijuana: A Short History profiles the politics and policies concerning the five-leaf plant in the United States and around the world.

Millions of Americans have used marijuana at some point in their lives, yet it remains a substance shrouded by myth, misinformation, and mystery. And nearly a century of prohibition has created an enforcement system that is racist, and the continuing effects of racially-targeted over criminalization limit economic and social opportunities in communities of color. Marijuana: A Short History tells this story, and that of states stepping up to enact change. 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.

Over the past two decades marijuana policy has transformed dramatically in the United States, as dozens of states have openly defied the federal government. 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, racism, criminal justice, and education, the book describes why public policy has changed, and what that change might mean for marijuana's future place in society.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780815738312
Publisher:	Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
Publication date:	06/30/2020
Series:	The Short Histories
Edition description:	Second Edition
Pages:	268
Sales rank:	1,001,423
Product dimensions:	5.18(w) x 7.81(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

John Hudak is deputy director of the Center for Effective Public Management and a senior fellow in Governance Studies at the Brookings Institution. He is also author of Presidential Pork: White House Influence over the Distribution of Federal Grants (Brookings).

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments ix

Introduction 1

Part I A Weed by any Other Name

1 Cannabis as Plant and Product 9

Part II The Government Steps in

2 Early Regulation and a New (Drug) Deal 29

3 Marijuana as an Enemy, Foreign and Domestic 38

4 Richard Nixon Fires the Opening Shots in the War on Drugs 45

5 Prosecuting the War on Drugs 55

6 Ronald Reagan Opens New Theaters in the War on Drugs 67

Part III Pot, the Public, and the Powerful

7 Demographics and Death Reshape Views on Marijuana 81

8 Cannabis Use as a Lifestyle of the Rich and Famous 93

Part IV Marijuana Reform Blossoms into Public Policy

9 Decriminalization as the First Retreat from Prohibition 113

10 Ganja Gridlock: The Failures of Federal Reform 117

11 The Fight for Medical Marijuana 134

12 Recreational Marijuana Sprouts in the West 145

Part V The Future of Marijuana

13 Racial Justice and the Future of Marijuana Reform 173

14 Weighing the Costs and Benefits of Legalization 191

Notes 219

Index 239

Editorial Reviews

"A fresh, sharp, and rigorous look at America's perverse relationship with pot. John Hudak smashes taboos and nonsense on every page."--Bruce Barcott, author, Weed the People: The Future of Legal Marijuana

"Clear. Concise. Compelling. Marijuana: A Short History is a great crash course on the history of cannabis. This is a wonderful book for anyone who wants a deeper understanding of the current political landscape, as well as the players and events that have shaped it."--Steph Sherer, executive director, Americans for Safe Access

"John Hudak's Marijuana: A Short History is an indispensable guide to understanding this country's tortured relationship with marijuana. It deftly chronicles decades of federal policies that ultimately led to the War on Drugs, as well as the ensuing backlash that has reshaped marijuana policies across the country in recent years."--Paul Demko, cannabis editor, Politico

From the Publisher