The Flowers of Good: The Science and the History of Marijuana Liberation

A hypnotizing investigation with decolonial undertones that aims to destigmatize marijuana from a scientific and cultural perspective

Cannabis’s recent history has been marked by politically motivated prohibition, despite centuries of cultivation. How did we get here and what can we do about it? In The Flowers of Good, neuroscientist Sidarta Ribeiro offers a brief history of the ancient herb and describes how collective human achievements domesticated this incredibly versatile plant and how racism and conservatism conspired to demonize it.

Presented as an urgent debate that seeks to break down prejudices and engender dialogue, The Flowers of Good draws on history, culture, personal testimonies, memoir, and scientific rigor to combat misinformation about cannabis and reveal its potential. In accessible, engaging prose, Ribeiro explains the science behind marijuana’s remarkable ability to treat everybody from children with epilepsy to seniors with dementia.

With the medicinal use of marijuana is no longer questioned by science, the rest of culture is finally starting to catch up. The Flowers of Good explores this new chapter in humanity’s history with marijuana, going beyond the scientific aspects of the substance to examine its use in connection with sport, work, study, sex, sleep, and religion—all aimed at improving quality of life.

SIDARTA RIBEIRO is a neuroscientist and biologist, postdoctoral fellow in neurophysiology at Duke University, professor at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), and member of the Centro de Estudos Estratégicos Fiocruz mental health research group. He is the author of The Oracle of Night: The History and Science of Dreams and Sonho manifesto: dez exercícios urgentes de otimismo apocalíptico (Manifest Dream: Ten Urgent Exercises in Apocalyptic Optimism).

DANIEL HAHN is a writer, editor and translator, with about a hundred books to his name. Previous translations include Sidarta Ribeiro's The Oracle of Night. He is currently translating a Guatemalan novel and writing a book about Shakespeare.