Cannabis, marijuana and hemp. The plant, the drug and the fiber. Few plants make their way into the history books with as much controversy as cannabis. Demonized in the 20th century, it is one of the few plants that is outlawed for fear of its recreational use.

But throughout the history of the world, cannabis has been a regular part of world culture. According to a new book, “Highlights: An Illustrated History of Cannabis,” cannabis may have been one of the earliest plants domesticated by humans for its medicinal qualities and fiber.

This book does not proclaim to be a pro-weed tome nor does it try to condemn cannabis as so many have done in the last century. It tries to be an even-handed, light-hearted attempt at a historical analysis of cannabis.

It reads well and would make a fine coffee table book. The many paintings, photos and cartoons show the uses of cannabis from Kali-Ma to George Washington, from Groucho Marx to Murphy Brown.

While the preface tries to convince readers that this book is meant to be as neutral as possible, it undermines this by its prolific use of double entendres throughout. The book is successful at demystifying cannabis, marijuana and hemp though it would not convince anyone who is strongly opposed to cannabis in its myriad forms.

For the hemp legalization crowd, the book could easily be used as a kind of Bible or quick reference guide of facts about marijuana. It does take a neutral approach to myth-breaking, though.

On George Washington’s supposed use of marijuana, it says it has long been an established fact that the father of our country grew hemp for rope, as did many farmers throughout the world.

The only proof that he might have smoked it was one notation in his diary that he regretted not separating the female plants from the males. The female plant is the source of the intoxicant THC, but the male plants have stronger fibers that are more valued for their use in ropes. Washington could just as easily have been lamenting this fact as any other, so no proof exists that he actually smoked marijuana.

Until the 20th century, marijuana had been used by many cultures for its medicinal qualities. Even Queen Victoria of England used marijuana to ease her menstrual cramps by drinking a tincture of the drug in alcohol.

The book is a who’s who of pot, too. Bob Marley, Robert Mitchum, Louis Armstrong, Paul McCartney, Robert Crum and George Carlin were all fans of the drug and used it to modify their art.

The 1950s saw the proliferation of anti-drug pulp fiction such as “Reefer Boy” and “Dope Inc.” These books were designed to scare holy hell out of the straight community, and they helped to create paranoia for decades to come.

The book looks at artwork from the 1960s that surrounded hippie culture. Rolling papers, posters, T-shirts and lighters were all decorated to show support for the drug and its perception-altering qualities.

“Highlights” also takes a look at the present trend toward hemp legalization and shows how many European countries have begun to take a more moderate approach to cannabis, legalizing it for medical and industrial use while some countries like the Netherlands have made it legal to smoke pot.

Entertaining and colorful, “Highlights” is a must-read for the pothead in your family, but anyone could enjoy the light narrative style and history behind the plant.

3 Stars

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Rating based on a 5 Stars scale.