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Jesse Ventura's Marijuana Manifesto: How Lies, Corruption, and Propaganda Kept Cannabis Illegal
New York Times Bestselling Author!
In this groundbreaking book, bestselling author Jesse Ventura lays out his philosophy on marijuana, and why he’s always been in favor of legalization. Now, more than ever before, our country needs to see full legalization of medical/recreational marijuana and hemp.
Any way you look at it, for whoever is using it, marijuana is a medicinal plant, in abundant supply. Every month and every year that goes by, we find out more positive things about it. Medicinal marijuana has been demonized through the years but obviously this plant has a great deal of positive attributes, and it’s also a renewable resource. Being a cash crop, marijuana is bad for the pharmaceutical industry. Is Big Pharma pressuring the government to continue to deny sick people access? If so, that’s truly a crime against American citizens. And as Ventura “Our government won’t do the right thing and legalize marijuana unless we the people demand it, because there are so many people within our government on the payroll, all thanks to the War on Drugs."
Jesse Ventura’s Marijuana Manifesto calls for an end to the War on Drugs. Just because something is illegal, that doesn’t mean it goes away, it just means that criminals run it. Legalizing marijuana and marijuana dispensaries will serve to rejuvenate our pathetic economy, and just might make people a little happier. Ventura’s book will show us all how we can take our country back.
In this groundbreaking book, bestselling author Jesse Ventura lays out his philosophy on marijuana, and why he’s always been in favor of legalization. Now, more than ever before, our country needs to see full legalization of medical/recreational marijuana and hemp.
Any way you look at it, for whoever is using it, marijuana is a medicinal plant, in abundant supply. Every month and every year that goes by, we find out more positive things about it. Medicinal marijuana has been demonized through the years but obviously this plant has a great deal of positive attributes, and it’s also a renewable resource. Being a cash crop, marijuana is bad for the pharmaceutical industry. Is Big Pharma pressuring the government to continue to deny sick people access? If so, that’s truly a crime against American citizens. And as Ventura “Our government won’t do the right thing and legalize marijuana unless we the people demand it, because there are so many people within our government on the payroll, all thanks to the War on Drugs."
Jesse Ventura’s Marijuana Manifesto calls for an end to the War on Drugs. Just because something is illegal, that doesn’t mean it goes away, it just means that criminals run it. Legalizing marijuana and marijuana dispensaries will serve to rejuvenate our pathetic economy, and just might make people a little happier. Ventura’s book will show us all how we can take our country back.
316 pages, Hardcover
Published September 6, 2016
24 people are currently reading
280 people want to read
About the author
Jesse Ventura
43 books173 followersJesse Ventura is an American politician, actor, author, veteran, and former professional wrestler who served as the 38th Governor of Minnesota from 1999 to 2003.
Ventura served as a U.S. Navy Underwater Demolition Team member during the Vietnam War. He had a long tenure in the World Wrestling Federation, and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2004.
In 1951, James George Janos, later known as Jesse "The Body" Ventura, was born in Minneapolis to George and Bernice Janos. Janos joined the U.S. Navy and spent time in the Vietnam War. He was briefly a bodyguard for the Rolling Stones. Janos developed a rigorous workout routine, and his newly muscular physique attracted the attention of famous Midwest wrestling promoter Bob Geigel. He began wrestling professionally in the mid-1970s and changed his name to the one that made him famous, Jesse "The Body" Ventura. He continued wrestling in the national spotlight until 1984, when emergency hospitalization due to blood clots in his lungs made him miss a title match against Hulk Hogan, and ended his professional wrestling career. He spent the next five years as a wrestling commentator for various television and radio programs. He acted in a handful of films, including several Arnold Schwarzenegger movies: "Predator" (1987), "The Running Man" (1987) and "Batman & Robin" (1997). In 1990, Ventura ran against and defeated the 18-year incumbent mayor of Brooklyn Park, Minn., serving until 1995. He campaigned for governor as a third-party candidate, and was one of the pioneering politicians who reached out to new voters via the Internet. He was elected as Minnesota governor in 1998, and proved to be a progressive politician, strongly backing gay rights, abortion rights, funding higher education, third-party politics, mass transit, property tax reform and opening trade relations with Cuba. Ventura Decided not to run for reelection because he wanted his family to regain their privacy.
