The Marshall Project

The Case Against Cannabis

A journalist’s pursuit of the truth about marijuana, mental illness and violence.

Alex Berenson is probably best known as the author of the John Wells espionage thrillers, 11 of them so far, but until 2010 he was a reporter, including for 11 years at The New York Times, where his assignments ranged from the pharmaceutical industry to Hurricane Katrina.

He did two reporting tours in Iraq. That battleground may seem relatively tame compared to the response when his new book goes on sale.

“Tell Your Children: The Truth About Marijuana, Mental Illness, and Violence” is an intensively researched and passionate dissent from the now prevailing view that marijuana is relatively harmless. The book is a “bullhorn” (his word) for scientists and physicians whose research has, he argues, been drowned out by the triumphal cheers of the marijuana lobby.

He exchanged

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