Smoke Signals

August 6, 2012
In this accessible and well-researched analysis, Lee (Acid Dreams: The Complete Social History of LSD: The CIA, the Sixties, and Beyond) offers a cultural reckoning of cannabis in its many incarnations, spanning from its first recorded utilization in 2700 B.C.E. to the present, but focusing primarily on its societal reputation and legal history in the U.S. Lee illumes the current hyperbolic political rhetoric surrounding cannabis against the backdrop of its status a century ago when one could order hashish candies from the Sears-Roebuck catalogue. His account proves to be unapologetically pro-legalization, tending to exonerate cannabis as being a solution devoid of any side effects or repercussions. When discussing the disparity between positive scientific or medical findings concerning cannabis and its modern vilification, Lee cites factors such as puritanical value systems, vested pharmaceutical and liquor lobbyists, and the economic profit of "drug seizures" by law enforcement. At times, Leeâs zealous championing of the legalization of cannabis as a panacea feels jejune and skewed, and his use of folksy prose can sometimes be distracting. Nevertheless, the book remains a compelling read and an excellent source of information on the topic.