A New Leaf: The End of Cannabis Prohibition

(Paperback)

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More than one million Americans now use cannabis in place of conventional pharmaceuticals. Yet the federal government refuses to acknowledge these broader societal shifts and continues with a 'raid and arrest' policy; 49.5% of all drug-related arrests involve the sale, manufacture or possession of cannabis. In the first book to explore the new landscape of cannabis in the United States, investigative journalists Alyson Martin and Nushin Rashidian present a deeply-researched and insightful story of how recent developments tie into this thorny subject.

Reviews

"A cogent, well-sourced, and ambitious analysis of the slow decline of cannabis prohibition in the United States. . . . A piercing work of sociological reportage."
Kirkus Reviews

"Carefully researched [and] accessible. . . . Changing marijuana laws doesn't seem as scary a proposition by the end."
Publishers Weekly

"I thought I knew everything about cannabis and its journey toward legalization. Well, A New Leaf proved me wrong. I emphatically recommend this eye-opening book to everyone, especially those who believe they know the entire story. A must-read."
Neill Franklin, executive director of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition

"Just in time: Martin and Rashidian bring us the first account of the lively new green economy that is springing up in the wake of marijuana decriminalization and legalization. This is a meticulously reported book and a firm rebuke to the continuing federal prohibition."
Barbara Ehrenreich

"Nothing less than an indictment of a national disgracea must-read for anyone who wants to participate in the urgent conversation about cannabis legalization, drug policy reform, and the assault of the drug war on civil liberties."
Nadine Strossen

"A comprehensive look at the political and social revolution taking place that is leading to the day when marijuana will inevitably be legal in all fifty states. The authors take us on a journey to meet the people on the front lines of this transformation."
Dale Maharidge, co-author of the Pulitzer Prizewinning And Their Children After Them and author of Bringing Mulligan Home

"A New Leaf is a wonderful read for anyone who wishes to have a better idea of how dastardly this prohibition has been, particularly in its last years. Fortunately, it is now virtually over, and what we are seeing is a culture desperately trying to find accommodations to this new leaf on the block. This read will be valuable in helping the neighbors to achieve a better sense of both its value and its history."
Dr. Lester Grinspoon, associate professor emeritus of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and author of Marijuana Reconsidered and Marihuana, the Forbidden Medicine

"Martin and Rashidian have crafted a superb, lucid look at why cannabis prohibition has hurt the world in ways many of us would have never guessed. They put a human face on sterile laws and policies and provide the most up-to-date information on todays controversies about the plant. They treat readers to an accessible and well-documented explanation of the backhanded and thoughtless way we have arrived at our current predicament and emphasize that thorough and considerate approaches are our only way out."
Mitch Earleywine, author of Understanding Marijuana

"With great clarity, A New Leaf offers a sweeping and important view of todays changing attitudes toward marijuana."
Amy Wilentz, author of The Rainy Season and Farewell, Fred Voodoo

Author Bio

Alyson Martin and Nushin Rashidian are both award-winning journalists. Martins work has appeared in the New York Times, The Nation, and the Albany Times Union. Rashidians work has been published in the New York Times, The Nation, and Tehran Bureau. This is their first book. They live in New York City.