The Freedom From Religion Foundation awarded the former governor the 1999 "Emperor Has No Clothes Award" for his "plain speaking" on religion and, as governor, for rejecting proposals to entangle state and church, including refusing to proclaim for Minnesota a "Day of Prayer." As governor, Ventura vetoed a bill that would have required students to recite the Pledge of Allegiance in public schools. Ventura, on refusing to sign a National Day of Prayer in 1999, said: "I believe in the separation of church and state. We all have our own religious beliefs. There are people out there who are atheists, who don't believe at all. They are all citizens of Minnesota and I have to respect that" (Minnesota Independent, "Despite court decision, National Day of Prayer will endure in Minnesota," by Andy Birkey, April 20, 2010). In his 2009 book Don't Start the Revolution Without Me! (co-authored with Dick Russell), Ventura writes: "I was the only governor of all fifty who would not declare a National Day of Prayer. I took a lot of heat for that, and my response was very simple: Why do people need the government to tell them to pray? Pray all you want! Pray fifty times a day if you desire, it's not my business! . . . If I declare National Day of Prayer, then I've got to declare National No-Prayer Day for the atheists. They are American citizens too" (p. 58). "For me, the lines between church and state seem to become more blurred by the day. The First Amendment protects freedom of speech, thought — and religion. Nowhere is it mandated that we're the Christian States of America. . . . That's made us, I think, a stronger and more democratic nation. . . . It's abundantly clear that our Founding Fathers wanted to prevent our government from establishing a 'national church'" (p. 59).
More: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesse_Ve...
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001818/
Ventura served as a U.S. Navy Underwater Demolition Team member during the Vietnam War. He had a long tenure in the World Wrestling Federation, and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2004.
In 1951, James George Janos, later known as Jesse "The Body" Ventura, was born in Minneapolis to George and Bernice Janos. Janos joined the U.S. Navy and spent time in the Vietnam War. He was briefly a bodyguard for the Rolling Stones. Janos developed a rigorous workout routine, and his newly muscular physique attracted the attention of famous Midwest wrestling promoter Bob Geigel. He began wrestling professionally in the mid-1970s and changed his name to the one that made him famous, Jesse "The Body" Ventura. He continued wrestling in the national spotlight until 1984, when emergency hospitalization due to blood clots in his lungs made him miss a title match against Hulk Hogan, and ended his professional wrestling career. He spent the next five years as a wrestling commentator for various television and radio programs. He acted in a handful of films, including several Arnold Schwarzenegger movies: "Predator" (1987), "The Running Man" (1987) and "Batman & Robin" (1997). In 1990, Ventura ran against and defeated the 18-year incumbent mayor of Brooklyn Park, Minn., serving until 1995. He campaigned for governor as a third-party candidate, and was one of the pioneering politicians who reached out to new voters via the Internet. He was elected as Minnesota governor in 1998, and proved to be a progressive politician, strongly backing gay rights, abortion rights, funding higher education, third-party politics, mass transit, property tax reform and opening trade relations with Cuba. Ventura Decided not to run for reelection because he wanted his family to regain their privacy.
