Cannabis : the illegalization of weed in America / Box Brown.

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

From the nineteenth century to the twenty-first, cannabis legislation in America and racism have been inextricably linked. In this searing nonfiction graphic novel, Box Brown sets his sights on this timely topic.

Mexico, 1519 CE.

During the Spanish conquests Cortés introduced hemp farming as part of his violent colonial campaign. In secret, locals began cultivating the plant for consumption. It eventually made its way to the United States through the immigrant labor force where it was shared with black laborers. It doesn't take long for American lawmakers to decry cannabis as the vice of "inferior races."

Enter an era of propaganda designed to feed a moral panic about the dangers of a plant that had been used by humanity for thousands of years. Cannabis was given a schedule I classification, which it shared with drugs like heroin. This opened the door for a so-called "war on drugs" that disproportionately targeted young black men, leaving hundreds of thousands in prison, many for minor infractions. With its roots in "reefer madness" and misleading studies into the effects of cannabis, America's complicated and racialized relationship with marijuana continues to this day.

In Cannabis , Box Brown delves deep into this troubling history and offers a rich, entertaining, and thoroughly researched graphic essay on the legacy of cannabis legislation in America.

Reviews provided by Syndetics

Publishers Weekly Review

This illuminating work by Brown (Is This Guy for Real?) examines the history of the outlawing of marijuana in the U.S. and finds the drug's restriction is based on racism and falsehoods. Brown begins with the discovery of cannabis and discusses how it affects the body and perceptions, then launches into a long cultural history of cannabis in India and its importation to the Americas by the Spanish. The drug was brought into America by Mexican immigrants in the mid-19th century and later taken up in jazz culture. As lies spread that Mexicans and black people went crazy under the influence of marijuana, becoming violent and overly sexually aroused, presidents Nixon and Reagan cracked down on the drug. Brown's black-and-white cartoons are simple rather than realistic, but known figures like Nixon are readily identifiable, and each character is distinguished from the next by variations in facial features. The lumpy-headed figures are reminiscent of early comic strips, with anger represented by lightning bolts about the head and cannabis-induced euphoria indicated with a mix of wavy lines and circles. Brown ends on a hopeful note for cannabis users, tracing the medical marijuana legalization movement. This useful work will inform anyone curious about cannabis's history in America. (Apr.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

School Library Journal Review

Gr 9 Up--This graphic narrative traces the role of cannabis in different cultures from the 1500s to the present. The book's overarching theme is marijuana's restriction by governing bodies based on overt racism or political agendas. The story includes examples from other countries but focuses on the fascinating and disturbing history of marijuana in the United States. Cannabis was always connected with black and brown people, so-called "inferior races" whose drug use supposedly drove them to insanity and violence, posing a threat to the safety of white America. Multiple studies over time could not prove negative effects, but those outcomes were either hidden or manipulated to support criminalization. The resulting overpolicing of communities of color (despite similar levels of usage in other communities) continues today. Activism during the AIDS crisis opened the door to medical use and, eventually, legal recreational use. The use of cannabis is still a controversial issue. Local laws conflict with more restrictive federal laws, and there is still a correlation vs. causation debate regarding its safety. However, this volume, backed up by an extensive bibliography, emphasizes the history, not the debate. The clear, spare art packs a lot of information into the book's uncluttered panels. The style effectively explores and illuminates the complex role of cannabis in U.S. society. VERDICT Although disagreement about cannabis remains, this well-researched book takes an unflinching look at how racism and political agendas have influenced perceptions and policy. For readers curious about the history of marijuana in the United States.--Carla Riemer, Claremont Middle School, Oakland

Booklist Review

Cannabis has been cultivated across the globe for agricultural use and human consumption for centuries. As a drug, it has well-documented, unique medical benefits, minimal side effects, and no one has ever died from it. So why has marijuana been vilified for nearly a century and classified as one of the most dangerous substances in America? Much of marijuana's reputation as a threat was the result of targeted campaign of misinformation by a handful of government officials that was inextricably bound up with racism. By being linked first with people of Mexican heritage and then African Americans, the drug came to symbolize a threat to dominant white culture by those seen as other. Brown's signature style supports the narrative well, using grayscale panels and simple, uncluttered cartoon style to deliver the facts in an accessible, straightforward manner. While not entirely without bias or fully comprehensive (the narrative ends in the 1980s), this is an illuminating look at a complicated and relevant topic. Teens working on current events assignments will appreciate its inviting approach and critical lens.--Summer Hayes Copyright 2019 Booklist