Brave New Weed: Adventures Into The Uncharted World Of Cannabis

Description

The former editor-in-chief of Details and Star adventures into the fascinating "brave new world" of cannabis, tracing its history and possible future as he investigates the social, medical, legal, and cultural ramifications of this surprisingly versatile plant. Pot. Weed. Grass. Mary Jane. We all think we know what cannabis is and what we use it for. But do we? Our collective understanding of this surprising plant has been muddled by politics and morality; what we think we know isn't the real story. A war on cannabis has been waged in the United States since the early years of the twentieth century, yet in the past decade, society has undergone a massive shift in perspective that has allowed us to reconsider our beliefs. In Brave New Weed, Joe Dolce travels the globe to "tear down the cannabis closet" and de-mystify this new frontier, seeking answers to the questions we didn't know we should ask. Dolce heads to a host of places, including Amsterdam, Israel, California, and Colorado, where he skillfully unfolds the odd, shocking, and wildly funny history of this complex plant.
From the outlandish stories of murder trials where defendants claimed "insanity due to marijuana consumption" to the groundbreaking success stories about the plant's impressive medicinal benefits, Dolce paints a fresh and much-needed portrait of cannabis, our changing attitudes toward it, and the brave new direction science and cultural acceptance are leading us. Enlightening, entertaining, and thought-provoking, Brave New Weed is a compelling read that will surprise and educate proponents on both sides of the cannabis debate.

Reviews

"No matter where you fall on the cannabis debate, this book will surprise you, intrigue you, and make you think. Brave New Weed provides a fresh perspective and demonstrates just how little we know about this ubiquitous, multifaceted, and ancient plant." -- Dr. Andrew Weil, author of Mind Over Meds: How to Protect Yourself from Overmedication by Knowing When Drugs Are Necessary and When Alternatives May Be Better "The ultimate 'Just Say Yes!' book. I got a contact high from reading it." -- John Waters "Brave New Weed is a delightful, even joyous, book, filled with fascinating information about the expanding world of new strains, higher strengths, and tasty means of ingestion. Still, it left me feeling regretful about all the years and lives wasted by prohibition-and all the people in pain who remain without help because of archaic laws. Dolce has given us a major brief in the fight for legalization." -- Barbara Ehrenreich, author of Nickel & Dime and Bait & Switch "Part travelogue, part cultural inquiry, part state-of-the-art scientific and medical survey, Joe Dolce's engaging and entertaining book provides an image makeover for cannabis that's long overdue." -- Dr. Julie Holland, author of Moody Bitches and editor of The Pot Book "I've always avoided cannabis-watch enough 'dance moves' at your rock icon dad's concerts and you'd avoid the stuff, too. But Joe Dolce has opened my mind to the heart and horticulture of the herb in his pot page-turner. Pellucid science and story. I now want to heal from and exploit it in every way. HIGH-ly recommended." -- Moon Zappa, actor and author of America the Beautiful "A fresh, clear-eyed, and lucidly reported travel guide to the rapidly expanding American subcontinent of medical and not-so-medical marijuana. Gone are the smoke-filled dorm rooms of yesteryear. In their place, bright dispensaries with 'budtenders' and 'cannabists,' and connoisseurs microdosing on the latest batch of 'Bio-Diesel' or 'Super Lemon Haze.' Dolce is our de Tocqueville for Weed 2.0." -- Brad Gooch, author of Smash Cut "A superb book, Brave New Weed delivers a sharp, funny, incredibly interesting assessment of modern cannabis. A terrific writer, Dolce examines the scientists and the quacks, the heroes and the hucksters, the cops and the crooks converging in the great game of marijuana." -- Michael Backes, author of Cannabis Pharmacy, The Practical Guide to Medical Marijuana "A thoroughly enjoyable and highly informative romp through the politics, science, industry and culture of cannabis." -- Ethan Nadelmann, Executive Director, Drug Policy Alliance