The Freedom From Religion Foundation awarded the former governor the 1999 "Emperor Has No Clothes Award" for his "plain speaking" on religion and, as governor, for rejecting proposals to entangle state and church, including refusing to proclaim for Minnesota a "Day of Prayer." As governor, Ventura vetoed a bill that would have required students to recite the Pledge of Allegiance in public schools. Ventura, on refusing to sign a National Day of Prayer in 1999, said: "I believe in the separation of church and state. We all have our own religious beliefs. There are people out there who are atheists, who don't believe at all. They are all citizens of Minnesota and I have to respect that" (Minnesota Independent, "Despite court decision, National Day of Prayer will endure in Minnesota," by Andy Birkey, April 20, 2010). In his 2009 book Don't Start the Revolution Without Me! (co-authored with Dick Russell), Ventura writes: "I was the only governor of all fifty who would not declare a National Day of Prayer. I took a lot of heat for that, and my response was very simple: Why do people need the government to tell them to pray? Pray all you want! Pray fifty times a day if you desire, it's not my business! . . . If I declare National Day of Prayer, then I've got to declare National No-Prayer Day for the atheists. They are American citizens too" (p. 58). "For me, the lines between church and state seem to become more blurred by the day. The First Amendment protects freedom of speech, thought — and religion. Nowhere is it mandated that we're the Christian States of America. . . . That's made us, I think, a stronger and more democratic nation. . . . It's abundantly clear that our Founding Fathers wanted to prevent our government from establishing a 'national church'" (p. 59).
More: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesse_Ve...
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001818/
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
October 1, 2016
Overall, this is a very good entertainment. Ventura doesn't waste words, but he makes so much use of the "!" mark that I had the feeling I was reading this century's response to Ginsberg's 20th century manifesto entitled "Howl". And I know Ginsberg and his friends would have very much liked this book and Ventura's take on what they called "tea". (I find it odd that a branch of the Republican party would call itself a "Tea Party", cause that pretty much would be a party in which everyone smokes up.) This is a fast read: in a way it's like looking at 252 front pages of the National Enquirer while standing in line at the market. You MUST look, and you must keep turning these pages. There is some stunning information here. For example, Ventura informs us that of the 30 industrialized nations, we are the only nation in which hemp is illegal to grow. Yet, we are the number one users of hemp products in the world. (But I don't recall any specific data/numbers to support the latter comment, and there are other times when I would have liked to see specific statistics/numbers.) That said, Ventura does a great job at convincing me, at least, that we as voters need to take a close look at this issue, and we should vote for what we think is the right thing to do. I highly recommend that every adult in America read this book. We are all impacted in some way by this issue.
May 14, 2017
If Only
If the right people in the right position with the right power read this book it would change the world for the better. Words to truth.
If the right people in the right position with the right power read this book it would change the world for the better. Words to truth.
October 22, 2016
Jesse Ventura's Marijuana Manifesto~~~~
I'm no stranger to books that advocate completely repealing the failed and costly “War on Drugs” that mainly refers to marijuana and hemp which U.S. President Nixon gave voice to in 1973 maybe. The war, however, had been ongoing since FDR campaigned for office in 1932 and exchanged the prohibition on alcohol for marijuana and hemp. The drug war has been every bit as much as a failed experiment that has cost American taxpayers billions upon billions of money while growing our drug cartels, the black market, street violence, and our prisons. Shameful and so unnecessary!
Jesse Ventura's latest bestseller, Mariuana Manifessto, is my first book by him. It's similar to other books I've read on the subject and yet quite instructive in many ways, not only because it's filled with the newest research and news, but because he has a political insider's viewpoint and connections.
I'm pretty sure that most of you already concur with the statements in my opening paragraph, as well as have read similar books to educate you about the long and sordid history with the vegetable/plant the U.S government would prefer you did not know. Ventura gives us that history starting with the colonists who were required to cultivate it and were allowed into the 1800s to pay their taxes with it.
Ventura also shed light on the War of 1812. Ever hear of tt? Do you dare guess what crucial cash crop was being fought over? Yep. Hemp. Great Britain needed plenty of hemp for making its navy so powerful because hemp fiber doesn't mildew and so building ships with hemp was a priority (like it was in U.S. For first 150 or so years and during WW11 when the government begged our farmers to grow hemp for victory!). Britain has little space for farming and so was importing hemp from Russia, but in 1793 France and Russia agreed that the latter would stop exporting hemp to France's enemy. The U.S. Got involved in 1812.
