How to Use Th is Book
Marijuana: Examining the Facts is one of the fi rst volumes in ABC-CLIO’s
new Contemporary Debates reference series. Each title in this new series,
which is intended for use by high school and undergraduate students as
well as members of the general public, examines the veracity of contro-
versial claims or beliefs surrounding a major political/cultural issue in the
United States. The purpose of the series is to give readers a clear and unbi-
ased understanding of current issues by informing them about falsehoods,
half-truths, and misconceptions—and confi rming the factual validity of
other assertions—that have gained traction in America’s political and
cultural discourse. Ultimately, this series has been crafted to give readers
the tools for a fuller understanding of controversial issues, policies, and
laws that occupy center stage in American life and politics.
Each volume in this series identifi es questions swirling about the larger
topic under discussion. These questions are examined in individualized
entries, which are in turn arranged in broad subject chapters that cover
certain aspects of the issue being examined, that is, history of concern
about the issue, potential economic or social impact, fi ndings of latest
scholarly research, and others.
Each chapter features 4–10 individual entries. Each entry begins by stat-
ing an important and/or well-known Question about the issue being stud-
ied. The entry then provides a concise and objective one- or two-paragraph
Answer to the featured question, followed by a more comprehensive,
detailed explanation of The Facts . This latter portion of each entry uses
