If the furious pace of cannabis legalization has your head spinning, you’re not alone: Decades-old habits, assumptions, and—most importantly—laws have undergone huge changes in the figurative blink of an eye.
The most obvious change this has wrought is—needless to say—access to clean, well-tended and safe cannabis.
But in the long run, it’s likely that a secondary effect will turn out to be equally important – the flood of scientific and cultural research, perspective, and theory about cannabis that, even now, is ramping up into a virtual tidal wave of publications, to mix a metaphor or two.
If reading about cannabis seems like a far-distant second to enjoying cannabis, give it a second thought. From books on wellness and holistic health to cannabis cultural and political history, to insightful volumes on powering your cannabis-industry start-up, there’s a wealth of knowledge available for browsing. Here’s a short list of our current favorites!
The 7 Best Books On Cannabis
The Emperor Wears No Clothes: Hemp and the Marijuana Conspiracy
Already a classic when it was first published in 1985, Jack Herer’s far-reaching survey of political and commercial efforts to squash cannabis and hemp production in this country is required reading for serious students of the movement towards legalization. (Hard copies are expensive, but the book is available online.)
Cannabis: Evolution and Ethnobotany
Both broad and deep, this comprehensive volume examines cannabis from multiple perspectives, including its commercial, religious and nutritional use from the earliest human societies to the present day.
Marijuana Medicine: A World Tour of the Healing and Visionary Powers of Cannabis
Focusing on cannabis’ long and well-documented therapeutic efficacy, this popular book is widely considered to be the most thorough and far-reaching survey of cannabis culture currently available.
The Cannabis Manifesto: A New Paradigm for Wellness
More a compelling look forward than a journey back through history, this exciting call to action from the founder of the world’s largest clinical cannabis dispensary is a thought-provoking reframing of cannabis’ role in today’s society. Prepare to have your assumptions shaken!
The Entrepreneur’s Guide to Cannabis: Concentrated Advice From 25 Industry Leaders
Bringing a whole new meaning to “cannabis concentrates,” this powerful book collects interviews with 25 industry leaders ranging from dispensary operators, champion growers and the executive director of the Drug Policy Alliance. A must-read for those interesting in joining the industry!
Cannabis Pharmacy: The Practical Guide to Medical Marijuana
So many of the most common customer questions we get at our dispensary involve cannabis as medicine; there’s a great and growing need and interest in cannabis’ therapeutic potential, but a lack of authoritative guidance. This clear and concise guide goes a long way towards bridging that gap.
If you’re interested in starting a career in the cannabis industry, there are a lot of pitfalls to be aware of. This direct and hands-on primer lays out a step-by-step plan for cannabis entrepreneurs and is designed to help you avoid as many painful and costly mistakes as possible.
And there you have it, our best cannabis book recommendations. What cannabis books have you found helpful and why?