EDITED BY
ERICH GOODE

Did George Washington smoke pot? This seemingly
irreverent question may be valid, if only to indicate
the surprises in store for new students of this monu-
mental social issue.

Marijuana seeks to bring to the reader the whole
configuration of this mushrooming problem, which,
like the Sexual Revolution and the New Politics, lies
at the heart of the alienation felt by many young
people and the fears of social breakdown voiced by
many of their elders.

The book describes the history of marijuana use, how
the drug is distributed in this country, the extent and
patterns of its use by students and other groups, its
possible connection with crime and drug addiction,
and the widely differing arguments of its foes and
supporters. It is replete with first-hand accounts by
people who smoke and sell marijuana as well as by
those who have studied the phenomenon from socio-
logical, psychiatric, legal, educational, and other
viewpoints.

Much of the work published on marijuana to date has
dealt with its chemical, medical, pharmacological, and
agricultural aspects. While these approaches are neces-
sarily touched upon here, the focus of this timely

continued on back flap