The wide world of cannabis is vast and endless in terms of the ways to consume, apply, bake and enjoy this intoxicating plant. No matter what your preferences are, there’s also a lot to learn about the devil’s lettuce, as they say. Weed is now being used medicinally to treat the symptoms of a wide range of ailments including glaucoma, Alzheimer’s disease, chronic pain and more.
There’s more research than ever before about the powers of this substance as a healing modality as well as a recreational activity. There are cookbooks about how to use it, chronicles of selling it in the US and beyond and even guides on the hundreds of different strains and varieties of the plant. Whether you partake in the consumption of this particular substance or not, you might enjoy learning more about it. This lexicon of knowledge is all available to you in the books below. Enjoy.
1. Smoke Signals: A Social History of Marijuana
BEST HISTORICAL ARCHIVE
This historical archive from the best-selling author of Acid Dreams traces the social history of weed in America from its emergence in the 60s to the modern day. Lee takes us through the illegal underground weed culture up through the medical marijuana days and political struggle for legalization. Whether you’re a frequent user, someone curious about its healing effects or simply someone who is hungry for knowledge on the subject — this book will thoroughly enlighten.
This book is also available for your Kindle and as an audiobook.
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2. Marijuana Politics: Uncovering the Troublesome History and Social Costs of Criminalization
BEST FOR THE POLITICS OF WEED
The politics of marijuana have always been messy. Why is it illegal in some parts of the US when cigarettes and alcohol, which undoubtedly kill more people, are perfectly legal for mature members of society? This question extends to other nations and the ways in which the criminalization of pot affects developing countries economically and socially. The author also dives into the politics of medical marijuana, the sociological impacts of it and where it weaves into a web of other illegal activities like gambling and prostitution.
If you’re a person who likes straight facts, busted misconceptions and deeper commentary, this book leads with all of it successfully.
3. Bong Appétit: Mastering the Art of Cooking With Weed
BEST COOKBOOK
Who doesn’t love a good cookbook with a witty title? This book is the Joy of Cooking for the cannabis generation with sophisticated, delicious recipes that all (somehow) involve weed. They break down the science of including cannabis in your food safely and have gathered a wide range of preparable meals from butter-basted weed chicken to a weed brownie sundae. Make a whole meal celebrating your favorite herb with guidance on pairing strains and tips from the editors of the popular MUNCHIES television series.
4. The Leafly Guide to Cannabis: A Handbook for the Modern Consumer
BEST GUIDE FOR THE MODERN USER
Leafly is one of the world’s most popular cannabis websites and now the editors have compiled a book version of everything the modern pot head needs to know about the substance. Learn everything the experts know about this versatile substance including flavor profiles, strains, cerebral and bodily effects, methods of consumption and available products. After consuming this book, you’ll be a savvy user who knows exactly what’s available and what’s the best for your lifestyle. Check it out and join in with the power of knowledge in your back pocket.
Please note this book is currently only available in the Kindle version on Amazon.
5. Just Say Yes: A Marijuana Memoir
BEST MEMOIR
Catherine Hiller is a PhD graduate from Brown University and the author of six books including Just Say Yes: A Marijuana Memoir — perhaps the first weed memoir ever published.
She recounts her long-term cannabis use with radical honesty and humor, noting observations about the effects of weed on different aspects of her life — marriage, friendship, work life, sex, spots and motherhood. If you’re considering marijuana use and are curious about how it can fit into your own life, this book will be helpful.
6. Higher Etiquette: A Guide to the World of Cannabis, from Dispensaries to Dinner Parties
BEST ETIQUETTE MANIFESTO
As the use of weed medicinally and recreationally becomes more and more commonplace, a whole new set of manners is getting communally created. What do you do if you want to smoke weed in the middle of a dinner party? Give it as a gift? Buy it at a dispensary? Each of these situations has a respectful, culturally-accepted mode of behavior and Lizzie Post, great-great granddaughter of Emily Post, is here to tell you all about it. Enjoy her witty banter and thorough education on how to behave in a world that’s coming to accept weed.
7. Brave New Weed: Adventures Into the Uncharted World of Cannabis
BEST FOR WEED AROUND THE WORLD
Time to set sail towards new frontiers, of cannabis that is. Joe Dolce, the former editor-in-chief of Details and Star, takes us on a journey around the world investigating the legal, social, medical and cultural repercussions of the widespread use of this versatile herb.
He goes from place to place, Amsterdam to Israel to California, to discuss the war on cannabis and de-mystify this plant across the globe. How is it being used? Why is it illegal? Weed has a shocking history and varied modern global reception. It’s a story worth being told, and this author tells it well.
8. Weed: The User’s Guide
FUNNIEST
The Stranger writer David Schmader is your guide to marijuana in the 21st century in this hilarious and insightful book filled with useful wisdom. He covers hemp vs. cannabis, which presidents were potheads, the differences between a blunt and spliff and the proper way to clean a bong. All useful stuff.
Get his recommendations for high food and entertainment in these times of quarantine — they’ll change the game.
9. Marijuana Grower’s Handbook: Your Complete Guide for Medical and Personal Marijuana Cultivation
BEST FOR GROWERS
Whether you’re a beginner or advanced bud raiser who want some tips, this guide covers it all. Get up to speed on the latest tools, methods and knowledge you need to grow top-notch, resinous marijuana efficiently and effectively. It’s got 500 pages of colorful illustrations to make learning engaging and takes you through each stage of growth from the initial planting to harvesting and preparing.
Grow your own and make it just the way you like it using this chronicle as your fearless, fact-based, experienced guide. You won’t regret it.
10. Cannabis Pharmacy: The Practical Guide to Medical Marijuana
This is one of the most comprehensive and accessible guides on medical marijuana available, and should be read by anyone toying with the idea of using it for treatment. There are more than 4.2 million medical cannabis users in this country in the 33 states in which it’s legal. There’s a plethora of information available about this world and this book covers it all. It’s a well-designed resource that’s intuitive for most readers and will offer comfort and information on how cannabis reacts in the human body, how it should be administered and how to control dosage.
This book was recently revised to include information on the body’s endocannabinoid system which controls appetite, memory and emotion. This book will answer all of your questions about methods of consumption including vapes and e-cigarettes.
11. CBD: A Patient’s Guide to Medicinal Cannabis — Healing Without the High
BEST FOR CBD
How is CBD different from weed? Does it get you high? Is it safe to use for recovering addicts? All of these questions are answered in this book about the powerful cannabis derivative that’s safe to use for a number of health conditions with no psychoactivity and very little negative side effects. This book covers the ailments CBD potentially treats as well as the various forms you can take it in. This is an essential guide for doctors, patients or anyone looking to make CBD a part of their personal healing and recovery routine.
12. Green: A Field Guide to Marijuana
BEST COFFEE TABLE BOOK
This giant coffee table book will let everyone who comes over for a cocktail party know what your recreational habits are, and you’ll know quickly who your friends are. It’s filled with hyper detailed photography of the buds, flowers, botany and other ecological components of this gifted plant. The “Buds” section in the book covers 170 different strains and guides you through what makes each one unique. Establish the tone of your living room and learn all about your favorite pastime with this beautiful weed book.