AlfredRyanNerzisaYale-educatedauthor,journalist,andTVproducer.He'salsoalongtimemarijuanaenthusiastwhohasmadeithismissiontobetterunderstandAmerica'slong-standinglove-haterelationshipwithourfavorite(sometimes)illegaldrug.Hiscross-countryinvestigationstartedoutsensiblyenough:takingclassesatacannabiscollege,hangingoutwithamanwhogetsthreehundredpre-rolledjointspermonthfromthefederalgovernment,andvisitingtheworld'slargestmedicalmarijuanadispensary.Butafterconnectingwithamysteriousfriendofafriend,hisjourneytookanunexpectedturnandhefoundhimselfembeddedwithoneofthelargestgrowersanddealersontheWestCoast.Hequicklytransformedfromrespectablejournalistintoanunderworldapprentice—surroundedbypitbulls,exoticdrugs,beanbagsfullofcash,andtrunksfullofweed.Butwhilestrugglingtonavigatetheeccentriccharactersandrampantparanoiaoftheblackmarket,hemaintainedenoughequanimitytoexploreanumberofvitalquestions:Ismarijuanahurtingorhelpingus?Howisitaffectingourlungs,ourbrains,andourambitions?Isittrulyaddictive,andifso,aretoomanyofusdependentonit?Shouldwelegalizeit?Doesheneedtoquit?Asentertainingasitisilluminating,Marijuanamericaisoneman'sattempttohumanizethemyriadhot-buttontopicssurroundingthenation'sworst-keptsecret—ourobsessionwithweed—whilelearningsomethingabouthimselfalongtheway.AdvancepraiseforMarijuanamerica"Thisbookissoentertaining,Iwanttorollitupandsmokeit.RyanNerztakesusonadelightfullyweirdandeducationaljourneythatincludescrazedpharmacists,aguynamedBuddhaCheese,andaninterstateroadtripwithatrunkfullofpot."