I won't bore you with info you already know about cannabis and hemp. Hemp is not only vital to a nation's economy and is a tasty superfood, but we import billions of dollars in hemp products, including American flags from China!
Marijuana or cannabis has many, many benefits for treating health disorders and Ventura has a foreword by cancer survivor Steve Kubby. Diagnosed with adrenal cancer in the 1970s, he found no relief through chemo, radiation, or pharmaceuticals. The only thing that helped him survive was medical marijuana that his medical doctor prescribed. After jail stints because of the corrupt DEA and time living in Canada, Kubby's a U.S. Hero in California and cancer-free.
I'm sure we could go on all day telling such real-life stories. The DEA wants to keep marijuana illegal so they have a job and the government are tied to corporate interests in using very cheap prison labor to make their products. He accuses Hillary Clinton of accepting a campaign donation from a for-profit prison industry group, and criticizes every U.S. President since George H.W. Bush for pouring more tax dollars into the so-called War on Drugs, but says nothing about Trump becoming a billionaire by using slave labor..
Anyway, one final point needs to be highlighted. He discusses how the First Amendment gives us the right of jury nullification and most Americans don't know about it. A jury doesn't have to find a defendant guilty if they disagree with the law that was broken. Colonists used jury nullification to not penalize Americans for not paying Britain taxes, it was used to help repeal the prohibition against alcohol, and also in the civil rights movement. We can use it now to get marijuana legal. With me?
I'm no stranger to books that advocate completely repealing the failed and costly “War on Drugs” that mainly refers to marijuana and hemp which U.S. President Nixon gave voice to in 1973 maybe. The war, however, had been ongoing since FDR campaigned for office in 1932 and exchanged the prohibition on alcohol for marijuana and hemp. The drug war has been every bit as much as a failed experiment that has cost American taxpayers billions upon billions of money while growing our drug cartels, the black market, street violence, and our prisons. Shameful and so unnecessary!
Jesse Ventura's latest bestseller, Mariuana Manifessto, is my first book by him. It's similar to other books I've read on the subject and yet quite instructive in many ways, not only because it's filled with the newest research and news, but because he has a political insider's viewpoint and connections.
I'm pretty sure that most of you already concur with the statements in my opening paragraph, as well as have read similar books to educate you about the long and sordid history with the vegetable/plant the U.S government would prefer you did not know. Ventura gives us that history starting with the colonists who were required to cultivate it and were allowed into the 1800s to pay their taxes with it.
Ventura also shed light on the War of 1812. Ever hear of tt? Do you dare guess what crucial cash crop was being fought over? Yep. Hemp. Great Britain needed plenty of hemp for making its navy so powerful because hemp fiber doesn't mildew and so building ships with hemp was a priority (like it was in U.S. For first 150 or so years and during WW11 when the government begged our farmers to grow hemp for victory!). Britain has little space for farming and so was importing hemp from Russia, but in 1793 France and Russia agreed that the latter would stop exporting hemp to France's enemy. The U.S. Got involved in 1812.
I won't bore you with info you already know about cannabis and hemp. Hemp is not only vital to a nation's economy and is a tasty superfood, but we import billions of dollars in hemp products, including American flags from China!
Marijuana or cannabis has many, many benefits for treating health disorders and Ventura has a foreword by cancer survivor Steve Kubby. Diagnosed with adrenal cancer in the 1970s, he found no relief through chemo, radiation, or pharmaceuticals. The only thing that helped him survive was medical marijuana that his medical doctor prescribed. After jail stints because of the corrupt DEA and time living in Canada, Kubby's a U.S. Hero in California and cancer-free.
I'm sure we could go on all day telling such real-life stories. The DEA wants to keep marijuana illegal so they have a job and the government are tied to corporate interests in using very cheap prison labor to make their products. He accuses Hillary Clinton of accepting a campaign donation from a for-profit prison industry group, and criticizes every U.S. President since George H.W. Bush for pouring more tax dollars into the so-called War on Drugs, but says nothing about Trump becoming a billionaire by using slave labor..
