California High (2015) - full transcript

AT THIS POINT,
I'M THE LONGEST-SERVING

MARIJUANA EMPLOYEE
IN THE UNITED STATES.

I HAVE BEEN WORKING
22 CONSECUTIVE YEARS,

70 HOURS A WEEK,

SIX TO SEVEN DAYS A WEEK

TO LEGALIZE MARIJUANA.

"NORML" IS AMERICA'S
MARIJUANA LOBBY GROUP,

AND IT HAS BEEN
SINCE 1970.

WE BELIEVE THAT
THE RESPONSIBLE USE
OF MARIJUANA BY ADULTS

IS NO BUSINESS
OF THE GOVERNMENT

AND IT SHOULD
BE LEGAL AND TAXED



LIKE ALCOHOL
AND TOBACCO PRODUCTS.

A LOT OF THESE PEOPLE
BELIEVE IN OPEN SOCIETY,

WHICH IS PEOPLE CAN
DO WHATEVER THEY WANT,

WHENEVER THEY WANT,

HOWEVER THEY WANT,

BASICALLY
WITHOUT CONSEQUENCE.

AND THAT'S WHY
WE'RE SEEING TODAY

SOME OF THE HIGHEST
DRUG USAGE

IN AMERICA
IN A GENERATION,

AND THAT TO ME
IS JUST PURE EVIL.

I TELL PEOPLE,
"LOOK AT WHAT HAPPENED
TO CALIFORNIA,

AND DON'T LET
THAT HAPPEN TO YOU."

THIS IS A STORY
THAT'S GOT TO BE TOLD.

I DIDN'T ASK
FOR THIS FIGHT.



I ENDED UP INTO IT.

IN THE FIRST DAYS
I WORKED AT NORML IN 1991,

I THOUGHT, "WE'RE GONNA
GET MARIJUANA LEGAL

IN THE NEXT TWO
OR THREE YEARS,"

BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY
IT NEEDS TO BE LEGALIZED.

WELL, 20 YEARS LATER
AND A LOT OF GRAY HAIR,

MARIJUANA'S BEEN
ILLEGAL IN THE COUNTRY
FOR ALMOST 75 YEARS.

[CHABOT]
WHAT THE DRUG LEGALIZATION
CROWD ACROSS THE U.S.

AND ACROSS THE WORLD
HAS TO UNDERSTAND IS

THEY WILL NEVER BEAT US.

WE ARE IMPASSIONED,

WE ARE MOTIVATED,

AND WE ARE NEVER
GONNA GIVE UP.

[ST. PIERRE]
STRATEGICALLY SPEAKING,

WE ARE OBSESSED
WITH CALIFORNIA.

CALIFORNIA IS ABSOLUTELY,
POSITIVELY,

WHERE ALL OF THE EFFORT
IS FOCUSED.

WE BELIEVE THAT
IF YOU CAN FLIP CALIFORNIA,

YOU CAN FLIP AMERICA.
IF YOU CAN FLIP AMERICA,

YOU FLIP THE WORLD
ON CANNABIS.

[ST. PIERRE]
CALIFORNIA HAS A TOTALLY
DISPROPORTIONATE EFFECT

ON THE UNITED STATES
ON SO MANY DIFFERENT LEVELS.

ONE OUT OF EIGHT AMERICANS
LIVE IN CALIFORNIA.

IT IS ESTIMATED THAT
CALIFORNIA'S ECONOMY

IS THE SIXTH OR SEVENTH
LARGEST IN THE WORLD

BETWEEN ITALY AND FRANCE.

CALIFORNIA
IS A NATION STATE
ALL BY ITSELF

ENSCONCED WITHIN
THE UNITED STATES.

PLACES LIKE LOS ANGELES

ARE NOW CENTERS THAT
BROADCAST AMERICAN CULTURE

NOT ONLY TO AMERICA,
BUT TO THE WORLD.

SO, WHEN YOU ASK
THE QUESTION,

"WHAT IS THE INFLUENCE THAT
CALIFORNIA HAS ON AMERICA?"

IT IS PROFOUND.

[ST. PIERRE]
CALIFORNIA IS THE STATE

THAT ABSOLUTELY
VETTED MARIJUANA

MORE THAN
ANY OTHER STATE.

SINCE AT LEAST THE 1970s,

CALIFORNIANS
HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT,

VOTING ON,
DISPUTING MARIJUANA

LIKE NO OTHER PLACE
IN THE UNITED STATES,

AND FRANKLY, THE WORLD,

AND I THINK MOVING
TOWARDS LEGALIZATION.

[MAN] THE THING THAT'S
MOST STRIKING TO ME

ABOUT MARIJUANA
IS THE DECADES--

DECADES,
NOT YEARS, NOT MONTHS,

BUT DECADES
WHERE THIS BATTLE GOES ON,

AND IT'S THE PRO
VERSUS THE ANTI.

[MALE ANNOUNCER]
BUT WITH MARIJUANA
COMES A VENGEFUL

CONFRONTATION
WITH THE LAW.

ITS MERE POSSESSION

IN THE EYES OF
THE FEDERALS STATUTES

BRINGS A MINIMUM
OF TWO YEARS,

AND SELLING,
A MAXIMUM OF 40.

THE SIMPLEST WAY TO THINK
ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS IS--

WHICH I THINK
IS VERY INTERESTING--

IS THAT AS THE PROBLEM
GETS WORSE,

THE ANTI-FORCES
BECOME STRONG.

AS THE PROBLEM
GETS BETTER,

THE PRO FORCES
GET STRONGER.

FROM 1978 TO 1991,

MARIJUANA USE IN THIS COUNTRY

WENT DOWN BY 60 PERCENT.

WHEN IT WENT DOWN,
IT SOWED THE SEEDS

OF THE RENAISSANCE

OF THE PRO-MARIJUANA
MOVEMENT

BECAUSE IT WENT AWAY
AS AN ISSUE.

AND ALL THE FORCE THAT
WAS BEHIND MARIJUANA VANISHED.

