Liber 420: Cannabis, Magickal Herbs and the Occult

The war on drugs is viewed through a one-dimensional spectrum. Drugs such as marijuana are vilified as gateways to other more addictive drugs. The one-sidedness of the marijuana/cannabis debate was perpetuated by propaganda emanating from the government and government-friendly media. The use of marijuana for medicinal and religious ritual is largely ignored or footnoted in the everyday writing. Liber420 changes that outlook. The drugs were used by shamans and prophets in aid of vision quests, the drug-fueled visions that foretold of future events. The pushback against the use of mind-altering stimulants would begin and lead to persecution and imprisonment of the religious figures, paralleling the modern times. The process of alchemy also led to the discovery of certain hallucinogens. As time passed, established religion became the chief prosecutor of those who flaunted the use of drugs. The highs sought were at first accidental, later to be outdone by the experience itself. Was it all worth it in the end?

Liber 420 is an exhaustive yet compelling history of the age-old use and consumption of drugs. The research done and provided by the author is extensive and introduces further subjects for research if the reader is interested. The author’s work will turn many commonly held opinions on their ear. An alternative history selection not to be missed or taken lightly.