Anyway, one final point needs to be highlighted. He discusses how the First Amendment gives us the right of jury nullification and most Americans don't know about it. A jury doesn't have to find a defendant guilty if they disagree with the law that was broken. Colonists used jury nullification to not penalize Americans for not paying Britain taxes, it was used to help repeal the prohibition against alcohol, and also in the civil rights movement. We can use it now to get marijuana legal. With me?
April 16, 2018
Jesse Ventura's Marijuana Manifesto shows how a fruitful and profitable plant like cannabis (or marijuana) was once the high-demand cash crop around the world and, suddenly, became the new source of another United States prohibition and symbol for why the U.S. incarcerates more people than any other nation.
For years, cannabis was grown and split into three different forms (hemp, CBD, and THC) throughout the world prior to its entry into the U.S. In the form of hemp, it has been used to create materials such as paper, cloth, and vehicular parts. CBD has been used in the form of medicine while THC has been used as a sensation drug to relieve stress the same way tobacco and alcohol have.
However, with domestically racist stigmas unfairly used against Mexicans and African-Americans thanks to propagandists and political figures like William Randolph Hearst, Harry Anslinger, and Richard Nixon and fear of tight competition from corporal giants like DuPont marijuana has been labeled a schedule-one narcotic, a type of drug that the government depicts as lethal for use and dangerous for abuse. Under corporal influences and flawed government priorities, the U.S. Government has fabricated studies and reports about marijuana's lethalities, potential as a gateway drug, and role in low-income minorities being depicted as the criminal addict demographic while failing to show what gateway features alcohol and tobacco can bring and who are the largest consumers of addictive drugs.
The truth is that the CDC and NIH have studies that reveal that initial users of alcohol and tobacco became more likely to use deadlier drugs like heroin and cocaine than initial users marijuana and white people use drugs at far greater rates than minorities.
Despite such revelations and past debunkings of untruthful government propaganda, the U.S. government has worsened the state of drugs by targeting low-income minorities possessing and using marijuana as shaming examples for society and the supply for 90 percent-minimum capacity, corporal for-profit prisons subsidized by taxpayers. Subsequently, due to the influence and corporal and government's abuse of Citizens United ruling's rhetoric, "corporations are people" and "unlimited campaign financing is free speech," corporations have now used marijuana users-turned-inmates as lowly paid "insourcing" labor that produces goods and items you find in your name-brand stores today.
Whole Foods Market, as of the book's publishing (2016), used "insourced" prison labor to cultivate ready-to-serve tilapia for its customers. In June 2017, Amazon purchased Whole Foods at $13.7 billion dollars while each "insourced" individual laborer earns a daily rate that nothing close to the hourly federal minimum wage.
It may be awhile before we see this prison reform that steers away from these practices that are largely linked to marijuana prohibition. However, with CBD and THC marijuana legalizations growing in numerous states there is some hope for social and governmental change. Still, we have a long way to go.
With confidence that voices like Jesse's, books such as Marijuana Manifesto, and reform-lobbying groups that the book mentions, we can have a brand new country that creates laws based on regulated capitalism, less prohibition, and, most importantly, no class and race discrimination. We need a brand new country thanks to the idiocy and bigoted views aimed at the drugs and its users, and advocates of a brand new country must never be told to leave, especially as this country's inhabitants have thrown away their abilities to become more educated and, as a result, selected poor leaders in the House, Senate, and Presidency #whitewingmajority #TrumpMustGo!
For years, cannabis was grown and split into three different forms (hemp, CBD, and THC) throughout the world prior to its entry into the U.S. In the form of hemp, it has been used to create materials such as paper, cloth, and vehicular parts. CBD has been used in the form of medicine while THC has been used as a sensation drug to relieve stress the same way tobacco and alcohol have.
