Product Description
Marijuana is the world's most popular illicit drug, with hundreds of millions of regular users worldwide. One in three Americans has smoked pot at least once. The Drug Enforcement Agency estimates that Americans smoke five million pounds of marijuana each year. And yet marijuana remains largely misunderstood by both its advocates and its detractors.
To some, marijuana is an insidious "stepping-stone" drug, enticing the inexperienced and paving the way to the inevitable abuse of harder drugs. To others, medical marijuana is an organic means of easing the discomfort or stimulating the appetite of the gravely ill. Others still view marijuana, like alcohol, as a largely harmless indulgence, dangerous only when used immoderately. All sides of the debate have appropriated the scientific evidence on marijuana to satisfy their claims. What then are we to make of these conflicting portrayals of a drug with historical origins dating back to 8,000 B.C.?
Understanding Marijuana examines the biological, psychological, and societal impact of this controversial substance. What are the effects, for mind and body, of long-term use? Are smokers of marijuana more likely than non-users to abuse cocaine and heroine? What effect has the increasing potency of marijuana in recent years had on users and on use? Does our current legal policy toward marijuana make sense? Earleywine separates science from opinion to show how marijuana defies easy dichotomies. Tracing the medical and political debates surrounding marijuana in a balanced, objective fashion, this book will be the definitive primer on our most controversial and widely used illicit substance.

CUSTOMER REVIEWS (Average Customer Rating: 5.0 based on 18 reviews)

Informative and Entertaining

This book is perfect for anyone wanting to understand this controversial subject. It provides a very scientific look into many long-standing myths associated with the plant and drops humorous comments along the way.
September 23, 2007

Understanding Marijuana through the long years of dedicated research of Dr Mitchell Earleywine.

Dr. Earlywine's book "Understanding Marijuana" explains the uses of marijuana on a level that can be understood by all readers. Remaining unbiased, he combines the political aspect to the benefits of decriminalization the substance as well as the harmful effects and beneficial uses. The long term research becomes clear as the author takes you into a world not clearly understood by most in everyday society. This book comes highly recommended to those who can benefit from Dr. Earleywine's years of dedicated research into the variations of the legalization of marijuana and in my opinion, the end of the tireless "war on drugs".
September 07, 2007

Awesome Overview

I first experienced pot at age 16 and soon learned that what little I was told was NOT TRUE. This book lays it out in all its splendor. It is not a harmless drug- but it is the next best thing. The pharmacology section was very useful as it explained the way THC is produced and broken down by the plant. On the way up to THC Cannabidiol is produced. Cannabinol is produced as the plant starts to break down. The medical section is fabulous. I was not aware of its medical applications fully until I became a Medical Assisting Student and was placed as an intern in a Multiple Sclerosis practice. This drug does wonders for them! Few knew about it. More need to learn about it. That and I just love the look of those leaves! They are Serrated!!
June 09, 2007

Enlightening

Yep. Another book that's packed full of research to support this incredible little herb. SIGH! We really need to get "with it" and make this available for health and well being for our people and our planet.
March 12, 2007

An Excellent resource of factual information

With all of the misinformation circulating about cannabis over the last 70 years its nice to have a refreshing, scholarly, intelligent review of the subject. I wish everybody in the country who had anything to do with the War on Drugs - from both sides of the debate, would stop bantering about unsupported nonsense and old cliches about that vegetation and look at the evidence, the history, and see the nonsense that is currently floating unabashedly about on that subject. Thanks Dr. Earlywine for your significant effort to try to get out the facts. Del
January 22, 2007

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