Schlosser, Eric. Reefer Madness: Sex, Drugs, and Cheap Labor in the American Black Market. New York: Houghton Mifflin, 2003. 310 pages.

Three topics are covered in this well-written chronicle of the American underbelly: the war against marijuana, the war against pornography, and the plight of migrant farm labor from Mexico. Nearly half of this book is about the porn empire of Reuben Sturman, who started in 1963 and after countless legal battles, was finally brought down in 1992. He died in prison in 1997.

One might be tempted to describe this book as a cultural study, simply because it's a fascinating read. But the extensive footnoting and bibliography, along with Schlosser's field research and interviewing, qualify it as full-blown investigative journalism of the highest quality. Similar praise was universal for Schlosser's previous book, "Fast Food Nation." His next book will be about the American prison system.

While Schlosser is long on relevant facts and short on moralizing, one is forced to agree with him that America is in decline -- for reasons that deregulation, the free market, and corporate capitalism cannot address. More reasonable regulation (worker protection) along with reasonable decriminalization (ease up on marijuana laws) are vaguely suggested in the tiny last chapter, perhaps because the book required closure of some sort. You cannot expect to find everything you need between just two covers.
ISBN 0-618-33466-1

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