Craft Weed

Most books about the modern marijuana industry are often torn between celebrating legalization's seeming inevitability and sharpening fears about its potential effects. Ryan Stoa's Craft Weed offers something new: a smart, historically accurate, and valuable middle ground that advocates for the benefits of small-scale “craft” cannabis farming as a means of rebuilding America's agricultural heritage and preventing the rise of marijuana monopolies. By tracing the history of how cannabis has long been produced in the United States, Stoa argues against misguided fears of “Big Marijuana” and gives actionable, useful advice for the benefits of developing a local, sustainable industry. Well-written and thoroughly researched, Craft Weed is a must-read for anyone who wants the best for this emerging industry's future.

Emily Dufton, author of Grass Roots: The Rise and Fall and Rise of Marijuana in America

Craft Weed is an insightful investigation into the future of cannabis farming by a gifted and thoughtful writer. A great read!

Linda A. Parker, University of Guelph, author of Cannabinoids and the Brain

It is not often that a new agricultural product enters the legal market. Ryan Stoa offers an insightful overview of how that came to be and how the marijuana market could avoid the ecological and social problems associated with industrial agriculture. It is a hopeful story that should serve as a call to action for those who want products that are sustainably produced and socially just.

Brian K. Obach, Professor of Sociology, State University of New York at New Paltz; author of Organic Struggle: The Movement for Sustainable Agriculture in the United States

Stoa's new work takes a novel look at multiple facets of the marijuana farm and the politics that surround it. As they get caught up in the narrative, readers will learn a ton about the plant, the machinations of government, and parallels with the wine industry. Compelling arguments unfold for why we should support small, family farms in our efforts to preserve our country's communities and ecology while maintaining efficient agricultural markets. I sincerely hope that all levels of government follow his recommendations before it's too late.

Mitch Earleywine, Professor of Psychology, University at Albany, SUNY; author of Understanding Marijuana

...a smart and level-headed assessment of how cannabis agriculture has been shaped and the endless possibilities that lie ahead....Craft Weed is a good read for people who are interested in going beyond the surface of business and learning about some of the other pieces that impact the vulnerable cannabis market.

Cannabis Now

Stoa writes with authority, and his book appeals to those who want to armor themselves with information about the different directions the marketplace can go.

The Spokane-Review

Stoa's expertise is undeniable.... Given the obvious complexities and persistent misunderstandings of the subject, some degree of cold, hard and detailed objectivity is perhaps necessary. It is when this is mixed with the (noticeably pro-cannabis) personal stories that Stoa peppers throughout, that Craft Weed is at its most accessible and, therefore, more effective at shedding light on an otherwise murky field.

Times Literary Supplement