A new book explores the cultural and geographical history of cannabis: “I have mixed feelings about legalization,” says the author

Note by Hernán Panessi, originally published in El Planteo. More articles by El Planteo in High Times in Spanish.

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From the start, what teacher and researcher Chris Duvall did with cannabis is enough to make you pay attention. Your book, this thesis, He does not present an ideological matrix or expand on his previous knowledge to claim that marijuana is either way.

And if the obligatory manual of the “good cannabis propagator” forces the authors to be “too political” in their view, Duvall avoids the bulge and deliberately turns to the meridian.

How good, really. Thank you Duval

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“Authors write things like, ‘Trust me, I know cannabis well and I think it’s a poison that should be banned forever’ or ‘Trust me, I know cannabis and I think it’s a gift from God, all of them will solve problems.’ I’m exaggerating of course But all too often, people have tried to earn readers’ trust by espousing political views on cannabis rather than presenting solid research‘ Duvall attacks exclusively for El Planteo.

Legalization: another look

His book Cannabis, published in Argentina by the Adriana Hidalgo label, does not cling to political viewpoints to lure its readers.

also suddenly His approach to legalization is causing some disagreement in the ecosystem of the debate.

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Va: “I have mixed feelings about legalization. Do not get me wrong, The ban was a massive failure that squandered billions of dollars and destroyed the lives of millions. Cannabis is much less harmful than many substances, especially alcohol, tobacco, and many over-the-counter medications. And the societal cost of people being jailed for possession and use of cannabis is astronomical. And in the United States where I live Drug law enforcement was deeply racist. So I’m definitely in favor of legalization“.

However: “At the same time, I wonder why drug use in general, and not just cannabis, has increased so much in recent decades. However, this is worldwide data Drug use is higher in the United States than in most other countries. Stories and social studies on drug use show that it is linked to various social problems such as poverty, marginalization, poor healthcare system, hopelessness, etc.

So? “The reasons for the current popularity of cannabis are complex, of course, but I wish more effort and resources were put into solving some of the underlying issues that tempt many people to take drugs. So, Yes to legalization and a stronger yes to finding ways to reduce drug use in generalDuvall stirs.

The man and the plant

exploring the cultural and geographical history of the plant, Duvall found an outrageously far-fetched and deeply human subject of study..

For example, his training in African studies and geography and his teaching position as an associate professor of geography at the University of New Mexico They give it a perspective that – gently and even with a “pop approach” – travels space and time.

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His professional life was focused on understand how humans interact with plants: He started with farmers in Mali, continued with “Angolan tobacco” and delved into cannabis and its forgotten African roots. As a matter of fact, He originally wanted to write a book about cannabis in Africa but, as he says, “couldn’t”.

with this push Cannabis is a global cannabis story. “I’m really glad I studied world history, which is fascinating and complex because it’s really a global plant,” says Duvall.

Cannabis myths and truths

In this sense, the author wrote Cannabis for two possible target groups: the first, for those who are knowledgeable about cannabis but unaware of its history and geography; the second, for those who think they know a lot about the history of cannabis, forcing them to go back and ask historical facts.

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“Most of the popular literature on the history of cannabis is based on false facts about the plant’s past, circulated in popular pro-marijuana media in the 1970s. Evidence for many pro-cannabis anecdotes does not exist, and at the same time there are Well-documented facts are omitted from recent cannabis stories. Queen Victoria did not use marijuana, but did enslave Africans. Every popular cannabis book seems to cite Victoria as proof that Prohibition should end, and The importance of the African experience is ignoredDuvall details.

At the time, the political advocacy books served their purpose effectively: The ban is coming to an end.

Therefore, as the author now suggests It’s time to learn that cannabis has a documented history that can sometimes be, shall we say, uncomfortable to acknowledge.

an accessible book

Cannabis everywhere, which is part of the “Natures” collection, The author defies the generalities and shows historical moments in close-up: in Eurasia, more than 10,000 years ago, when using fibers, in ancient China, in Africa and its variants, in the social, artistic, religious and legal process that cannabis has gone through.

There is talk of the origin of the word “marijuana”, its psychoactive side, its prohibition, the demonization of cannabis as a deadly monsterfrom ancient representations, from the failure of prohibition, from the symbolic and productive value of hemp, from sustainable resources, from changed mindsets (and some weaknesses), from pharmacological perspectives, from the uncertainty of experimentation, from fear and, of course, the last century of drug laws .

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“Maybe after a century or more of legalization, the fear will go away. Although I think again It’s the nature of drugs that they will always be at least a little scary‘ admits Duvall, after three years of intense research and writing The African Roots of Marijuana (available in English only) and a multitude of scholarly publications (available on Google Scholar or ResearchGate).

Additionally, Cannabis is not a book for other academics, nor does it contain masturbatory gestures, but offers an accessible approachespecially for those who are curious about the plant but lack expertise in it.

There will be more: hemp

In these days, The author examines the cosmos of hemp and its various working systems.

“Historically, hemp production was labor-intensive, and so it was grown on a large scale by bonded laborers until the 20th century. including slaves, serfs, captives and other. However, this has changed in recent decades as processing relies on fossil fuels,” he comments.

And he concludes: “In any case, It’s a big project, so it’s developing slowly.“.

Photos: courtesy of Adriana Hidalgo

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