An analysis of religious and philosophical interpretations of cannabis during the modern period in the West, with a focus on recent developments.

"Cannabis, Religion, and Culture is a detailed analysis of one of the most frequently-used, culturally-significant, and widely-discussed psychoactives in the West. Beginning with an overview of the debates about the religious interpretation of drug-induced mystical experience, the book then provides a broad introduction to the pharmacology, history, and culture of cannabis use. It looks at the reception of cannabis in a number of faith traditions. Overall, Christopher Partridge develops the reader's understanding of the significance and creation of contemporary cannabis culture. He shows - from the perspective of religious studies - how the experience of 'being high' has been interpreted"-- Provided by publisher.