NOW WE'RE IN A PERIOD
WHEN IT'S GOING UP,

AND EVERYTHING
THAT'S HAPPENING NOW,
THE LEGALIZATION,

THE MEDICAL MARIJUANA,
ALL THAT STUFF,

IS DRIVING THOSE
MARIJUANA USE RATES UP.

[CHABOT] WE WEREN'T
AWAKE FIVE YEARS AGO,
OR TEN YEARS AGO,

OR BACK IN 1996
WHEN IT PASSED.

EVERYBODY
LEGITIMATELY THOUGHT

THAT THIS WAS GONNA HELP
TERMINALLY ILL PEOPLE.

WE WERE FOOLED.

AND YOU LOOK AT IT NOW,

IT'S SO CLEAR TO ALL OF US,

AND I THINK CLEAR
TO THE AVERAGE CALIFORNIAN.

[ST. PIERRE] WHEN WE LOOK
AT THE HISTORY OF MARIJUANA
IN THE UNITED STATES,

ONE HAS TO BEGIN
WITH CALIFORNIA,

AND ONE HAS TO BEGIN
WITH THE LAW IN 1996
CALLED PROP 215.

IT WAS SO BROADLY WRITTEN

THAT IT CREATED
MANY OF THE PROBLEMS

THAT ARE TO THIS DAY,
ALMOST 20 YEARS LATER,

STILL VEXING.

IF YOU TALK TO
CALIFORNIA VOTERS TODAY,

THEY HAD NO IDEA
THEY WERE VOTING FOR THIS.

IN 1996,
THE ARGUMENT WAS REALLY,

THIS IS NOT
LEGALIZING MARIJUANA.

THIS IS ONLY FOR
SERIOUSLY SICK, DYING,

OR SENSE-THREATENED
PEOPLE.

[CHABOT] WHEN YOU READ
PROPOSITION 215,

IT LEADS THE VOTER TO BELIEVE
THEY'RE VOTING FOR SOMETHING

TO HELP SOMEBODY OUT
WHO'S DYING ON THEIR DEATHBED.

BUT THERE'S A SENTENCE
IN THAT PROPOSITION

THAT MOST OF US DIDN'T READ

THAT SAYS
YOU CAN GET MARIJUANA

FOR ANY CONDITION
WHATSOEVER

THAT PROVIDES RELIEF.
THAT'S ANYTHING.

[MAN] THE ONLY THING YOU NEED IN
THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA TO GET A
MEDICAL MARIJUANA CARD

IS $100 AND A STORY.

YOU NEED TO TELL A PHYSICIAN
WHO'S SITTING SOMEWHERE NEAR,

GENERALLY SPEAKING,
A CANNABIS CLUB,

THAT YOU HAVE AN OLD
INJURY FROM HIGH SCHOOL,

THAT YOU HAVE ANXIETY,
THAT YOU HAVE DEPRESSION,

THAT YOU HAVE TRAUMA
FROM YOUR CHILDHOOD.

AND HE OR SHE
WILL PRESCRIBE YOU

A MEDICAL MARIJUANA CARD.

YOU TAKE THAT CARD
TO GO TO THE DISPENSARY,

AND FROM
THAT MOMENT FORWARD

YOU ARE A LICENSED
MEDICAL MARIJUANA USER.

[CHABOT] THEY TRICKED US.
AND I MEAN "US".

ALL OF US IN CALIFORNIA.

AND NOW WE'RE DEALING WITH
THE RAMIFICATIONS OF THAT.

YOU GUYS SMOKE WEED?

FUCK, YEAH. TELL 'EM
HOW MUCH YOU SMOKE, MAN.

I'LL BE HONEST WITH YOU,

THE WEED IN CALIFORNIA
IS THE BEST WEED, MAN.

[CHABOT] YOU'VE GOT
MORE THAN 1,000 POT STORES
ON THE STREETS OF L.A.

MORE POT STORES THAN
STARBUCKS, 7-ELEVENS,

McDONALDS, BANKS,

AND ALL
THE SCHOOLS COMBINED.

IT ALLOWS PEOPLE TO
ENJOY THEMSELVES.

I DON'T SEE
A PROBLEM WITH THAT.

AND I DON'T SMOKE,
AND I'M TOTALLY OKAY WITH IT.

THIS RIGHT HERE ALLOWS YOU

TO HAVE A CERTAIN
AMOUNT OF WEED ON YOU
AT ALL TIMES.

IT ALSO ALLOWS YOU TO GO
INTO A MEDICAL STORE

AND PURCHASE
SOME MARIJUANA.

WE KNOW THAT OUR BODIES,
BRAINS, AND CELLS

MAKE CHEMICALS
SIMILAR TO MARIJUANA.

THAT MEANS THAT WE ACTUALLY
CAN RESPOND TO IT

IN A WAY THAT MIGHT BE
THERAPEUTIC.

SO, I DON'T THINK
THAT EVERYBODY

WHO SMOKES MARIJUANA

IS LYING ABOUT THE FACT
THAT IT HELPS THEM.

TWO SHOTS OF VODKA
MIGHT ALSO HELP THEM.

DOESN'T MEAN THAT
WE MAKE THAT A MEDICINE.

YOU CAN'T DO IT
IN FRONT OF THE COPS,
BUT YOU CAN SMOKE WEED.

THEY CAN STOP YOU
IF YOU HAVE WEED ON YOU,

BUT THEY CAN'T DO SHIT TO YOU
'CAUSE YOU GOT A MEDICAL CARD.

IT'S LIKE HAVING A BADGE,
YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING?

YOU JUST FLIP IT OUT ON 'EM
AND THEY CAN'T DO SHIT.

HERE'S THE IRONY
HERE IN CALIFORNIA.

WE'VE DONE A GREAT JOB
GETTING PEOPLE TO QUIT
SMOKING CIGARETTES.

IT'S REMARKABLE.
YOU CAN'T SMOKE ON
MANY OF OUR BEACHES,

YOU CAN'T SMOKE
IN A RESTAURANT,

BECAUSE IT'S BAD FOR YOU.

WELL, SO IS
SMOKING MARIJUANA.

