Title

Reefer madness : sex, drugs, and cheap labor in the American black market

Description

Reports on America's "shadow" economy of illegal drugs, pornography, and illegal migrant workers, arguing that these underground industries continue to grow with government intervention.

Identifier

1104886

618334661

Creator

Schlosser, Eric

Source

Brian Lamb Booknotes Collection

Gift of Brian Lamb, 2011.

Catalog record

Language

eng

Date

2003

Program air date: June 15, 2003

Publisher

Houghton Mifflin

George Mason University. Libraries. Special Collections & Archives

Text

Transcription of Annotations
Notes on front endpapers list the three topics explored in this book: 1) the legal and economic consequences of marijuana use; 2) the plight of migrant workers in California agriculture; 3) the history of the pornography industry. Statistics on the high number of arrests for marijuana use lead the author to recommend the decriminalization of the drug. Notes on pornography reveal the popularity of this material: in 1979 75% of all video tapes sold in the U.S. were porn; in 2001, 11,000 hard core videos were released; most of this material is produced in the San Fernando Valley in California and is sold in Mom and Pop stores across the country. -- These questions and statements are also included in the notes: "You estimate that $8 billion is spent each year on sexually explicit material." - "Who was Anthony Comstock?" - What was the Meese Commission?" -- Annotations by Brian Lamb in the margins and underlining of pertinent phrases throughout the book. - Examples: p. 4: "These activities range from the commonplace (an electrician demanding payment in cash and failing to declare the payment as income) to the criminal (a gang member selling methamphetamine). They include moonlighting, check kiting, and fencing stolen goods; street vending and tax evading; employing day laborers and child laborers; running sweatshops and chop shops; smuggling cigarettes, guns, and illegal immigrants; selling fake Rolexes, pirating CDs." -- p. 108: "Bow before the market": wage level driven down to $5 a day. Take a look at what's happening in CA." -- p. 210: "The rules that govern sexual behavior are no longer determined by the pronouncements of Stoic philosophers, high priests, martyrs, and saints. Democracy has increasingly granted freedom of choice in matters of sexuality, while the free market ministers to consumer tastes."

Subject

"Informal sector (Economics)--United States--Case studies."

"Black market--United States--Case studies."

"Marijuana abuse--United States."

"Migrant agricultural laborers--California."

"Illegal aliens--California."

"Sex-oriented businesses--United States."

"Pornography--United States."

Relation

Original Booknotes interview

Rights

This work may be protected by copyright laws and is provided for educational and research purposes only. Any infringing use may be subject to disciplinary action and/or civil or criminal liability as provided by law. If you believe that you are the rights-holder and object to Mason’s use of this image, please contact speccoll@gmu.edu.