This is a powerful book. Broken into 3 parts, it deals with the history of our approach to marijuana use; our use of illegal immigrants, specifically in the strawberry fields of California; and the development of porn in our country, how it grew, and how our government's attempt to suppress it only continued to spark the flame.

Eric Schlosser's meticulous research is written in an easy to understand form. He states the facts without any bias. For instance, you'll learn that a young man, with no prior record, arrested for marijuana possession can receive a longer prison sentence than a convicted murderer or rapist. And, while our country is in an uproar over illegal immigrants, our government allows these people to be used like slaves when convenient. When they are no longer needed, they are rounded up like cattle and sent back to Mexico.

In the end, whether you agree with his conclusions or not, a new light is shed on a world most of us pay no attention to. And perhaps tells us that we need to get more involved. ( )

Reefer Madness, the Brown Scare & Sex Crazed Fascists

In REEFER MADNESS, Eric Schlosser looks at the effects of U.S. policy on the underground or "black market" economy. Specifically, he examines three diverse "commodities" – "recreational" or illegal drugs (specifically, marijuana), cheap labor (provided by undocumented workers or "illegal aliens" from Mexico and South America), and "adult" materials (primarily pornography) – and the American "war" on each. Schlosser narrows the scope of his study by focusing on a few key players in each of these underground economies: Mark Young, a recreational pot smoker and middleman who was given a life sentence for brokering a marijuana deal; California strawberry farmers and the migrant workers who pick the finicky fruit; and Reuben Sturman, a "pioneer" of the porn industry (and a jackbooted thug).

REEFER MADNESS is an engaging study of what happens when a supposedly free and democratic government attempts to stomp out vices that it deems morally corrupt. The section on U.S. drug policy is especially enlightening – and quite relevant, given the current upsurge in drug-related violence along the U.S.-Mexico border. Pornography receives the lion's share of attention, seemingly at the expense of immigration, which is a shame; I felt as though Schlosser barely scratched the surface of the latter, while I grew bored of Reuben Sturman's story by the end of the book. Schlosser concludes REEFER MADNESS by tying all three tales together, thus making a larger statement about civil liberties and the strengths and weaknesses of the "free market" in the U.S. Again, though, he probably could have devoted more pages to this synthesis had he not lingered on Sturman and pornography.

Overall, it's a fascinating and engaging read, and vividly demonstrates why all American citizens should be concerned with their government's attempts to regulate individual conduct – even if it's conduct with which you may personally disagree. ( )

Not my favorite book but its indictment of mandatory minimums was powerfully argued.

We have been told for years to bow before "the market." We have placed our faith in the laws of supply and demand. What has been forgotten, or ignored, is that the market rewards only efficiency. Every other human value gets in its way. The market will drive wages down like water, until they reach the lowest possible level.

pg 108 ( )

This was kind of a weird book to listen to. He seems to be arguing for legalization of pot, the virtues of porn, but the evils of using migrant labor. In a way, it feels like he is just really angry about a lot of things. But very informative. The porn section is really more of a biography of Reuben Sturman and an accusation that he was persecuted by the government. Interesting to know, but the whole book seemed like a manifesto.