PLUS YOU GET ALL THE OTHER THC--
TETRAHYDROCANNABINOL.

SO, HOW CAN THE STATE SAY,
"IT'S OKAY TO SMOKE DOPE,

BUT WE WANT YOU TO STOP
SMOKING CIGARETTES"?
ALICE IN WONDERLAND.

WE'VE GONE DOWN
THE RABBIT HOLE IN CALIFORNIA.

I HOPE NOBODY ELSE DOES
ACROSS THE GLOBE.

[MAN] YOU KNOW,
A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE THIS VIEW

OF AMERICA BEING THE FREEST
COUNTRY ON EARTH,

BUT WE HAVE ONE OF THE HIGH--
BIGGEST PRISON POPULATIONS

PER CAPITA IN THE WORLD.

HOW CAN THAT BE,
IN THE FREEST COUNTRY
IN THE WORLD?

SOMETHING'S WRONG
WITH THIS PICTURE.

[MAN] WE HAVE
A MILLION PEOPLE IN PRISON
IN THE UNITED STATES,

AND ABOUT HALF
OF THOSE PEOPLE ARE
DRUG-RELATED OFFENSES.

IN CALIFORNIA,
WE'VE GONE A LONG WAY
TO REDUCE PENALTIES

FOR MINOR POSSESSIONS
AND POSSESSION OF MARIJUANA,

BUT IT STILL
REMAINS A FELONY

TO GROW EVEN ONE
PLANT IN CALIFORNIA.

[ST. PIERRE]
EVEN IN MY OWN FAMILY

THIS HAS COME
TO BE A CONCERN.

MY BROTHER ORGANIZED
AN INVESTMENT GROUP

TO SELL MEDICAL MARIJUANA.

LITERALLY THE NEXT DAY
HE WAS ON THE PHONE,

ASKED FOR MY HELP,
WANTED TO HIRE ME
AWAY FROM NORML.

IN HIS MIND,
READING THE HEADLINES,

MARIJUANA FOR
MEDICAL PURPOSES WAS LEGAL.

BUT WHAT I NEEDED
TO ASK HIM AS MY BROTHER,

AND THE SAME THING
I SAY TO GANJA-PRENEURS

ACROSS THE COUNTRY,

IS THAT DESPITE THE FACT
THAT IN SOME STATES

YOU CAN GO TO
A 24-7 VENDING KIOSK
FOR MARIJUANA,

ARE YOU OKAY WITH
RAISING ALL THIS MONEY,
INVESTING IT,

GETTING A MEDICAL
MARIJUANA DISPENSARY GOING,

AND STILL
MAYBE IN THE MIDDLE
OF THE NIGHT

HAVING YOUR DOOR
FLY OFF THE HINGES,

HAVING POLICE,
FEDERAL AGENTS,
RUN IN YOUR DOOR,

AND VIOLENTLY
INTERVENE IN YOUR LIFE?

ARREST YOU,
PROSECUTE YOU,

POTENTIALLY
INCARCERATE YOU,

TAKE AWAY YOUR ASSETS?

AND HIS REPLY WAS,
"WELL, NO."

[MAN]
IT STILL IS A CRIME.
AND STILL,

IF YOU GO TO
THE COURTHOUSES TODAY,
YOU'LL SEE

ALMOST HALF THE CALENDAR
ARE MARIJUANA CASES.

PEOPLE THINK,
"OH, IT'S LEGALIZED.
IT'S NO PROBLEM."

WELL, GO DOWN
TO THE COURTHOUSE

AND FIND OUT
WHOSE PROBLEM IT IS.

FIND OUT HOW MANY
PEOPLE ARE BEING ARRESTED.

MORE THIS YEAR
THAN THE YEAR BEFORE,

AND THE YEAR BEFORE THAT,
AND THE YEAR BEFORE THAT.

SO, IT'S VERY DISHEARTENING
TO SIT HERE AFTER 40-SOME YEARS

AND FIND PRETTY MUCH
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT
THE SAME ISSUES,

TRYING TO FIGURE OUT
WHAT IT IS

THAT HAS CAUSED US
TO LEAD THIS PATH.

[MICHAEL CORRAL]
I'VE BEEN CULTIVATING
MARIJUANA SINCE ABOUT 1975

WHEN IT WAS ILLEGAL.

I BEGAN CULTIVATING TO SUPPLY
TO MY EX-WIFE VALERIE

MARIJUANA FOR
HER EPILEPTIC SEIZURES.

SHE WAS IN A CAR ACCIDENT,
SUSTAINED HEAD INJURIES,

AND BECAME
EPILEPTIC AS A RESULT
OF THOSE INJURIES.

MY SEIZURE DISORDER
IS THE RESULT OF
A CAR ACCIDENT IN 1973.

ONE DAY
YOU'RE IN UNIVERSITY,

AND THE NEXT DAY
YOU'RE HOSPITALIZED
FOR BRAIN TRAUMA

AND UNABLE TO STRING
A SENTENCE TOGETHER.

SEEKING AN ALTERNATIVE
TO THE DRUGS

THAT WERE NOT
CONTROLLING MY SOME

FIVE GRAND MALS A DAY
ON A BAD DAY

AND BEING HOSPITALIZED
AT LEAST ONCE A MONTH,

I SOUGHT AN ALTERNATIVE.

FINDING SOMETHING
SO SIMPLE AS USING MARIJUANA

WAS AN ASTONISHING FINDING,

ONE THAT WAS DIFFICULT
FOR ME TO BELIEVE

BECAUSE MY INSURANCE
COMPANY WAS SPENDING
A GREAT DEAL OF MONEY

ON NEUROSURGEONS AND
THERE WERE NO ALTERNATIVES.

[MICHAEL] WE ALWAYS GREW
FIVE PLANTS EVERY YEAR,

AND WHENEVER A FRIEND
WOULD BE DIAGNOSED
WITH CANCER OR HIV--

BECAUSE WE GREW IT,
WE ALWAYS HAD MARIJUANA,

AND WE WOULD GIVE
IT TO THEM.

