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Marijuana: High And Low And High Again In U.S. History

If you've only been paying attention to marijuana laws for a couple of decades, it can look like pot is on a bit of a high of its own. 

State after state, including California and Oregon, has legalized marijuana for medical or personal use or both.  This moment looked like a sure thing a couple of generations ago. 

But then a backlash began against marijuana and other drugs. 

Emily Dufton tracks the trajectory in Grass Roots: The Rise and Fall and Rise of Marijuana in America.  She joins us with both history lesson and cautionary tale.   

 

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Geoffrey Riley is a graduate of the University of Missouri School of Journalism and has hosted the Jefferson Exchange on JPR since 2009. He's been a broadcaster in the Rogue Valley for more than 35 years, working in both television and radio.
April Ehrlich reports on lands and environmental policy for Oregon Public Broadcasting, a JPR news partner. Her reporting comes to JPR through the Northwest News Network, a collaboration between public media organizations in Oregon and Washington.