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A review by annvalentine
Brave New Weed: Adventures into the Uncharted World of Cannabis by Joe Dolce
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few years that reading this book sitting in a legal state where weed isn't socially a big deal makes it feel a little outdated.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.