VALERIE STARTED
SHARING WHAT SHE HAD
WITH OTHER PATIENTS,

AND THE "WAMM"
COLLECTIVE WAS BORN.

FOR YEARS, WE COULD ONLY
SERVE THE SICKEST PATIENTS--

MOSTLY CANCER AND AIDS.

BUT WITHIN
THE LAST COUPLE YEARS

WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO
EXPAND OUR MEMBERSHIP,
SERVE MORE PEOPLE,

AND JUST TRY TO
PROVIDE THAT QUALITY
OF PATIENT CARE.

WE WORK TOGETHER TO HELP
TAKE CARE OF EACH OTHER,

EVEN UNTO DEATH, YOU KNOW?

WE DO A LOT OF HOSPICE WORK

BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT
OF TERMINAL PATIENTS.

THIS HAS AFFORDED ME
AN AMAZING OPPORTUNITY,

ONE THAT MANY
PEOPLE DON'T HAVE,

AND THAT'S TO WORK
WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE DYING.

EVERYTHING FALLS AWAY
THAT'S UNIMPORTANT,

SO THAT RELATIONSHIP
YOU BUILD WITH SOMEONE
IS PROFOUND

AND FRAUGHT
WITH THE OPPORTUNITY

OR POSSIBILITY
OF MAKING MISTAKES.

WHEN ONE ACCEPTS
THE RESPONSIBILITY

TO BE THE ALTERNATIVE
FOR HEALTHCARE,

WHERE YOU REPRESENT
THEIR WISHES WHETHER
OR NOT YOU AGREE,

YOU HAVE TO LISTEN
VERY CAREFULLY,

TO NOT INSINUATE.

IT GIVES US THE CHANCE
TO DELIVER TO PEOPLE

REALLY WHAT THEY WANT,

AND THAT'S FAR
BEYOND CANNABIS.

IT'S FAR BEYOND
ANY SINGLE TOOL.

BECAUSE CANNABIS,
LIKE ANYTHING ELSE
IN THE WORLD,

IS A TOOL,

AND WE USE IT,
REALLY, FOR HEALING.

BEING IN UNIVERSITY
WOULD HAVE NEVER GIVEN ME
THIS OPPORTUNITY.

THOUGH MANY GREAT THINGS
CAN COME FROM THAT,

THAT WASN'T MY COURSE.
IT WASN'T MY PATH.

TECHNICALLY SPEAKING,
AND ACCORDING TO THE DRUG
ENFORCEMENT ADMINISTRATION,

THERE'S NO MEDICAL VALUE
AT ALL FOR MARIJUANA.

MARIJUANA HAS NOT GAINED
ACCEPTANCE AS A MEDICATION,

EVEN THOUGH AT ONE POINT

THREE OF MY DOCTORS
RECOMMENDED IT FOR ME

TO TREAT THE PAIN.
I HAD POLIO AS AN INFANT,

AND NOW I HAVE
POST-POLIO SYNDROME

AND I HAVE A LOT
OF MUSCLE SPASMS--

MUSCLE PAIN, NERVE PAIN.

I'M ALLERGIC TO OPIATES,
AND THEY DON'T REALLY WORK
FOR NERVE PAIN ANYWAY.

I REALLY DON'T HAVE
MANY OPTIONS FOR PAIN CONTROL,

AND THIS IS WHAT
I CHOOSE TO USE.

[CHABOT]
FROM 1996 TO NOW,

THERE'S BEEN THREE OTHER
PROPOSITIONS ON THE BALLOT,

AND ALL IT ALL STARTED
OUT WITH SO-CALLED
"HELPING SICK PEOPLE."

NOW, THAT SAME GROUP,

THAT SAME CORE
THAT PROMOTED THAT,

IS NOW TRYING TO LEGALIZE
MARIJUANA OUTRIGHT.

IT'S PRACTICALLY
LEGAL ANYWAY.

ANYONE CAN
GO TO THE STORE

AND GET A MEDICAL
CARD FOR $45.

[CHABOT]
WHAT REALLY HAPPENS IS

THE MEDIA,
WHEN THEY REPORT ON THIS,

THEY'RE GONNA
GO OUT OF THEIR WAY
TO GO FIND SOMEBODY

WHO'S GOT AIDS OR CANCER

TO INTERVIEW FOR THEIR
QUOTE IN THEIR STORY.

THEY'RE NOT GONNA SIT
OUT IN THE FRONT OF
A MARIJUANA STORE

AND GO TALK TO
THE 19-YEAR-OLD KID
ON THE SKATEBOARD.

THAT DOESN'T MAKE
A GREAT STORY.

EVERYBODY I KNOW SMOKES.

COME ON, YOU'RE IN L.A.
WHAT DO YOU EXPECT?

A CALIFORNIA STUDY
OF 7,000 PATIENTS

FOUND THAT THE AVERAGE
MEDICAL MARIJUANA USER

IS A 32-YEAR-OLD
WHITE MALE WHO HAD USED
COCAINE IN HIS LIFETIME

AND HAD NO HISTORY
OF CHRONIC DISEASE.

SO, MEDICAL MARIJUANA
IN CALIFORNIA HAS TURNED
INTO A SAD JOKE.

THAT DOESN'T MEAN
THAT THERE AREN'T
MEDICAL PROPERTIES

IN THE MARIJUANA PLANT
THAT WE SHOULD RESEARCH
AND INVESTIGATE,

BUT WE SHOULD DO THAT
IN THE LABORATORY

NOT IN THE BALLOT BOX.

[MAN] MY NAME IS
CHRISTIAN KLUMP.

I'M THE DIRECTOR
OF 420 COLLECTIVE
SINCE AUGUST 2008.

THIS IS OUR
SECURITY GUY JIM.

HE WILL CHECK I.D.'s

SO THAT THE QUALIFIED
PATIENTS COME AND SEE US

AND BECOME MEMBERS
OF OUR COLLECTIVE.

I WAS ALWAYS AGAINST
AN ARMED GUARD.

NOW IT IS REQUIRED.

THE PATIENT
WILL COME IN HERE.

