WEED, MAN

Books about the Canadian marijuana industry tend to be written by
stoners and usually proceed as follows: pot is good, cops are bad;
legalize it. In other words, they lack relevant discussion, are
biased, and often based on fantasy versus fact. Ian Mulgrew has
written a book about the industry that, for once, is actually about it.

Bud Inc. is a well-penned detail of Canada's marijuana industry
grounded in cold, harsh reality. Described from a socio-economic
perspective, it's a definitive crash-course in the industry instead
of propaganda promoting it. Mulgrew draws a vivid picture of
marijuana's role in the current economy, and explains clearly how
things would change were legalization to take place, without making
any judgments on it.

The argument for legalization and the effect it would have on the
future of the Canadian economy dominates the discussion. The usual
conclusion is made that organized crime will be denied millions of
dollars of funding. While this deduction has been heard before,
Mulgrew's careful proposal of it in light of other supporting factors
for legalization is well-received. He explains legalization will
eliminate the currently unchecked middleman in delivering product
safely to the consumer, among other things.

In another pleasant change of pace, Mulgrew depicts major players in
the industry for what they really are. Instead of describing
righteous victims he details how their lives revolve around the
marijuana industry and how legalization would impact them economically.

A self-proclaimed stoner, Mulgrew describes his personal habits at
various parts of the book. Despite delving off-topic, these sections
depict him as a first-person participant, oddly furthering his credibility.

Mulgrew loses some of this hard-wrought integrity during his
discussion of American prisons as dungeons where busted dealers rot,
describing the authorities as apathetic and incompetent. These
accusations and arguments are unfounded and childish for a book that
is otherwise professional and relevant.

Overall, Bud Inc. is an excellent and fresh depiction of Canada's
marijuana industry--something rarely found in a book written by a
stoner. The progression is clear and discussion is typically
relevant. This is a definite read for the stoner with economic or
political interests, and a good read for those who want to know about
legalization's potential benefits and consequences.