Chapter 3 Summary and Analysis

Chapter 3 presents a rambling monograph regarding marijuana, plant material derived from the two species Cannabis sativa and C. indica and, in modern times, from hybrids of the two (e.g., C. sativa X C. indica). At 70 pages, it is the longest chapter in the text. The material is presented from a highly-subjective viewpoint, and the numerous topics are poorly developed and jumbled together. In effect, the texture of the chapter apparently seeks to mimic the confused stream-of-consciousness caused by marijuana intoxication. Word use in the chapter is atypical for the book—words such as "magic," "mad," and "shamanistic" link the discussion to subculture methods of expression. Topics considered include the natural history of marijuana, the American marijuana culture with a focus on the Pacific Northwest, contemporary marijuana culture, a lengthy, but scattered, discussion of the effects of marijuana intoxication, the...