For readers of Dopesick and In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts, a celebrated cannabis attorney's personal look at the War on Drugs and what comes next for the drug legalization movement
Getting high is something most of us do, and in many cases do safely--yet drugs remain a singular public enemy. In a ranging blend of memoir, pop culture, policy critique, and social analysis, LA-based criminal defense attorney Allison Margolin explores why--and what we can do about it.
Informed by Margolin’s experiences as a drug user, advocate, and the daughter of California’s most renowned (and infamous) cannabis attorney, Just Dope offers a look at where our current drug policy fails. It exposes the true history of drug prohibition in the United States, sharing why it started, how it evolved, and where it stands now. And it looks unflinchingly at the false dichotomy between “good” drugs and “bad” drugs and Margolin’s experience with programs like D.A.R.E that misguidedly ask you to “Just Say No.”
For readers of All Day is a Long Time and In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts, Just Dope is an experiential tour-de-force of personal essay and whip-smart policy critique—and a vital call to knowledge and action.
Current (420 Day 2022) Description Inaccurate. Read As Memoir. If you go into this book expecting what the current description claims the book is - a take down of all drug laws by a lawyer who knows them well - ummm.... you're going to be severely disappointed. As pretty well every review earlier than my own notes. If you go into this more as a memoir with some generalized points about why legalization of all drugs would make for a more just world - with scant documentation, accounting for only 10% of the ARC text -... you'll be more satisfied with this book than had you believed the current description. The text here is truly more about Margolin and her parents - her dad being one of the more famous/ infamous drug criminal defense lawyers in the US - than any other central issue, though the drugs Margolin uses and she and her dad defend others using in court are never far away. Overall, this is more of a primer text for those who may not be familiar with many of the complete legalization arguments to see how they play out in the life and mind of one particular LA-based drug lawyer. If you're looking for a more detailed examination of the arguments and their pros and cons... this isn't that text. Still, for what it is this is a worthy read that can at least add a degree of nuance to the overall conversation, and for this it is recommended.
Reading updates
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Started reading
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17 April, 2022:
Finished reading
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17 April, 2022:
Reviewed