Scene reviews two books that attempt to shed some light on this controversial plant
By BRIAN McLAUGHLIN
Scene Book Critic
Last week, literally dozens of wary, wide-eyed looks and nervous giggles were thrown my way by fellow classmates and dorm mates. No I didn't have some weird growth on my forehead, or drink mixers sticking out of my nostrils. All the strange looks were because of the two books I read last week, Offbeat Marijuana and Highlights: the Illustrated History of Cannabis. It seems that keywords such as "marijuana" and "cannabis," as well as illustrations of bongs and of course the notorious hemp leaf, still carry with them a plethora of unspoken, but vehemently negative connotations that cause many people to respond with fear or even anger. The problem is that more often than not, this response is an automatic reflex resulting from both ignorance and brainwashing. The brainwashing comes from the popular stance on marijuana in this nation, which is much like the popular stance on the devil — it is evil, evil EVIL! And of course, the ignorance I speak of stems directly from that brainwashing since we as young people are rarely given many facts about the true nature of marijuana and the plant it comes from. These two books attempt to shed some light on the subject in an effort to dispel some of the unwarranted hysteria and unfortunate lack of knowledge about marijuana and the cannabis plant.
Offbeat Marijuana, by Saul Rubin, is a comprehensive examination and investigation into all the facets of cannabis culture, including the plant's history, its many uses, its effects and its legal timeline. While claiming to approach the issue objectively, it is obvious that the book is written from a liberal, pro-marijuana standpoint, going so far as to label anti-marijuana legislation as a "government" conspiracy. Yet even though he speaks from a biased viewpoint, Saul Rubin still manages to bring up a large amount of compelling evidence to make his argument somewhat convincing.
A great deal of the book is devoted to examining the government's approach to marijuana, revealing that much government action was unfairly brutal, and took form as propaganda which ignored and even contradicted the true facts about marijuana. These facts are examined even further in Rubin's chapter on the scientific studies of marijuana which contains a number of interesting facts such as "It is impossible to die from a marijuana overdose, it is also nearly impossible to from a true addiction to marijuana [alcohol or tobacco addiction is 10 times more likely], and besides lung damage which isn't even as severe as that incurred by cigarettes, there is virtually no other way in which pot permanently damages the human body." The book also goes on to praise the many beneficial uses of marijuana as medicine, as well as hemp, the drug-free portion of the cannabis plant which is nevertheless still illegal to grow due to the stigma held regarding marijuana.
However, while Offbeat does a good job of making an informative study on marijuana's true nature, there are some problems with its argument. Rubin's weak writing skills often fail to prove why certain issues he discusses are relevant, and sometimes the writing is so muddled it almost seems that he contradicts himself. Also, the book is somewhat repetitive, and its partial view of the matter at hand gives the reader reason to believe that with some issues, Rubin holds back the whole truth.
Highlights, by Carol Sherman, Andrew Smith and Erik Tanner is much lighter reading and is constructed more like a coffee-table book then a true non-fiction text. The scope of the book is a much smaller-scale than Offbeat as it concentrates mainly on the history of the cannabis plant. However, even though this book may not discuss cannabis as completely as Rubin's book does, it certainly does a better job with the matter it discusses. Highlights succeeds at taking an objective stance on the issue and its discussion of historical events is much more in-depth and comprehensive than Offbeat's. Yet despite its impartial orientation, even Highlights suggests that the general public opinion of marijuana may be unfair and that marijuana may not actually be as harmful as people believe. As suggested by the title, pictures figure in highly in this book, depicting a number of powerful images concerning marijuana's historical role. The only complaint about this book is its brevity.
While Offbeat Marijuana and Highlights would obviously seem more appealing to marijuana smokers, I would recommend it more strongly for non-smokers. For although the books offer useful information for smokers by letting them know exactly what they are putting into their bodies, the true focus of these texts is to educate people about a subject that society at large has preferred to keep under wraps. Whether you support or condemn marijuana use is your own choice, since marijuana is subject to personal taste and opinion. However, before you form your opinions, you must first learn what it truly is that you are forming opinions about.
All Scene Stories for Monday, March 27, 2000
