In Pot We Trust

I started to watch this film because of it's catchy title. By the time it was over, I was almost in tears by how this film inspired and influenced me.

The film features the perspectives of two opposing views. We hear stories from people who are against marijuana legalization, and and from people who are pro marijuana legalization. Only 18 states favor the use of medicinal cannabis/cannabis decriminalization or both. The war on drugs is heard from those who support the medicational usage of marijuana and those who believe there is no such thing.

I learned so much from this film. I never knew marijuana could be used to treat such illnesses as cancer, glaucoma, leukemia, chronic illnesses, nerve damage, cerebral palsy and other diseases. It has been proved many times that marijuana is an effective drug, and causes less harmful side effects than the leading pill prescriptions. People who live in states such as Texas or Missouri struggle to get the marijuana they need to live more comfortably, at the threat of being fined or arrested while others are sent prescription cannabis legally by the Federal Government.

This film is a must see. It's one of the most inspiring documentaries i have seen since Hoop Dreams. Hopefully in the near future the plight of these bold and brave patients who need their medicine will come to an end.

My dad drank vodka every night and beat the crap out of us. My neighbor's dad smoked pot and ate ice cream with us. I could never understand why one was legal and the other was not! Yes, I understand there are problems with drugs being abused, but to have alcohol legal and marijuana not, seems insane to me. This drug can help so many people when used as a medicine. Where do people think drugs come from? I sure hope we can move past this discrimination from the 1960's stereotype and move forward. This movie was absolutely fantastic by showing the faces of folks who benefit greatly from the benefits of marijuana. There is no rational reason for it not to be legalized for medicinal purposes. The only thing I can think of is that it might take many millions of dollars away from pharmaceutical companies which apparently would be unacceptable. Disheartening.

I'm only writing this commentary to correct one I have previously read. The film is not attempting to legalize marijuana in any way, it is simply trying to decriminalize medicinal cannabis nation-wide so that it is accessible to all those suffering and in need. Furthermore, the documentary seeks to dispel traditional myths associated with marijuana use, namely its effects on short term memory, motor control and drastic shifts in personality.

Overall it does a wonderful job of presenting its arguments in an unbiased approach. It features interviews with people arguing on opposite ends of the spectrum. These interviews are then juxtaposed to offer the viewer grounds to form an opinion. Of course, like most documentaries, the final editing creates a subliminal bias in favor of medicinal cannabis, indoctrinating the viewer in a way too subtle for most to pick up on. However, unlike Michael Moore and his horrendously cheesy and self-righteous documentaries, this one never comes across as over-preached or enforced. The facts are presented, and often no more.

The only complaint I have aside from the tinge of bias is in one of the film's most lacking arguments. Often the opposing view argues that marijuana abuse is dangerous, reckless and socially parasitic. This traditional myth is rampant in today's society and within the film. Marijuana users are unfairly labeled as degenerates, low-lives and unanimously unproductive in comparison to their 'clean' counterparts. As far as I can remember the film never actually attempts to dispel these myths with the VERY simple argument that these people are discussing marijuana 'abuse', not simple 'use'. Like any drug (alcohol, painkillers, even caffeine), abusing it will lead to resounding side-affects and a drastic change in personality.

To me it's a glaring fact that is never formally raised, but with that aside it's still an excellent film that is important for anyone to see. Even if the battle for medicinal decriminalization has nothing to do with you or your family, this film is worth viewing in order to dispel common myths and to raise awareness on the problematic 'war on drugs' situation.

It's a silly epidemic that I wish America could deal with (myself being Canadian) and this film is greatly suited for dealing with just that.