IT'S A DOPE, DOPE WORLD

Pot Planet: Adventures In Global Marijuana Culture By Brian Preston [Grove
Press]

After reading Brian Preston's Pot Planet, I have decided two things about
it. First, despite my expectations, it's really good. Most pro-pot
literature is more along the lines of propaganda. Pot Planet is just good
story-telling. Second, it took a lot of balls to write this thing.

Preston traveled across five continents in search of marijuana culture,
seeking out regular pot-heads along with those who view pot as a vital part
of religious celebration. I'd like to know what he told border guards he
was doing in their countries.

The book is like the stoner's version of a travel guide. But more fun.
Preston's done an excellent job of mixing his own story with accounts of
each area's history of marijuana acceptance or prohibition. It is one of
those rarities that is actually both entertaining and informative.

The tone of most of the book is pretty light, as the author travels through
areas where the people are used to North American back-packers asking them
where they can score some weed, even though it's not likely many of the
visitors want to sit and talk about things that can go into their global
marijuana culture books. Many of these areas, particularly in Asia, have
had the right to grow marijuana freely for thousands of years, and have
only recently had to succumb to America's war on drugs and prohibit this plant.

There is also a focus on the movement in North America to supply people
with marijuana medicinally, especially sufferers of epilepsy and AIDS, and
America's fear-induced move away from the practice despite its success.

The book does get a little preachy toward the end, as Preston tries to tack
together the right mix of closing thoughts, but by then the issue feels
like it deserves it. Marijuana prohibition has had many ugly side-effects
(and seriously, this is prohibition of a plant in its natural form, a plant
that has been on this planet for thousands of years longer than we have),
and Preston is right in suggesting a change is required.