Available for free download on 4/20/2010.
 
http://www.chelseagreen.com/bookstore/item/marijuana_is_safer:paperback?p=add

Marijuana Is Safer
So Why Are We Driving People to Drink?
by Steve Fox, Paul Armentano, Mason Tvert
Foreword by Norm Stamper

    "Culture and law feel, at times, impossible to change; and then suddenly we find ourselves in a whole new place. America smokes a lot of pot, America drinks a lot of booze, and pot has not always been outlawed--it stands to reason that law and culture will change again. This book seems to herald that change is now upon us. It is smart and clear and feels like common sense. Pot and drink are two drugs people commonly use and one causes a good deal more violence and tragedy. Let's at least legalize the other one. It's an excellent argument. But don't just take my word for it--read the book."

    —Jennifer Michael Hecht, PhD, author of The Happiness Myth

Nationally recognized marijuana-policy experts Steve Fox, Paul Armentano, and Mason Tvert compare and contrast the relative harms and legal status of the two most popular recreational substances in the world—marijuana and alcohol. Through an objective examination of the two drugs and the laws and social practices that steer people toward alcohol, the authors pose a simple yet rarely considered question: Why do we punish adults who make the rational, safer choice to use marijuana instead of alcohol?

Marijuana Is Safer reaches for a broad audience. For those unfamiliar with marijuana, it provides an introduction to the cannabis plant and its effects on the user, and debunks some of the government's most frequently cited marijuana myths. For current and aspiring advocates of marijuana-law reform, as well as anyone else who is interested in what is becoming a major political battle, the authors spell out why the message that marijuana is safer than alcohol must be a prominent part of the public debate over legalization.

Most importantly, for the millions of Americans who want to advance the cause of marijuana-policy reform—or simply want to defend their own personal, safer choice—this book provides the talking points and detailed information needed to make persuasive arguments to friends, family, coworkers, and elected officials.

About the Authors

Paul Armentano

Paul Armentano is the deputy director of NORML (The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws) and the NORML Foundation. A recognized national expert in marijuana policy, health, and pharmacology, he has spoken at dozens of national conferences and legal seminars and has testified before state legislatures and federal agencies. He appears regularly on Drew Pinsky's nationally syndicated radio show, Dr. Drew Live, and his work has appeared in over 500 publications. Armentano is the 2008 recipient of the Project Censored Real News Award for Outstanding Investigative Journalism. He currently lives in California with his wife and son.

Mason Tvert

Mason Tvert is the cofounder and executive director of Safer Alternative for Enjoyable Recreation (SAFER) and the SAFER Voter Education Fund. He appears frequently in the news and travels the country promoting the "Marijuana Is Safer Than Alcohol" message. He resides in Denver, where he serves on the city’s Marijuana Policy Review Panel appointed by Mayor John W. Hickenlooper.

Steve Fox

Steve Fox is the Director of State Campaigns for the Marijuana Policy Project (MPP), the nation's largest organization dedicated to reforming marijuana laws. From 2002–2005, he lobbied Congress as MPP's Director of Government Relations. He cofounded Safer Alternative for Enjoyable Recreation (SAFER) in 2005 and has helped guide its operations since its inception. He is a graduate of Tufts University and Boston College Law School and currently lives in Maryland with his wife and two daughters.