WE WILL HAVE THEM
FILL OUT A FORM

WHICH BASICALLY
EXPLAINS OUR RULES.

MOST OF OUR PATIENTS
ARE OLDER PEOPLE.

WE DON'T ALLOW
ANYONE UNDER 21.

THROUGH THE INTERNET,
WE'RE ABLE TO VERIFY
THE DOCTOR RECOMMENDATION.

THERE ARE SERVICES
ON THE INTERNET

WITH CODE NUMBERS
WHERE YOU CAN SEE,

"OKAY, THIS
IS LEGITIMATE."

IT'S JUST WAY MORE STRICTER

THAN IT WOULD BE
AT ANY PHARMACY

WHO SELLS WAY MORE
DANGEROUS DRUGS THAN WE DO.

SIX YEARS AGO,

I WAS DIAGNOSED
WITH PROSTATE CANCER,

AND BATTLED THAT,
HAD SURGERY.

WAS VERY FORTUNATE
TO COME BACK FROM THAT,

AND THAT HAD OPENED
MY EYES UP TO THE IDEA
OF GETTING INVOLVED

IN THE MEDICAL
MARIJUANA BUSINESS.

THIS IS OUR
ACTUAL DISPENSARY

WHERE WE HAVE
ALL THINGS MEDICINE.

THERE'S PRODUCTS
FOR EVERYONE--

EDIBLES,
DRINKABLES, CREAMS.

AS YOU CAN SEE NOW,
THIS HAS BECOME AN INDUSTRY.

THESE ARE VERY WELL DONE,
PROFESSIONALLY MADE PRODUCTS.

FOR EXAMPLE,
THIS PRODUCT HERE,

IT'S CALLED BAGEL BITES,

AND IT IS BASICALLY
PIZZA DOUGH WITH
MEDICINE IN IT,

AND SOME,
YOU KNOW, SESAME SEEDS,
AND STUFF LIKE THAT.

TWO OF THESE
WOULD BE SUFFICIENT

FOR VERY EFFECTIVE
MEDICATION.

I WOULD AGREE WITH
SMOKING NOT BEING THE BEST
FORM OF MEDICATION,

YET IT'S THE ONE
THAT'S MOST BROADLY KNOWN
AND IS THE FASTEST.

ANY KIND OF EDIBLES
THAT NEED TO BE CHEWED

TAKE ABOUT 30-45 MINUTES
TO BECOME EFFECTIVE.

HERE IS AN
INTERESTING PRODUCT.

UNFORTUNATELY,
WE'RE OUT RIGHT NOW.

YOU CAN SEE
HOW POPULAR IT IS.

IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR
WITH BREATH MINT STRIPS--

I THINK EVERYBODY
MIGHT KNOW ABOUT THAT--

THIS IS THE PRODUCT
THAT WILL NOT ONLY GIVE
YOU MEDICATION,

BUT IT WILL GIVE YOU
NICE FRESH BREATH.

IT'S A PEPPERMINT PRODUCT,

YOU CAN TAKE IT
IN A PLANE.

YOU CAN TAKE IT
ANYWHERE YOU GO.

YOU CAN GO TO CHURCH
AND MEDICATE.

YOU HAVE COMPLETE PRIVACY.

THEN WE HAVE
OUR SELECTION OF FLOWERS.

AT THE MOMENT,
WE HAVE 21 FLAVORS.

IT'S BASICALLY
THREE TYPES OF CANNABIS.

SATIVA AND INDICA
ARE THE TWO PREVALENT KINDS
THAT WE HAVE,

AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN
WOULD BE CALLED A HYBRID.

THERE'S A LOT OF ROOM
FOR PEOPLE TO FIND OUT
WHAT WORKS FOR THEM.

THIS IS HOW WE'RE SUPPOSED
TO PACKAGE THIS UP--

OUT OF SIGHT,
WITH CLEARLY LABELED

STAPLED BAG CLOSED UP.

ON THIS LABEL ITSELF
ARE THE DRUG EFFECTS.

I NEED TO POINT THIS OUT,
HOW STRICT THIS IS.

"WARNING, KEEP OUT
OF REACH OF CHILDREN.

PROVIDING TO OR ALLOWING
A MINOR TO TAKE POSSESSION
OF CANNABIS

IS A FELONY--
PENAL CODE 273.

FOR MEDICAL USE ONLY.

WARNING, THIS PRODUCT
CONTAINS A CHEMICAL

KNOWN TO
THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA
TO CAUSE CANCER.

WARNING,
MAY BE HABIT-FORMING

OR DANGEROUS TO CHILDREN.

CONSULT WITH
YOUR PHYSICIAN."

SO, WE TAKE EXTREME STEPS

TO MAKE SURE THAT
PEOPLE ARE WELL-INFORMED

WHAT THIS IS ALL ABOUT.

THE IDEA BEHIND
THIS PACKAGING IS

THAT THE PATIENT TAKES THIS.
IT'S HIDDEN.

HE CAN PUT IT IN
HIS POCKET, WHEREVER.

AS SOON AS HE GETS
IN HIS VEHICLE,

THIS IS SUPPOSED TO GO INTO
THE TRUNK OF THE VEHICLE

AWAY FROM THE DRIVER
SO HE CAN GO HOME,
TAKE THE MEDICATION.

IF HE WOULD BE STOPPED,
THE PATIENT WOULD SHOW
HIS DOCTOR RECOMMENDATION,

AND THAT WOULD BE
NOTHING MORE THAN,
"ON YOUR WAY, SIR,"

FROM THE POLICE.

WE'RE LOCATED
IN A PART OF CALIFORNIA

KNOWN AS
THE INLAND EMPIRE.

THIS REGION OF CALIFORNIA
HAS DONE REALLY GOOD

AT KEEPING THESE MARIJUANA
DISPENSARIES OUT.

BUT IT'S BECAUSE
OF PARENTS AND TEACHERS
AND PRIESTS AND BISHOPS--

PEOPLE JUST COMING
TOGETHER GOING,

"WE'VE SEEN WHAT HAPPENED
IN L.A. AND SAN FRANCISCO."

