The Book of Cannabis - by Jeremy Narby (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

A revelatory journey through the tangled roots of cannabis--its ancient uses, political battles, and scientific renaissance--by acclaimed anthropologist Jeremy Narby

In The Book of Cannabis, Jeremy Narby--renowned author of The Cosmic Serpent--delivers a sweeping, clear-eyed exploration of cannabis as both plant and cultural phenomenon. From its ancient medicinal and ritualistic roles to its vilification, Narby traces how cannabis became one of the most controversial plants in modern history.

With the global shift toward legalization, Narby dives into the latest science on cannabis's therapeutic potential and risks, especially in the era of high-potency strains and edibles. He unpacks the plant's transformation through selective breeding and examines its evolving impact on health, society, and the environment. The book also explores the implications of cannabis's changing legal status and its intersection with issues of social justice and public policy.

Accessible, nuanced, and deeply informed, this is essential reading for cannabis users, industry professionals, educators, and policymakers alike. Narby's anthropological lens offers a unique perspective on the plant's journey, making The Book of Cannabis a vital guide to understanding cannabis in all its complexity.

Review Quotes

"Jeremy Narby has done it again--made a major contribution to our understanding of plant medicine. This time he presents a comprehensive history of cannabis. In the introduction, Narby reveals his personal relationship with this plant and then delves into cultural and scientific research. For instance, the cannabis "species stretches back at least 19 million years, long before the evolution of human beings." In this one sentence, Narby gives us the gift of a more humble perspective. He also warns about the use of high doses and potencies especially for adolescents and young adults. The Book of Cannabis is an objective and comprehensive approach to a psychoactive plant that is currently spreading its roots throughout our culture." -Rachel Harris, PhD, author of Listening to Ayahuasca and Swimming in the Sacred

"Entertaining and profound, Narby gives us a new standard work that deepens humanity's long love affair with cannabis--indispensable for anyone who thinks they already know this plant." -Thomas Grube, filmmaker

"A complete and thorough book that's a joy to read. If you're new to cannabis, it serves as an excellent introduction. And if you consider yourself well-versed in the subject--as I did--you'll be surprised by how much there is still to learn about this remarkable plant that has been part of human history for millennia." -Jerónimo Mazarrasa, Program Director at the International Center for Ethnobotanical Education, Research, and Service

"You couldn't ask for a better guide to the intriguing history of humanity's relationship with the powerful plant called cannabis by science and by many other names in languages and subcultures around the world. Trained as an anthropologist at Stanford University, Jeremy Narby has gone on to add the skills of investigative journalism, science writing, and deep historical research to his toolkit as a storyteller at the frontiers of science, indigenous knowledge, and the agency and intelligence of plants. You won't find a more compelling, nonfiction, fact-based narrative of cannabis's mind-bending and world-altering story anywhere." -Jon Christensen, Director of the Laboratory for Environmental Narrative Strategies at the Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, UCLA

About the Author

JEREMY NARBY, Ph.D., studied history at the University of Kent and earned a doctorate in anthropology from Stanford University. Since 1990, he has coordinated projects supporting Amazonian communities through the Swiss NGO Nouvelle Planète, focusing on land rights, bilingual education, and sustainable forestry. He is the author of The Cosmic Serpent: DNA and the Origins of Knowledge (1998) and Intelligence in Nature: An Inquiry into Knowledge (2005), and co-editor with Francis Huxley of Shamans Through Time: 500 Years on the Path to Knowledge (2001). His most recent work, co-authored with Rafael Chanchari Pizuri, is Plant Teachers: Tobacco and Ayahuasca (2021).