In the digital age of video and audio, books often get scoffed at. Online articles and YouTube tutorials seem like more efficient ways to obtain information. However, these sources pale in comparison to the detail and volume of information found in books. If you’re looking to increase the size and quality of your harvests or learn about the health benefits and history of the herb, books are invaluable tools.
Books also keep your attention locked in. When browsing the internet for cannabis information, it’s too tempting to open another tab and begin scrolling social media and checking your emails. In contrast, slowly turning the page of a good book—joint in hand—tames the brain and immerses you into a world of new information. The mind evolves after reading a book, and your perception of cannabis will be forever changed.
The cannabis book market is booming. The available tomes cover every topic within the field. No matter what you’re looking for, a host of contemporary and classic authors have got you covered.
Below is a list of the top 10 cannabis books we recommend. Don’t miss out on learning something new!
CANNABIS BOOKS ABOUT HEALTH
The legalization of cannabis in several countries has led to an explosion of scientific research and discovery. Cannabis and its constituents—cannabinoids, terpenes, flavonoids, and so on—have been explored in cell, animal, and human studies. Many of the results look promising, and the future of cannabis medicine is undoubtedly a bright one. The books featured below are incredible resources if you’re looking to learn more about cannabis, health, and medicine.
THE CANNABIS HEALTH INDEX
The Cannabis Health Index is an in-depth book that harnesses over 1,000 scientific studies to explain how cannabis, along with mindfulness techniques, is useful for over 100 chronic diseases and symptoms. Penned by Uwe Blesching, PhD, no stone is left unturned when it comes to the herb's impact on common and more severe ailments.
Readers can use this comprehensive, evidence-based book to learn about cannabis as a medicine, and how it could help them in their health battles. If you’re curious about the impact of cannabis on specific conditions, you don’t have to trudge through the entire volume. It’s divided into different sections according to pathologies, such as inflammatory diseases, neurological diseases, and cardiovascular health.
Blesching has done a superb job translating the difficult and often confusing scientific literature into a reader-friendly format. Get ready to have your mind blown as your cannabis knowledge expands considerably.
CBD: A PATIENT’S GUIDE TO HEALTH WITH MEDICINAL CANNABIS
This book is both informative and practical. It equips users with crucial information about CBD and how to prepare and use it. Juliana Birnbaum details the safety of the non-psychotropic cannabinoid and its many proposed health benefits and medicinal applications.
As well as discussing pharmacology, the book details the botany of the cannabis plant and explains how specific cannabinoid formulas can target certain ailments more effectively.
Birnbaum explains how CBD, alone and in combination with other cannabinoids, may work to relieve symptoms of anxiety, depression, arthritis, inflammation, seizures, pain, and other conditions.
The book also provides dosage outlines and guidance on oil infusions, tinctures, capsules, and CO₂ concentrates.
CANNABIS PHARMACY: THE PRACTICAL GUIDE TO MEDICAL MARIJUANA
Written by cannabis expert Michael Backes, Cannabis Pharmacy offers up-to-date information regarding medicinal cannabis and the endocannabinoid system. The book explores the chemical constituents of the plant and how they work in the body to exert effects.
Backes explains the role of the endocannabinoid system and how the network of receptors influences emotion, appetite, and memory. Backes also discusses dosing and delivery methods. You’ll learn precisely how to use cannabis in your own life for medicinal purposes. These pages contain information on 21 ailments and conditions, and how cannabis can be used herein.
The book also features a foreword by Dr Andrew Weil MD, a practitioner and teacher of integrative medicine.
CANNABIS BOOKS ABOUT GROWING
Growing cannabis is both a science and an art. The following books will help novices get started on their growing journey, and intermediate and advanced cultivators hone their techniques. They offer information on everything from lighting and nutrients to breeding and harvests.
MARIJUANA HORTICULTURE: THE INDOOR/OUTDOOR MEDICAL GROWER’S BIBLE
Marijuana Horticulture is 512 pages of pure wisdom. It’s the quintessential guide to growing weed, and has been a bestseller since 1983. The current Fifth Edition provides 1120 colour images that put all of the concepts on display.
World-renowned cannabis expert Jorge Cervantes penned the book. It provides all the information you need to know to reach a successful harvest. Cervantes will teach you how to set up a growing environment with the resources you have on hand—from grow rooms to greenhouses. He also covers what lighting to use, how to secure your grow, and how to feed your crop correctly.
