California's Marijuana Industry

The Drug Enforcement Administration says marijuana is as dangerous to users as heroin and PCP. It's strictly illegal under federal law. Democratic Congressman Barney Frank wants to decriminalize the medicinal and recreational use of marijuana, although he concedes that will never pass. In the meantime, the pot industry is more than alive and well—especially in California, where medical use was legalized by voters in 1996. David Samuels wrote extensively about it in last week's issue of the New Yorker magazine.