However, with domestically racist stigmas unfairly used against Mexicans and African-Americans thanks to propagandists and political figures like William Randolph Hearst, Harry Anslinger, and Richard Nixon and fear of tight competition from corporal giants like DuPont marijuana has been labeled a schedule-one narcotic, a type of drug that the government depicts as lethal for use and dangerous for abuse. Under corporal influences and flawed government priorities, the U.S. Government has fabricated studies and reports about marijuana's lethalities, potential as a gateway drug, and role in low-income minorities being depicted as the criminal addict demographic while failing to show what gateway features alcohol and tobacco can bring and who are the largest consumers of addictive drugs.
The truth is that the CDC and NIH have studies that reveal that initial users of alcohol and tobacco became more likely to use deadlier drugs like heroin and cocaine than initial users marijuana and white people use drugs at far greater rates than minorities.
Despite such revelations and past debunkings of untruthful government propaganda, the U.S. government has worsened the state of drugs by targeting low-income minorities possessing and using marijuana as shaming examples for society and the supply for 90 percent-minimum capacity, corporal for-profit prisons subsidized by taxpayers. Subsequently, due to the influence and corporal and government's abuse of Citizens United ruling's rhetoric, "corporations are people" and "unlimited campaign financing is free speech," corporations have now used marijuana users-turned-inmates as lowly paid "insourcing" labor that produces goods and items you find in your name-brand stores today.
Whole Foods Market, as of the book's publishing (2016), used "insourced" prison labor to cultivate ready-to-serve tilapia for its customers. In June 2017, Amazon purchased Whole Foods at $13.7 billion dollars while each "insourced" individual laborer earns a daily rate that nothing close to the hourly federal minimum wage.
It may be awhile before we see this prison reform that steers away from these practices that are largely linked to marijuana prohibition. However, with CBD and THC marijuana legalizations growing in numerous states there is some hope for social and governmental change. Still, we have a long way to go.
With confidence that voices like Jesse's, books such as Marijuana Manifesto, and reform-lobbying groups that the book mentions, we can have a brand new country that creates laws based on regulated capitalism, less prohibition, and, most importantly, no class and race discrimination. We need a brand new country thanks to the idiocy and bigoted views aimed at the drugs and its users, and advocates of a brand new country must never be told to leave, especially as this country's inhabitants have thrown away their abilities to become more educated and, as a result, selected poor leaders in the House, Senate, and Presidency #whitewingmajority #TrumpMustGo!
March 25, 2019
Jesse Ventura's Marijuana Manifesto is a thoroughly researched and sprawling argument for the decriminalization of marijuana in the United States. I enjoyed learning about many aspects of marijuana such as its role in U.S. History, especially during the time of our Founding Fathers; its numerous medical benefits; and the current politics behind states that make it legal or keep it illegal. For the most part, Jesee Ventura's Marijuana Manifesto kept me engaged. However, I felt like I was culling through filler pages by book's end. I don't think an entire chapter devoted to cooking with marijuana, including step-by-step recipes was particularly necessary. It didn't really bolster his argument in any significant way and just felt like the a writer trying to reach a specific page count.
A criticism I have of the book is intended more for the publisher, Skyhorse than the author. Ventura covers such a wide-range of complex topics that it would've been nice if the book included an index at the end. As I continued reading, I found myself wanting to review certain topics which forced me to thumb through previous chapters. An index would've made this much easier. Also, I found a lot spelling and grammatical errors in the book. This is a minor criticism. It just seemed like the final published product could've used one last proofread.
This aim of this book is to discuss the decriminalization of marijuana and presents a strong case for it. If nothing else, it is an easily accessible, generally quick read on the subject of marijuana legalization. But don't expect Ventura to scale the fence on any of the topics he presents. He's not going to give counterpoints to his beliefs e.g. the negative effects of marijuana on mental health. If you are interested in learning about both sides of the marijuana argument I recommend reading Ventura's book and then reading an article by Malcolm Gladwell recently published in The New Yorker. Gladwell's article is as a strong counter-argument to Ventura's. I have included the bibliographic citation along with a link to the article below.
Gladwell, Malcolm. "Unwatched Pot." New Yorker, vol. 95, no. 3, Jan. 2019, pp. 18-21. https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/20....
