Industry Events
Cannabis Book Wins Independent Book Award
It was the first cannabis-focused book to have been given an award of that kind by the conventional publishing industry.
The normalization of cannabis has hit another high-water mark this year with the Benjamin Franklin Award given to Jorge Cervantes’ “The Cannabis Encyclopedia” by the Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) in April.
Cervantes’ book – which took first place in the “Reference” category and was one of 1,400 entrants in 54 categories – is a definitive guide to marijuana cultivation and consumption, detailing the techniques used for growing cannabis indoors, outdoors and in greenhouses.
Cervantes, who has made a career of studying cannabis for the past three decades, was elated that his book was recognized by a wider audience outside of the cannabis industry, saying, “The cannabis movement is in full force and the tsunami has begun!”
The IBPA Benjamin Franklin Award for excellence in book publishing is regarded as one of the highest national honors for small and independent publishers. The awards are administered by the IBPA with assistance from over 150 book publishing professionals including librarians, bookstore owners, reviewers, designers, publicity managers and editors.
“The Cannabis Encyclopedia” was compiled by the author from his travels across the globe to the marijuana growing meccas of Holland, British Colombia, California, Oregon, Washington and Spain. In his work Cervantes includes a wide range of cannabis farming techniques for a multitude of tastes and latitudes, creating a well-rounded reference source for the masses.
Cervantes’ previous books include the titles “Indoor Marijuana Horticulture” and “Marijuana Horticulture,” which have sold more than a million copies worldwide and are in print in seven different languages, including Japanese and Russian. He is currently translating “The Cannabis Encyclopedia” into Spanish. The translation will be available early next year.
The IBPA award for Cervantes’ book speaks volumes about the continued acceptance of marijuana by the mainstream, no longer relegating the plant to dark shadows and hushed tones.
“This award was one of the highlights at the banquet,” says Cervantes about the awards ceremony in Salt Lake City. “Many people asked me about cannabis and several asked me about opportunities in the industry. We will see many, many people get awards for their cannabis products from the mainstream world in the near future. This is very exciting!”
Which grow books have guided your cannabis cultivation?