I TELL PEOPLE,
"LOOK AT L.A."

L.A. IS A CITY THAT
WE DON'T WANT TO BECOME.

SO, FOR ME, SURE,
I'VE BEEN IN LAW ENFORCEMENT,

LIEUTENANT COMMANDER
IN THE MILITARY,
SERVED IN IRAQ,

WORKED IN THE WHITE HOUSE
FOR SIX YEARS.

PUT ALL THAT ASIDE.
WHAT DO I CARE ABOUT MOST?

I'M A DAD,
AND I GOTTA FIGHT

TO MAKE SURE
THAT MY THREE KIDS

HAVE GOT A STATE
WORTH GROWING UP IN.

MANY AREAS OF CALIFORNIA
HAVE LITERALLY GONE TO POT.

[ODUM] IN SOME WAYS,
IT'S MICKEY MOUSE'S FAULT.

BECAUSE BACK WHEN
EPCOT CENTER GOT DEVELOPED
DOWN AT WALT DISNEY WORLD

IN THE LATE 1970s,

THEY SHOWED
HYDROPONIC FARMING,

WHICH WAS INTENDED
TO SHOW THAT WE COULD
GROW OUR OWN CROPS

ON OTHER PLANETS WHERE
WE DIDN'T HAVE EARTH SOIL.

OBVIOUSLY, SOME OTHER
PEOPLE FIGURED THAT OUT

AND IT BECAME THE WAY
TO GROW MARIJUANA.

AND THEN THROUGH
GENETIC ENGINEERING,
AND HYBRIDIZATION,

AND ALL THOSE KINDS OF
TECHNIQUES THAT WE'VE USED
IN GIANT AGRICULTURE,

MARIJUANA HAS BECOME
EXTREMELY POTENT--

SOME WOULD SAY
15-20 TIMES MORE POTENT
THAN IT WAS 30 YEARS AGO.

ALL RIGHT,
WELL, HERE IS--

HERE IS A GROW ROOM.

THIS IS LIKE A CLASSIC
EBB AND FLOW SYSTEM.

HERE'S THE BASIC SETUP.
THIS IS WHAT YOU WOULD NEED

TO REPLICATE
A GROW LIKE THIS.

IN THE BED ITSELF,
THIS IS A PRODUCT THAT WE USE.

IT'S ROCKWOOL--
IDEALLY MANUFACTURED

FOR THIS PURPOSE
OF GROWING HYDROPONICALLY.

YOU WOULD STICK
YOUR CLONE IN HERE,

THE ROOTS
WOULD GROW INSIDE,

AND AS THE WATER
FLOODS AND EBBS,

NUTRIENTS GET PROVIDED
TO THE ROOTS.

AND IT GOES UP AND DOWN
SEVERAL TIMES A DAY

DEPENDING ON PREFERENCE.

IN ORDER FOR US
TO BE MORE EFFICIENT

AND LESS EXPENSIVE
ON ELECTRICITY,

WE HAVE THESE
TRACKING LIGHTS.

AS YOU SEE, THEY MOVE
AT A VERY SLOW RATE,

AND THEY GO BACK AND FORTH,
AND BACK AND FORTH.

AND WHAT THAT DOES
IS THAT ALLOWS US
WITH THE SAME WATTAGE

TO HAVE LESS SHADOW
AND CREATE DENSER GROWTH.

ALL THE PLANTS WILL GROW
TO A CERTAIN HEIGHT,

AND THEN WE SWITCH
TO A SHORTER DAYTIME CYCLE.

IN NATURE,
AS THE DAYS GET SHORTER

PLANTS TEND TO FINISH
THEIR LIFECYCLE,

SO THEY WANT TO REPRODUCE.

THE REPRODUCTION,
OR THE PART THAT

WE CALL THE FLOWER,
IS THIS PART HERE.

THIS IS THE ACTUAL
FLOWER PART.

YOU CAN SEE THE HAIRS.

THE HAIRS HAVE STICKY STUFF

WHICH IT WOULD ATTRACT
MALE POLLEN.

SINCE WE DON'T PROVIDE
MALE POLLEN,

THIS WILL GROW
BIGGER AND BIGGER,

AND IT WILL PROBABLY
COME UP TO THIS SIZE

AND WILL BE FULL OF RESIN.

IF YOU WILL--
YOU MIGHT SEE THE FIRST
AMOUNTS OF RESIN.

SEE, THIS HAS
A LITTLE BIT OF DUST
RIGHT THERE ON HERE.

AND IF I WOULD RUB
MY FINGER ON IT AS I DO,

IT HAS ALREADY
THE DISTINCTIVE ODOR
OF THE FINISHED PRODUCT.

THESE CURL, USUALLY,
UP A LITTLE BIT.

AND YOU TRIM ALL THAT OFF,

AND THIS WOULD BE THE FI--

IF YOU IMAGINE
ALL THIS STUFF GONE
OR SNIPPED AWAY,

THIS WOULD BE
WHAT THE BUD WAS,
BUT 10 TIMES AS BIG.

AND THAT WOULD
BE THE MARIJUANA.

MY HANDS ALREADY
GETTING STICKY.

THAT IS THE SUBSTANCE
THAT WE GO AFTER.

THIS HERE
IS A CARBON FILTER

WHICH FILTERS THE AIR.

ALL THE AIR FROM IN HERE
GETS SUCKED INTO HERE

AND GETS EXHAUSTED
OUT THROUGH THIS
INTO THE PLENUM,

WHERE IT GETS SUCKED
OUT OF THE ROOF.

IT'S DOUBLE-FILTERED,

SO THAT HELPS US
TO BE DISCRETE.

WE ARE SENSITIVE
TO OUR NEIGHBORS.

WE DON'T WANT TO BOTHER
THEM WITH SMELL.

IN GENERAL,
IT'S NOT A GOOD IDEA

TO HAVE THE PLACE SMELL
LIKE "ARABIAN NIGHTS."

ATTENTION TO DETAIL
IS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT.

