2008 Woodie Awards
Reefer Madness Exposes the Inner Workings of the American Underground
Kristen Bussanich
Issue date: 3/23/05 Section: Arts & Entertainment
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Eric Schlosser, the author of the critically acclaimed book, Fast Food Nation, has written another impressive and fascinating work. He took upon himself the daunting task of exposing the American black market, creating a compelling and moving work. Reefer Madness is a well-written piece of literature that can best be described as a narrative economics book. It covers the history and current status of a select few industries, using examples to paint a picture of the whole. It just so happens that these business dealings revolve around the colorful subjects of marijuana, illegal labor, and pornography.
"If the market does indeed embody the sum of all human wishes, then the secret ones are just as important as the ones that are openly displayed." This quote from the introduction to Reefer Madness sums up Schlosser's reasons for authoring such a work. This "shadow economy" is a best-estimated $1.5 trillion business, according to Schlosser's research. He argues that the mainstream market and the black market are inextricably linked. The black market is a reflection of society, and reveals a great deal about the people of this country.
The book is composed of three separate essays. The first, Reefer Madness, deals with the war being waged by the US government against drugs, specifically marijuana. This portion features interviews with growers, including those who have even written detailed scientific books on the process. Schlosser also talks to users, and shows how the laws truly affect individuals in the system.
The second essay is titled In the Strawberry Fields. It uses the example of illegal strawberry pickers in Santa Maria Valley, halfway between Los Angeles and Salinas. Strawberry picking is one of the most difficult and underpaid agricultural jobs. Due to neglected labor and immigration laws, the workers suffer, and only the big businesses are able to profit. This essay was reminiscent of a chapter from Fast Food Nation, which described the appalling working conditions of workers in the meat-packing industry. Schlosser makes a brief mention of this, acknowledging that the strawberry fields of California only present a specific example of the complicated problem that is illegal immigrant workers throughout the nation.
"If the market does indeed embody the sum of all human wishes, then the secret ones are just as important as the ones that are openly displayed." This quote from the introduction to Reefer Madness sums up Schlosser's reasons for authoring such a work. This "shadow economy" is a best-estimated $1.5 trillion business, according to Schlosser's research. He argues that the mainstream market and the black market are inextricably linked. The black market is a reflection of society, and reveals a great deal about the people of this country.
The book is composed of three separate essays. The first, Reefer Madness, deals with the war being waged by the US government against drugs, specifically marijuana. This portion features interviews with growers, including those who have even written detailed scientific books on the process. Schlosser also talks to users, and shows how the laws truly affect individuals in the system.
The second essay is titled In the Strawberry Fields. It uses the example of illegal strawberry pickers in Santa Maria Valley, halfway between Los Angeles and Salinas. Strawberry picking is one of the most difficult and underpaid agricultural jobs. Due to neglected labor and immigration laws, the workers suffer, and only the big businesses are able to profit. This essay was reminiscent of a chapter from Fast Food Nation, which described the appalling working conditions of workers in the meat-packing industry. Schlosser makes a brief mention of this, acknowledging that the strawberry fields of California only present a specific example of the complicated problem that is illegal immigrant workers throughout the nation.