Reefer Madness was published the summer I graduated from high school. I spent that summer working at Barnes and Noble, which was a lot like the Target lady sketch on SNL. I'd see cool books customers bought and have to run and get them for myself. I actually memorized my credit card number that summer so I wouldn't have to keep my wallet with me at the cash register. This was one of the few books I didn't read because I was dating a super pothead at the time and I felt to be at all pro-marijuana legalization was to be pro-my-boyfriend-not-buying-me-dinner-cause-he-spent-all-his-money-on-weed. But I saw Food Inc. the other day and remembered how brilliant Eric Schlosser is and decided to pick up this book. I'm so glad I did, although I now feel overwhelmed with a sense of indignation and a little guilt for being such a snot. The book is divided into three large essays, one on marijuana policy, one on illegal immigration (specifically focusing on the immigrants working in strawberry fields in California) and one on the pornography industry. All are fascinating and all will leave you equally confused with how good ideas and good intentions go so incredibly awry.
But that still doesn't mean I should have had to pay for my own burrito at Chipotle.
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