It's Just a Plant
Encyclopedia
It's Just a Plant is a children's book, written, illustrated and published by Ricardo Cortés
. It is designed for parents who want to educate their children about marijuana. The book's pro-marijuana legalization message has drawn widespread attention from critics and the media since its publication in January 2005.
They travel to the farm where the family buys vegetable
s. The farmer shows her the variety of crops he grows, including some marijuana plants. He tells her about the history of marijuana, and remarks that many people use the drug, including doctors, teachers, and politicians.
Following the trip to the farm, they visit their family doctor. The doctor tells Jackie that marijuana has many medicinal uses, and that it can ease pain and help people relax. She emphasizes that only adults should use it, and that it is not for children.
Shortly afterward, Jackie sees a group of people smoking marijuana on the street. Two police officers appear and promptly arrest them, to Jackie's bewilderment. The police officers explain that smoking marijuana is against the law, and that's why they are arresting the marijuana smokers. One of the officers tells her that “a small but powerful group decided to make a law against marijuana.” She comes to the conclusion that she wants to vote for the legalization of marijuana when she is older.
on the Fox News Channel
to discuss the book with Bill O'Reilly
.
Mark Souder
, a Republican
representative of the United States Congress
from Indiana
, heavily criticized the book, saying that it supported marijuana for kids.
KATU News, in Portland
, Oregon
, reported on the story, and covered the reactions of parents to the book outside a local Portland school. The reactions ranged from criticism from some parents, under the reasoning that the book contained more information than a child needed, to support from others, one pointing to her time in the Netherlands
, which she believed had a more sophisticated approach to drug use.
However, not all reception was negative. Ethan Nadelmann, Executive Director of the Drug Policy Alliance
, stated "I highly recommend this little book for students in D.A.R.E., other drug abuse prevention programs, and their teachers and parents. It's a jewel." The New York Post
called it "Funny.. offbeat... a riot, with a series of characters explaining the glory of cannabis to a young girl and her mother," giving it 3 1/2 stars out of 5.
Ricardo Cortés (illustrator)
Ricardo Cortés is an illustrator and author. He has written and illustrated a children's book about marijuana: It's Just a Plant. He illustrated Go the Fuck to Sleep, Adam Mansbach's bedtime story for adults, and I Don't Want to Blow You Up!, a coloring book with pages devoted to famous Muslims...
. It is designed for parents who want to educate their children about marijuana. The book's pro-marijuana legalization message has drawn widespread attention from critics and the media since its publication in January 2005.
Synopsis
The main character is a little girl named Jackie. She is awakened one night in her bedroom by an unusual smell in the air, and she sets out to find its source. She goes to her parents' room and discovers her parents smoking marijuana. When she asks what they're doing, they tell her they are smoking marijuana. Her parents decide to teach her the facts about marijuana.They travel to the farm where the family buys vegetable
Vegetable
The noun vegetable usually means an edible plant or part of a plant other than a sweet fruit or seed. This typically means the leaf, stem, or root of a plant....
s. The farmer shows her the variety of crops he grows, including some marijuana plants. He tells her about the history of marijuana, and remarks that many people use the drug, including doctors, teachers, and politicians.
Following the trip to the farm, they visit their family doctor. The doctor tells Jackie that marijuana has many medicinal uses, and that it can ease pain and help people relax. She emphasizes that only adults should use it, and that it is not for children.
Shortly afterward, Jackie sees a group of people smoking marijuana on the street. Two police officers appear and promptly arrest them, to Jackie's bewilderment. The police officers explain that smoking marijuana is against the law, and that's why they are arresting the marijuana smokers. One of the officers tells her that “a small but powerful group decided to make a law against marijuana.” She comes to the conclusion that she wants to vote for the legalization of marijuana when she is older.
Critical reception
The book's controversial message has sparked much criticism in the political community. The author of the book, Ricardo Cortés, was invited to The O'Reilly FactorThe O'Reilly Factor
The O'Reilly Factor, originally titled The O'Reilly Report from 1996 to 1998 and often called The Factor, is an American talk show on the Fox News Channel hosted by commentator Bill O'Reilly, who often discusses current controversial political issues with guests.The program was the most watched...
on the Fox News Channel
Fox News Channel
Fox News Channel , often called Fox News, is a cable and satellite television news channel owned by the Fox Entertainment Group, a subsidiary of News Corporation...
to discuss the book with Bill O'Reilly
Bill O'Reilly (political commentator)
William James "Bill" O'Reilly, Jr. is an American television host, author, syndicated columnist and political commentator. He is the host of the political commentary program The O'Reilly Factor on the Fox News Channel, which is the most watched cable news television program on American television...
.
Mark Souder
Mark Souder
Mark Edward Souder is an American Republican politician who was a U.S. Representative from Indiana from 1995 to 2010.During the 1980s and early 1990s, he worked as a congressional aide to Dan Coats and committee staff director. He was elected to his congressional seat in 1994...
, a Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
representative of the United States Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
from Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
, heavily criticized the book, saying that it supported marijuana for kids.
KATU News, in Portland
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
, Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
, reported on the story, and covered the reactions of parents to the book outside a local Portland school. The reactions ranged from criticism from some parents, under the reasoning that the book contained more information than a child needed, to support from others, one pointing to her time in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, which she believed had a more sophisticated approach to drug use.
However, not all reception was negative. Ethan Nadelmann, Executive Director of the Drug Policy Alliance
Drug Policy Alliance
The Drug Policy Alliance is a New York City-based non-profit organization, led by executive director Ethan Nadelmann, with the principal goal of ending the American "War on Drugs"...
, stated "I highly recommend this little book for students in D.A.R.E., other drug abuse prevention programs, and their teachers and parents. It's a jewel." The New York Post
New York Post
The New York Post is the 13th-oldest newspaper published in the United States and is generally acknowledged as the oldest to have been published continuously as a daily, although – as is the case with most other papers – its publication has been periodically interrupted by labor actions...
called it "Funny.. offbeat... a riot, with a series of characters explaining the glory of cannabis to a young girl and her mother," giving it 3 1/2 stars out of 5.