''Reefer Madness: Sex, Drugs, and Cheap Labor in the American Black Market'' is a book written by

Eric Schlosser Eric Matthew Schlosser (born August 17, 1959) is an American journalist and author known for his investigative journalism, such as in his books ''Fast Food Nation'' (2001), ''Reefer Madness'' (2003), and '' Command and Control: Nuclear Weapons, ...

and published in 2003. The book is a look at the three pillars of the

underground economy A black market, underground economy, or shadow economy is a clandestine market or series of transactions that has some aspect of illegality or is characterized by noncompliance with an institutional set of rules. If the rule defines the se ...

of the United States, estimated by Schlosser to be ten percent of U.S. GDP:

marijuana Cannabis, also known as marijuana among other names, is a psychoactive drug from the cannabis plant. Native to Central or South Asia, the cannabis plant has been used as a drug for both recreational and entheogenic purposes and in various tra ...

, migrant labor, and

pornography Pornography (often shortened to porn or porno) is the portrayal of sexual subject matter for the exclusive purpose of sexual arousal. Primarily intended for adults,

. The book is divided into three chapters: Chapter 1: ''Reefer Madness'', Schlosser argues, based on usage, historical context, and consequences, for the decriminalization of marijuana. Chapter 2: ''In the Strawberry Fields'', he explores the exploitation of illegal aliens as cheap labor, arguing that there should be better living arrangements and humane treatment of the illegal aliens the U.S. is exploiting in the fields of California. Chapter 3: ''An Empire of the Obscene'' details the history of pornography in U.S. culture, starting with the eventual business magnate

Reuben Sturman Reuben Sturman (August 16, 1924 – October 27, 1997), sometimes referred as the "Walt Disney of Porn", was an American pornographer and businessman from Ohio, who co-founded sex toys company Doc Johnson. He was featured as a subject in Eric Sch ...

. Schlosser closes by arguing that such a widespread black market can only undermine the law and is indicative of the discrepancy between accepted mainstream U.S. culture and its true nature.

References

External links

Eric Schlosser speech on The US Underground Economy - ''Reefer Madness''

''Booknotes'' interview with Schlosser on ''Reefer Madness'', June 15, 2003Presentation by Schlosser on ''Reefer Madness'' at the Miami Book Fair, November 9, 2003
2003 non-fiction books Non-fiction books about cannabis Non-fiction books about pornography Non-fiction books about immigration to the United States Works about magazine publishing Works about the informal economy Books by Eric Schlosser American books about cannabis {{sex-book-stub

See also

References

External links