Marijuana Horticulture doesn’t stop there. The book is an extensive guide on using growing techniques such as sea of green to optimise yield. It also explains how to clone, flower, and harvest cannabis plants. Once you’ve trimmed your buds, you’ll learn how to dry and cure them, and even how to make hash.
ED ROSENTHAL’S MARIJUANA GROWER’S HANDBOOK
Ed Rosenthal—“the guru of ganja”—is a leading cannabis horticulture authority. As one of the co-founders of High Times Magazine, he’s an accomplished cannabis educator and author. In the Marijuana Grower’s Handbook, Rosenthal covers all the bases from beginner knowledge to advanced cultivation skills.
The book starts with an introduction to the cannabis plant: its active constituents and numerous subspecies. Next, Rosenthal offers a concise plant biology lesson and covers the topics of photosynthesis, light, carbon dioxide, nutrients, temperature, and humidity.
Equipped with this crucial information, you’ll be ready to learn how to set up your growing space; and in the following chapters, you’ll learn how to harvest, dry, cure, and restart your garden if you grow outdoors.
CANNABIS BOOKS ABOUT HISTORY
It’s no secret that cannabis is a controversial crop. The plant has been subject to vicious propaganda campaigns and crushed under prohibition. However, its past isn’t all dark. The herb has been used as a medicine for thousands of years and has played an essential role as an industrial crop. Read these books to learn about the history of weed.
THE EMPEROR WEARS NO CLOTHES
The Emperor Wears No Clothes is one of the most famous cannabis books of all time. The book was written by American cannabis activist Jack Herer on the many uses of this enigmatic plant. His work had such an impact on the cannabis community that there’s even a strain named after him.
Also referred to has “The Hemp Bible”, the book documents the historical suppression of hemp by large corporate interests. Herer details how the petrochemical industry sought to lobby the government and outlaw hemp.
Herer discusses the seemingly endless uses of the renewable crop. He covers its ability to provide resources for paper, energy, food, textiles, and medicine.
CANNABIS: A HISTORY
In this book, Martin Booth delves deep into the history of the cannabis plant. It’s a stellar read for those looking to understand where cannabis came from and how it has impacted both modern and ancient cultures.
Booth starts the timeline back in the Neolithic period and works through to the present day. He touches upon how cannabis has played a role in advancements in medicine, religion, politics, human rights, music, and art.
The book also covers the complex tale of how cannabis was targeted and prohibited in the modern Western world. The United States government once encouraged the cultivation of cannabis, only to incarcerate people for possession years later.
This book is for readers looking to learn every last detail about the history of cannabis.
SMOKE SIGNALS: A SOCIAL HISTORY OF MARIJUANA - MEDICAL, RECREATIONAL AND SCIENTIFIC
Smoke Signals explores the “great American pot story”. Author Martin A. Lee takes readers through a cultural exploration of cannabis. Readers will learn about the legal history of cannabis in the country, its prohibition, and the movements that opposed it.
Lee delves into the implementation of draconian cannabis laws, their social impact, and the culture war surrounding such legislation.
CANNABIS BOOKS ABOUT COOKING
Cooking with cannabis is more than just throwing buds and leaves into a cake mix. It’s an intricate art filled with nuances and technique. Learn about extracts, decarboxylation, and all things culinary with these cannabis cookbooks.
THE EASY CANNABIS COOKBOOK: 60+ MEDICAL MARIJUANA RECIPES FOR SWEET AND SAVORY EDIBLES
The Easy Cannabis Cookbook showcases just how far edibles have come. Edible cannabis used to be defined by brownies and cookies, yet now spans into every nook and cranny of the culinary world. If you’re an established or aspiring cannabis chef, this book will quickly become a valuable ally.
Writer Cheri Sicard covers cannabis 101—an explanation of the history and medicinal use of cannabis. She also provides an accurate dosing guide and a list of essential equipment when cooking with the herb. The Easy Cannabis Cookbook features over 60 different medicated recipes, including banana bread and cheese fettuccine alfredo.
THE CANNABIS COOKBOOK: THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO GOURMET GRASS
The Cannabis Cookbook is designed to enable herb-lovers to cook up edibles with ease. Cannabis writer Tim Pilcher has put together over 25 delicious recipes, including “Stoned Starters”, “Mashed Main Courses”, and “Doped-Out Desserts”.
It’s the perfect book to draw inspiration from before cooking up a three-course meal for your cannabis-loving friends. There are even recipes for medicated drinks.
The Cannabis Cookbook goes above and beyond just recipes, and includes notes on the science and history of culinary cannabis.
