Taking the high road through Australia’s marijuana culture

DOPELAND follows cult author John Birmingham as he gets paid to travel around Australia in search of its marijuana culture, meeting the dope smokers of Australia - and finding that they’re not what you might expect. Yes, there are some sci-fi geeks, student activists, and the obligatory Nimbin ferals, but JB also finds himself smoking with conservative politicians, lawyers, cops, merchant bankers and school teachers. Given that 30-40% of the adult population have smoked marijuana, and that dope is one of Australia’s biggest cash crops, maybe we shouldn’t be so surprised.But it’s not all choofing. JB explores the politics of marijuana, from Queensland’s medieval drug laws where possession of four joints could be punished with life imprisonment, to South Australia’s decriminalisation.DOPELAND is for anyone who’s ever fired up a choice fatty, wondered whether you can drink the bong water, gone on a Mars Bar run, or just considered watching daytime TV a worthwhile way to spend your twenties.