WE'RE TRYING TO BASICALLY--
WE DO IN 10-12 WEEKS

WHAT NATURE TAKES
6, 7, 8 MONTHS.

IT'S LIKE ANY
AGRICULTURAL PRODUCT.

THE DIFFERENCE IS
WE HAVE TO COME UP WITH
OUR OWN RESOURCES.

UP TO A FEW YEARS AGO,
IT WAS VERY HARD TO
COME UP WITH NEW--

EVERYBODY HAD TO INVENT
THEIR OWN STUFF,

MAKE THEIR OWN
NUTRIENT SOLUTION.

NOW, EVERYBODY
HAS PICKED UP ON IT,

AND IT'S LIKE THE SHOVELS
FOR THE GOLD RUSH.

IT'S EVERY INVENTION IT TAKES
TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.

[MALE ANNOUNCER]
IN 1848, "GOLD" WAS
THE WORD FOR CALIFORNIA.

IT LURED MEN
IN AN EXPLOSION
OF MIGRATION

FROM THE ENDS OF THE EARTH

WITH PICK, PAN,
LONG TOM, AND CRADLE.

GOLD WAS THE KEY

THAT UNLOCKED
THE STOREHOUSE OF WEALTH

THAT LAY BEHIND
THE SIERRA BARRIER.

[SABET]
THERE'S CLEARLY
MILLIONS OF DOLLARS

TO BE MADE IN
MEDICAL MARIJUANA.

IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT
EVERY DISPENSARY'S MAKING
MILLIONS OF DOLLARS,

BUT CERTAIN MEDICAL
MARIJUANA DISPENSARIES

MAKE UPWARDS OF MILLIONS
AND MILLIONS OF DOLLARS
A YEAR PROFIT.

[CHABOT]
THE MARIJUANA INDUSTRY
IS ALL ABOUT THE MONEY.

YOU'VE GOT THE DOCTORS
MAKING MONEY.

YOU'VE GOT
THE MARIJUANA SHOPS

THAT ARE ELABORATE
ORCHESTRATED BUSINESSES,

WITH THESE "BUD TENDERS"
GIVING 20 DIFFERENT STRAINS

OF MARIJUANA
TO SO-CALLED PATIENTS.

MILLIONS, MILLIONS, MILLIONS.

I MEAN, I'M LOOKING
AT MY OWN PLACE.

WE PAY, ROUGHLY, I'D SAY

PROBABLY $60,000-$80,000
IN SALES TAX A YEAR.

THAT'S JUST ONE PLACE,

AND WE'RE A RELATIVELY
SMALL PLACE.

SO, YOU'RE LOOKING
AT HUNDREDS OF OTHER PLACES.

IT'S AMAZING.
I BELIEVE THAT OFFICIALLY,

THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA
GOT $100 MILLION IN TAXES.

NOBODY ELSE GETS TAXED
AS HEAVY AS THAT.

YOU'VE GOT TO REMEMBER,
10,000 MARIJUANA STORES
IN CALIFORNIA,

EVEN IF WE KNOW IT'S WRONG,
WE WANNA TURN IT BACK,

WE'RE GOING UP
AGAINST BIG MONEY.

THEY'RE GIVING MONEY
TO ELECTED CANDIDATES,

TO DISTRICT ATTORNEYS
THAT ARE TAKING THE MONEY.

HOW DO I COMPETE
AGAINST THAT?

WE ARE ALWAYS
AT THE LOSING END
OF THE MONEY ISSUE.

[FILE]
PEOPLE ARE MAKING MONEY
HAND OVER FIST.

UNFORTUNATELY,
A LOT OF POOR PATIENTS

CANNOT AFFORD
TO ACCESS THE PRICES,

WHICH ARE OFTEN
STREET PRICES OR HIGHER
AT THE DISPENSARIES.

[SABET] WE HAVE
TWO MARIJUANA-BASED PILLS

ON THE MARKET
FOR THE LAST 30 YEARS.

ONE'S CALLED MARINOL.
ONE'S CALLED SESAMIN.

THOSE ARE THC DERIVATIVES.

AND THERE ARE ISOLATED
COMPONENTS IN CANNABIS

THAT WE CAN
ACTUALLY TAKE OUT,

SYNTHESIZE INTO
MUCH BETTER RATIOS,

AND DELIVER IT
IN A PILL, A PATCH,
AN INJECTION, ET CETERA,

IN A WAY THAT DOESN'T
HURT THE LUNGS

AND IN A WAY
THAT YOU DON'T HAVE
TO INHALE SMOKE.

CALIFORNIA LAST YEAR

PUT MARIJUANA
UNDER PROPOSITION 65.

CALIFORNIA, THE LIBERAL,
NUTTY STATE THAT WE ARE,

HAS SAID THAT SMOKING
MARIJUANA CAN CAUSE CANCER.

SCIENTIFIC PANELS AROUND
THE WORLD UNANIMOUSLY

HAVE COME
TO THE CONCLUSION

THAT SMOKING IS A TOXIC
DELIVERY SYSTEM.

THE REALITY IS THAT WE HAVE
LEGITIMATE MEDICATIONS

THAT DO THE EXACT
SAME THING

WITHOUT ALL THOSE
NEGATIVE SIDE EFFECTS.

THERE HAVE BEEN
A NUMBER OF GOOD THINGS

THAT HAVE COME OUT OF
THE PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY.

I MEAN, ONE
YOU CAN THINK OF
IS PENICILLIN.

POLIO VACCINES.

THESE HAVE SAVED
COUNTLESS LIVES.

ON THE OTHER HAND,
THEY ARE FACELESS
CORPORATIONS,

AND FOR THEM THESE MEDICINES
ARE A COMMODITY

AND THE PEOPLE THAT USE THEM
ARE CONSUMERS.

THEY'RE NOT QUITE
HUMAN BEINGS.

IT'S A MULTI-BILLION
DOLLAR BUSINESS.

IT'S JUST
AS SIMPLE AS THAT.

