Just as the issues surrounding marijuana have started to heat up in the press and elsewhere, a book has been released which may fundamentally change the nature of the debate, for the better.

Marijuana Myths, Marijuana Facts, By Lynn Zimmer, PhD. and John P. Morgan, M.D., compiles 20 of the most prevalent, persistent myths about marijuana and traces, step by step, their basis in science and research. Many of these myths will be familiar to readers. Many, despite questionable or even nonexistent evidence, have been presented as fact by the US government for many years .Lynn Zimmer is Associate Professor of Sociology at Queens College, City University of New York. John P. Morgan is a physician, Professor of Pharmacology at City University of New York Medical School, and Adjunct Professor at Mount Sinai School of Medicine.

Each chapter tackles a separate myth, and each is meticulously referenced and objectively analyzed. The book pulls back the veil of misinformation and "contradictory" evidence and offers a fascinating look at the transformation of speculation into "fact" and the institutionalization of faulty or incomplete scientific evidence as Orwellian "Truth." Well organized and engagingly written, Marijuana Myths Marijuana Facts is as entertaining as it is informative.

In Marijuana Myths Marijuana Facts, Zimmer and Morgan address the following long standing myths: Marijuana's harms have been proven scientifically; Marijuana has no medicinal value; Marijuana is highly addictive; Marijuana is a gateway drug; Marijuana offenses are not severely punished; Marijuana policy in the Netherlands is a failure; Marijuana kills brain cells; Marijuana causes Amotivational Syndrome; Marijuana impairs memory and cognition; Marijuana causes psychological impairment; Marijuana causes crime; Marijuana interferes with male and female sex hormones; Marijuana use during pregnancy damages the fetus; Marijuana impairs the immune system; Marijuana is more damaging to the lungs than tobacco; Marijuana gets trapped in body fat; Marijuana use is a major cause of highway accidents; Marijuana-related hospital emergencies are increasing; Marijuana is more potent today than in the past; and Marijuana use can be prevented.

Louis Lasagna, M.D., author of the 1982 National Academy of Sciences report on marijuana, says of the book, "This, the first comprehensive review of marijuana toxicity to appear in more than a decade, is accurate, timely and impressive. Most importantly, it is clearly written and accessible for those interested individuals who do not have scientific or technical training."

Andrew Weil, M.D., best-selling author of 'Spontaneous Healing' and '8 Weeks to Optimum Health' says that Marijuana Myths Marijuana Facts "is the most accurate book on the effects of marijuana that has appeared to date."

Given the political climate and the brewing debate over the status of America's most widely used illegal substance, Marijuana Myths, Marijuana Facts may well become the basis for an informed debate on the future of marijuana policy in the United States and around the world.

You can order Marijuana Myths, Marijuana Facts for $12.95 from BookWorld at (800) 444-2524. It would be even better, though, to ask your local bookstore to order it.