A criticism I have of the book is intended more for the publisher, Skyhorse than the author. Ventura covers such a wide-range of complex topics that it would've been nice if the book included an index at the end. As I continued reading, I found myself wanting to review certain topics which forced me to thumb through previous chapters. An index would've made this much easier. Also, I found a lot spelling and grammatical errors in the book. This is a minor criticism. It just seemed like the final published product could've used one last proofread.
This aim of this book is to discuss the decriminalization of marijuana and presents a strong case for it. If nothing else, it is an easily accessible, generally quick read on the subject of marijuana legalization. But don't expect Ventura to scale the fence on any of the topics he presents. He's not going to give counterpoints to his beliefs e.g. the negative effects of marijuana on mental health. If you are interested in learning about both sides of the marijuana argument I recommend reading Ventura's book and then reading an article by Malcolm Gladwell recently published in The New Yorker. Gladwell's article is as a strong counter-argument to Ventura's. I have included the bibliographic citation along with a link to the article below.
Gladwell, Malcolm. "Unwatched Pot." New Yorker, vol. 95, no. 3, Jan. 2019, pp. 18-21. https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/20....
December 8, 2019
I caught several not quite true items. It's a good overview. Not recommended to anyone that believes everything they read, however, it is a great introduction for new areas of research. I would never use this book as a citation in anything I write, but there are several things I hadn't thought of before and I will use the references to begin research in those topics. So, overall informative if you're researching marijuana, but take it with a grain of salt.
July 22, 2020
As a longtime fan of Jesse Ventura, I was happy to finally get the chance to read one of his books. As someone pretty educated about marijuana policy, I knew much of the information given in the book, but I still learned a lot. Unless you are an absolute cannabis expert, I imagine you will learn something too. And if you're not totally sure about marijuana, and want to learn more about marijuana policy, this book is an excellent, all-encompassing place to start.
April 26, 2025
Listened to audiobook. More thorough and wide-reaching than I was expecting. The best chapter was on the prison industrial complex and how criminalizing drug use leads to our large prison population corporate America gets to exploit for cheap labor. Infuriating. Would’ve enjoyed this more if it was Jesse narrating. Doesn’t have nearly the same level of charm with some other guy reading it.
November 11, 2018
This is a MUST read! Very informative and a small glimpse into the life of Jesse Ventura. I had no idea he had cancer or was such a big part of the movement to make medical cannabis legal in California.
July 30, 2019
This book is incredible. Everything you could think to cover about marijuana, hemp & it’s prohibition is covered & dissected. If you have any interest in marijuana, cannibas, hemp and/I’d cbd... you need to read this or listen to the audio version.
November 1, 2017
Hemp is of first necessity to the wealth and protection of the country.
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson
August 26, 2019
Passionate argument, good information, awful prose.
September 14, 2024
Overall it gets a 4.5/5 very informative. I learned a lot of things about hemp and marijuana in this book I love Jesse's style in and out of the ring.
December 24, 2016
Fact packed book about marijuana and hemp and difference between the two. Jesse goes into the medical benefits of marijuana citing many articles and research, the same with hemp. A good history of both and what led up to both being made illegal, and classified as a class 1 narcotic. Why it's time to make both legal again and use the benefits of both to help the US economy and overall health, but why that is not going to happen anytime soon as well. Definitely worth a read, no matter what your stance is on this issue, though I would be surprised if it didn't change your mind, and if not you are ignoring the facts.
November 4, 2016
Well, this was a very interesting book. I'm not buying everything Jesse Ventura is selling but he does have some good points. It's definitely worth reading if you are wondering about this issue.
November 8, 2016
a MUST READ!
July 28, 2022
Quite informative and eye opening.
It wasn't said in the book but based on what I read billions of people were indirectly affected because of one man essentially wanting to eliminate the competition.
It wasn't said in the book but based on what I read billions of people were indirectly affected because of one man essentially wanting to eliminate the competition.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews