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annmeyer's review
5.0
Having been born and raised in Humboldt County, I've had many opportunities for education about and exposure to cannabis.
I think that being in California generally places me in a pretty unique cultural and social bubble, but Humboldt specifically compounds the distance between me and much of the rest of the country. Almost everyone has an opinion about the plant, but here the opinion tends to be much more positive than many, if not most, other places.
Joe Dolce's Brave New Weed takes a look at those varying opinions, and he does so in a very nuanced way. Even without considering the subject material he covers, his strengths as a storyteller, an investigator, and an interviewer are both clear and numerous. This book is incredibly pleasurable to read and there is never a dull moment; everything is engaging and woven together neatly, creating stories within stories that tumble together and are almost all meaningful and powerful.
But his coverage of such a complicated topic is even more impressive to me. I have a decent amount of existing knowledge and experience with cannabis firsthand and through other media (tv shows, documentaries, etc), but this taught me so much more than I'd ever expected.
Dolce draws in such a wide variety of threads that it's hard to not be impressed by how interconnected subjects related to cannabis are with so much else.
For simplicity's sake, I'll list out some of the most interesting or important subjects which Dolce incorporates:
- the history of criminalization in the United States, emphasis on the War on Drugs and the presidencies of Reagan, Nixon, and the first Bush
- government propaganda and funding through popular media (TV networks) and anti-drug organizations
- criminalization and its connections to institutionalized racism and the prison industry (looking at how such a system works in a capitalist society motivated by filling cells and making money)
- the science of cannabinoids and ECS, particularly in regards to medicine and health care (e.g. treatment of pain, cancer, degenerative illnesses, PTSD, trauma)
- Israel's place at the forefront of state-run research and investment (interviews w/ doctors and scientists are particularly interesting)
- the history of cannabis in San Francisco
- Colorado as a model and example of state regulations and economic shifts following legalization
- the impacts post-prohibition will have on regulation, sales, safety, scientific research, culture, etc (perhaps one of the most central points of the book)
- good ol' Big Pharma and the roadblocks built into the ideals of Western medicine, focusing on the strictness of research and studies vs hundreds of years of cultural/historical knowledge and countless patient experiences and testimonies
- many spotlights on and interviews with scientists, activists, businesspeople, people with chronic illnesses and pain
- connections between cannabis use and brain stimulation/experience of the world, drawing especially on the work and writing of Carl Sagan (probably one of the most impressive people of the past century in my eyes)
- and much, much more...
I think that everyone should read this book, honestly. I think there's something here that everyone can learn, not just about cannabis, but about how the world works, how governments make decisions and spend money, and how power and capitalism influence society from misinformation to health care.
I think that being in California generally places me in a pretty unique cultural and social bubble, but Humboldt specifically compounds the distance between me and much of the rest of the country. Almost everyone has an opinion about the plant, but here the opinion tends to be much more positive than many, if not most, other places.
Joe Dolce's Brave New Weed takes a look at those varying opinions, and he does so in a very nuanced way. Even without considering the subject material he covers, his strengths as a storyteller, an investigator, and an interviewer are both clear and numerous. This book is incredibly pleasurable to read and there is never a dull moment; everything is engaging and woven together neatly, creating stories within stories that tumble together and are almost all meaningful and powerful.
But his coverage of such a complicated topic is even more impressive to me. I have a decent amount of existing knowledge and experience with cannabis firsthand and through other media (tv shows, documentaries, etc), but this taught me so much more than I'd ever expected.
Dolce draws in such a wide variety of threads that it's hard to not be impressed by how interconnected subjects related to cannabis are with so much else.
For simplicity's sake, I'll list out some of the most interesting or important subjects which Dolce incorporates:
- the history of criminalization in the United States, emphasis on the War on Drugs and the presidencies of Reagan, Nixon, and the first Bush
- government propaganda and funding through popular media (TV networks) and anti-drug organizations
- criminalization and its connections to institutionalized racism and the prison industry (looking at how such a system works in a capitalist society motivated by filling cells and making money)
- the science of cannabinoids and ECS, particularly in regards to medicine and health care (e.g. treatment of pain, cancer, degenerative illnesses, PTSD, trauma)
- Israel's place at the forefront of state-run research and investment (interviews w/ doctors and scientists are particularly interesting)
- the history of cannabis in San Francisco
- Colorado as a model and example of state regulations and economic shifts following legalization
- the impacts post-prohibition will have on regulation, sales, safety, scientific research, culture, etc (perhaps one of the most central points of the book)
- good ol' Big Pharma and the roadblocks built into the ideals of Western medicine, focusing on the strictness of research and studies vs hundreds of years of cultural/historical knowledge and countless patient experiences and testimonies
- many spotlights on and interviews with scientists, activists, businesspeople, people with chronic illnesses and pain
- connections between cannabis use and brain stimulation/experience of the world, drawing especially on the work and writing of Carl Sagan (probably one of the most impressive people of the past century in my eyes)
- and much, much more...
I think that everyone should read this book, honestly. I think there's something here that everyone can learn, not just about cannabis, but about how the world works, how governments make decisions and spend money, and how power and capitalism influence society from misinformation to health care.
annvalentine's review
4.0
Cannabis politics has moved so quickly in the past few years that reading this book sitting in a legal state where weed isn't socially a big deal makes it feel a little outdated. I know that much of the U.S. is still resolutely prohibitionist or shifting uncertainly into parital/full legalization, but I'd love a follow up that focuses on the process and effects of legalization with the same tone and focus of this book.
Dolce does a good job exploring cannabis from a novice perspective, particularly illustrating the prevailing narratives being a result of racism, Drug War propaganda, and capitalist-motivated red tape. Great focus on the benefits of cannabis without veering too naively into a panacea mindset. It was informative but also a pretty fun read with his forays into little pockets of cannabis culture and research. I loved the queer history folded into marijuana's story in parts.
After reading a few books on cannabis, I really enjoyed Dolce's voice and perspective, and it only makes me hungrier for more diverse perspectives on drug topics. I want to read a weed book written from a sociological perspective, ideally by a Black author.
Dolce does a good job exploring cannabis from a novice perspective, particularly illustrating the prevailing narratives being a result of racism, Drug War propaganda, and capitalist-motivated red tape. Great focus on the benefits of cannabis without veering too naively into a panacea mindset. It was informative but also a pretty fun read with his forays into little pockets of cannabis culture and research. I loved the queer history folded into marijuana's story in parts.
After reading a few books on cannabis, I really enjoyed Dolce's voice and perspective, and it only makes me hungrier for more diverse perspectives on drug topics. I want to read a weed book written from a sociological perspective, ideally by a Black author.
chentao's review
4.0
An interesting book, although a bit biased
An interesting book, although a bit biased. I like that fact that there are some science in it but I would expect it to be more subjective. Anyway. This is a very illuminating book.
An interesting book, although a bit biased. I like that fact that there are some science in it but I would expect it to be more subjective. Anyway. This is a very illuminating book.
showthisbooksomelove's review
4.0
Be prepared to learn a ton of things that you most likely would never have known about weed unless you are incredibly involved in the weed community, most likely a budtender/seller in California. Going into reading this book, I thought I knew some things about what the world of weed was like, having read my articles on medical marijuana and legalization as well as the social effects of marijuana legislature on different communities across the U.S. Now I realize I simply had no idea about most things to do with weed.
This book is written from a first person/research perspective, which was a fascinating approach to the subject matter. Dolce incorporated a lot of his own personal experience, thoughts, and reactions into the research he was presenting, making for a compelling and relatable read. This is very much a textbook on weed, but because Dolce spends so much time explaining his own interactions with scientists and people throughout this book, the information was much more hands-on for the reader.
My major complaint was the opening chapter, in which Dolce walks readers through the history of weed in America, primarily legislation around marijuana. This was an incredibly boring opening chapter, and I found myself skimming over it because I couldn’t quite concentrate on the subject matter at hand. However, all subsequent chapters delved into various aspects of weed in America and beyond, ranging from personal experience from the author to personal accounts by people the author interviewed, including information from the chemical and medical standpoint on the drug as well as where legislation stands and how it’s changing.
I highly recommend everyone take a shot with this book, because you may just find out a couple of things you didn’t know before. It’s sure to spark some interest in some kind of further research around marijuana as well, opening you up to uncovering some potentially interesting facts.
I received a copy of this book from TLC tours in exchange for an honest review.
This book is written from a first person/research perspective, which was a fascinating approach to the subject matter. Dolce incorporated a lot of his own personal experience, thoughts, and reactions into the research he was presenting, making for a compelling and relatable read. This is very much a textbook on weed, but because Dolce spends so much time explaining his own interactions with scientists and people throughout this book, the information was much more hands-on for the reader.
My major complaint was the opening chapter, in which Dolce walks readers through the history of weed in America, primarily legislation around marijuana. This was an incredibly boring opening chapter, and I found myself skimming over it because I couldn’t quite concentrate on the subject matter at hand. However, all subsequent chapters delved into various aspects of weed in America and beyond, ranging from personal experience from the author to personal accounts by people the author interviewed, including information from the chemical and medical standpoint on the drug as well as where legislation stands and how it’s changing.
I highly recommend everyone take a shot with this book, because you may just find out a couple of things you didn’t know before. It’s sure to spark some interest in some kind of further research around marijuana as well, opening you up to uncovering some potentially interesting facts.
I received a copy of this book from TLC tours in exchange for an honest review.
heatherr's review
4.0
"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."
I knew nothing about marijuana. I've never smoked or eaten an edible. I wouldn't have the first clue how to get any marijuana if I was interested. However, I am interested in the medical aspects of marijuana use. This is what I found most fascinating about this story.
The author had smoked in college but hadn't used any in years. He wanted to investigate the claims on both the pro-legalization side and the prohibition side. He worked in medical dispensaries in states where it is legal. Different strains of marijuana have been bred to work better for different diseases. Some get rid of nausea. Other work better for pain. Others help calm anxiety. Some don't produce a much of a high but help physical illnesses. A well trained dispensary staff can help patients determine what strains are best for them based on the chemical profiles of the particular plant and determine the best delivery mechanism for each patient - smoke, vaporize, eat, oils?
How did a plant that appears to have many benefits get to be so reviled? It doesn't have a history of recorded deaths, like alcohol and tobacco. However it is a schedule I drug which means that it is considered to have no medicinal value. That puts it in the same class as heroin.
He covers the history of marijuana and the racial inequality that led to it being so problematic in the United States. He investigated what happened when other countries decriminalized possession. He talked to scientists to learn about the latest research in medical marijuana.
I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in the history of the drug wars in the United States and the potential benefits of legalization.
This review was originally posted on Based On A True Story
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."
I knew nothing about marijuana. I've never smoked or eaten an edible. I wouldn't have the first clue how to get any marijuana if I was interested. However, I am interested in the medical aspects of marijuana use. This is what I found most fascinating about this story.
The author had smoked in college but hadn't used any in years. He wanted to investigate the claims on both the pro-legalization side and the prohibition side. He worked in medical dispensaries in states where it is legal. Different strains of marijuana have been bred to work better for different diseases. Some get rid of nausea. Other work better for pain. Others help calm anxiety. Some don't produce a much of a high but help physical illnesses. A well trained dispensary staff can help patients determine what strains are best for them based on the chemical profiles of the particular plant and determine the best delivery mechanism for each patient - smoke, vaporize, eat, oils?
How did a plant that appears to have many benefits get to be so reviled? It doesn't have a history of recorded deaths, like alcohol and tobacco. However it is a schedule I drug which means that it is considered to have no medicinal value. That puts it in the same class as heroin.
He covers the history of marijuana and the racial inequality that led to it being so problematic in the United States. He investigated what happened when other countries decriminalized possession. He talked to scientists to learn about the latest research in medical marijuana.
I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in the history of the drug wars in the United States and the potential benefits of legalization.
This review was originally posted on Based On A True Story
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