About half of all species under threat of extinction in the world today are plants. The loss of plant biodiversity is disturbing for many reasons, but especially because it is a reflection of the growing disconnect between humans and nature. Plants have been used for millennia in traditional systems of healing and have held a significant place in drug development for Western medicine as well. Despite the recent dominance of synthetic drug production,...

Charts the rise of medical marijuana in California and 14 other states, recounting the movement's early activism, its legal challenges and victories, and its emergence as a commercial and political force.