A journey to the new frontier of cannabis
THE HIGH ROAD
By COLIN HOGG
While our
politicians and lobbyists continued the long-standing legalise cannabis debate,
writer Colin Hogg hit the road to see what moral decline had descended upon the
American states where the drug is now legal.
Over the years – some 30-odd years to be more
precise – Hogg has become increasingly bewildered by the unfair realities
surrounding his natural drug of choice in his homeland, New Zealand, a country
which prides itself on being one of the most liberal in the world, a country
here cannabis is the third most popular drug of choice after alcohol and
tobacco and where normal people have become life-long lawbreakers.
Hogg’s new
book The High Road: a journey to the new frontier of cannabis (releasing
early September) isn’t a political treatise for legalising cannabis in New
Zealand though. It’s an entertaining road trip of book finding the middle
ground somewhere between Hunter S Thompson’s drugged up craziness and Bill
Bryson’s gentle preambles.
So, with
his trusty side-kick and driver Bruce, Hogg explores the north western states
of the US, then heads inland to Denver to sample the delights and discover the
massive new industry which has sprung up around cannabis from the
supermarket-like dispensaries to the specialised tourist operators, plant biologists,
farmers, nutritionists, cookie bakers and candy makers.
As for the
moral decline in one of the most conservative countries of the world? Well,
it’s all in the book.
The
High Road is
Hogg’s third road trip book. His first, Angel Gear: on the road with
Sam Hunt was published in 1989, and Going South: a road trip through
life hit the bookshops in 2015.
Colin
Hogg is well-known
for his music journalism, reviewing and column writing and documentary making.
He grew up in Dunedin and Invercargill where he joined the Southland Times at
the age of 17. He has written biographies of Sam Hunt and Barry Crump. This is
his ninth book. He’s working on his tenth. and (with some of the rock music mentioned) karaoke.
It tells some good yarns. It’s fun.’ Landfall
THE HIGH
ROAD: A JOURNEY TO THE NEW FRONTIER OF CANNABIS
By Colin
HoggRRP $36.99 | release date 1 September 2017 | HarperCollins Publishers New Zealand
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