The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration estimates that Americans in the early 1970s were smoking upwards of 35,000 pounds of marijuana per day. By the time the decade drew to a close, "Time" magazine reported that reefer had become "the most widely accepted illegal indulgence since drinking during Prohibition."

You can thank Jimmy Moree for helping to feed America's insatiable pot habit. Nicknamed "Jimmy Divine" for his teetotaling ways, he would become one of the most successful marijuana traffickers of the 1970s, smuggling high-grade South American weed across the tempestuous seas into North American ports of call.

He was born and grew up poor in the Bahamas. That life was forever changed on a morning jog when Jimmy literally stumbled onto several million dollars' worth of prime Colombian grass. He disposed of the weed with a little help from a law-enforcement friend and was surprised to earn over three hundred thousand dollars for his trouble. It was the first deal of many. The money was easy, and the perks fantastic. Jimmy went on to make?and give away?a fortune.

And now award-winning journalist John McCaslin is telling Jimmy's story. Several of the characters are identified by their actual names or by nicknames. Identities of others have been changed to protect the guilty. Rest assured, you're in for a white-knuckle ride on the open seas where adventure, enterprise, and entire fortunes go up in smoke.

"McCaslin brings his exceptional reportorial talent to bear in a fascinating expose of the drug trade." --G. GORDON LIDDY

"Told in a breezy, witty style, McCaslin's book captures moments in relatively recent Caribbean history when it was . . . possible to make a fortune by the ability to steer a boat stealthily through dangerous seas." --MARK BOWDEN

Endorsements

"I'm delighted to see that John McCaslin has climbed out of his political trench in Washington long enough to set sail on this astonishing journey through the precarious Caribbean reefs, and beyond. Somehow, in typical McCaslin fashion, he manages to bring his readers back to the nation's capital in a chapter that will certainly have official tongues wagging in Washington." -- Katie Couric, anchor and managing editor of the CBS Evening News and former co-host of NBC's "Today"

"This story is so compelling . . . John McCaslin has put it all together in a way that simply made me want to just keep on reading. Wow." --Wolf Blitzer, anchor and host of the CNN newscast "The Situation Room"

"For years everybody in Washington has turned to John McCaslin's Inside The Beltway column for the inside skinny on what is going on in our nation's capital. Now, in Weed Man: The Remarkable Journey of Jimmy Divine, McCaslin brings his exceptional reportorial talent to bear in a fascinating expose of the drug trade." --G. Gordon Liddy, Watergate figure and nationally-syndicated radio host

Award-winning columnist sheds light on people, places, and disorderly procedures in nation's capital.

John McCaslin's "Inside the Beltway" column has been a favorite of "Washington Times" readers for years. Now, in his first book ever, McCaslin applies his special brand of humor and warmth, recounting his remarkable journalistic journey from Whitefish, Montana (where he reported on grizzly attacks), to the White House (where he covers an even more ferocious beast . . . politicians) and sharing the funniest, saddest, and most offbeat stories along the way.

"Whether he's knee-deep in the bowels of Capitol Hill, or paying his final respects at an unkempt cemetery in Brazil (yes . . . Brazil), McCaslin digs deep for his one-of-a-kind collection of Washington tales. You can laugh, cry, and shout all in the same chapter. A fun and brisk read―and you'll know why I avoid Washington afterwards " ―Rush Limbaugh

"I read two things every day: the Bible and John McCaslin's column in "The Washington Times." That way I know what both sides are up to." ―Paul Begala, former counselor to President Bill Clinton and a cohost of CNN's "Crossfire"

"John McCaslin is a great storyteller. I love the way he writes―a nd he writes about all of the things I'm interested in. Whether you are a Democrat of a Republican, you will love this book." ―Sam Donaldson ABC News

"John McCaslin is one of those few people in Washington who deliver every day. His 'Inside the Beltway' anecdotes are an antidote to the foibles of the famous in our nation's capital. This book is a must for those who know how to smile " ―Oliver North host of "War Stories" on the FOX News Channel

This scarce antiquarian book is a selection from Kessinger Publishing's Legacy Reprint Series. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment to protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature. Kessinger Publishing is the place to find hundreds of thousands of rare and hard-to-find books with something of interest for everyone!