[VALERIE]
AND MULTI-NATIONAL
PHARMACEUTICAL CORPORATIONS

ARE COMING ON THE SCENE
FULL STRENGTH AHEAD,

FULL TILT, TO TAKE OVER
THIS INDUSTRY.

WHY? BECAUSE IT'S A SIX
AND A HALF BILLION DOLLAR
A YEAR INDUSTRY, THAT'S WHY.

[FILE] WHEN YOU'RE WORKING
WITH PLANT-BASED MEDICINE,

THERE'S A LOT
OF INTERACTIONS

THAT NOBODY
REALLY EVEN KNOWS.

AND SO WHEN YOU'RE TRYING
TO TAKE A PIECE OUT OF IT,

LET'S TAKE OUT THE THC,
LET'S TAKE OUT THE CBD,

AND LET'S MAKE IT IN A LAB,

YOU LOSE A LOT.

[SABET] THERE IS SUCH THING
AS MEDICAL MARIJUANA.

IT'S ISOLATED COMPONENTS
OF THE CANNABIS PLANT

DONE IN A WAY
THAT'S RESPONSIBLE
AND IS LABELED AS SUCH,

NOT GOING DOWN
TO THE NEON-LIT DISPENSARY

ON THE CORNER BY 7-ELEVEN

AND FIND SOMETHING
CALLED PURPLE HAZE

WITH A 400-POUND
BOUNCER NEXT TO YOU

WATCHING OVER YOUR PURCHASE.

THAT'S NOT MEDICINE.

HEY, WELCOME TO WEEDMAPS.

WEEDMAPS WAS STARTED
IN AUGUST OF 2008

BY ME AND MY FRIEND KEITH,
WHO'S A DEVELOPER,

A FRIEND OF MINE
FOR A LONG TIME.
WE WERE AT A RESTAURANT,

FELIX'S CONTINENTAL CAFE
IN ORANGE COUNTY.

WE'D JUST GOT OUR MEDICAL
MARIJUANA CARDS,

BUT WE DIDN'T KNOW
WHERE TO GO.

WE HEARD ABOUT A COUPLE PLACES,
A COUPLE DISPENSARIES,

BUT, YOU KNOW,
WE DIDN'T REALLY KNOW.

SO, WE BASICALLY
MADE A WEBSITE

FOR OURSELVES
JUST TO SHOW, SEE A MAP,

AND PLOT ALL THE DISPENSARIES,
YOU KNOW, NEAR YOU,

WHICH WAS KIND
OF NOVEL AT THE TIME.

NOBODY WAS DOING THAT.

THIS IS KIND
OF OUR GAME ROOM,

WE GOT A PING-PONG
COURT OVER HERE,

WHICH I'M NOT VERY GOOD AT,

BUT THEN WE HAVE
THE FOOSBALL TABLE OVER THERE,
WHICH I AM VERY GOOD AT.

A FEW PAPER DINOSAURS

GUARDING THE BALLS,
OF COURSE.

IT WAS PROBABLY
ABOUT 60 DAYS INTO IT

IS WHEN I WAS
LOOKING AT TRAFFIC--

AND I HAD DOZENS
OF OTHER SITES,

BUT THE TRAFFIC
CURVE ON IT

WAS ONE OF THOSE
"EXPEDIENTIAL" VIRAL
TYPE OF CURVES

THAT YOU WANT TO SEE
ON YOUR SITES

THAT YOU NEVER
REALLY DO SEE.

I JUST KNEW THAT
EVEN THOUGH THE TRAFFIC
WAS RELATIVELY SMALL,

MAYBE A COUPLE
HUNDRED HITS A DAY,

I KNEW THAT
THE POTENTIAL WAS HUGE.

AND THEN RIGHT HERE
IS AN AREA THAT WE CALL

THE WEEDMAPS "CENTRALE,"

WHERE IT'S SUPPOSED TO MIMIC

AN AMSTERDAM STYLE
COFFEE SHOP

IN EXPERIENCE
AND ATMOSPHERE.

JANUARY 2010 WAS THE DAY

WE DECIDED TO START
CHARGING CUSTOMERS.

AND THEN WE JUST
TOOK OFF FROM THERE.

THE PRICING MODEL STUCK,

THE PATIENTS LOVED THE SITE.

THE SERVICES
THAT THE SITE PROVIDES,

LIKE MENUS, AND PRICES,

AND THC PERCENTAGE TESTING,

CBD PERCENTAGE TESTING,
FUNGICIDES, PESTICIDES--

I MEAN, SO MANY THINGS
THAT I NEVER THOUGHT

WERE POSSIBLE BACK IN 2008
WHEN I STARTED IT

ARE NOW NOT ONLY POSSIBLE,
IT'S EXPECTED.

LAW ENFORCEMENT,
KNOCK ON WOOD,

WE'VE NEVER HAD
ANY TROUBLE WITH THEM.

WE'VE HAD SOME
VERY PUBLIC ISSUES

WITH SOME PUBLIC COMPANIES,

ACCOUNT SEIZURES

AND MERCHANT ACCOUNT
FREEZINGS,

JUST BECAUSE
IN THE NATURE OF
THE BUSINESS.

IT'S NOT FEDERALLY
LEGAL YET.

T-MOBILE EFFECTIVELY
SHUT DOWN OUR SHORT CODE,

WHICH WAS WHAT WE WERE USING
TO SEND OUT DAILY DEALS
TO OUR CUSTOMERS.

AND ONE DAY T-MOBILE
OUT OF THE BLUE

DECIDED TO SHUT DOWN
OUR THIRD-PARTY PROCESSOR

THAT WAS PROCESSING OUR TEXTS

BECAUSE OF A UNCLEAR VIOLATION
OF TERMS OF SERVICE.

THAT WAS JUST ONE
OF THE MANY IMPEDIMENTS

THAT THIS COMPANY HAD
STARTING UP.

THE LAST PIECE
TO OUR OFFICE HERE

IS THE WEEDMAPS TV STUDIO.

WE'RE JUST KIND OF
SETTING IT UP.

IT'S STILL A LITTLE DIRTY,

BUT I'LL GIVE YOU GUYS
A SNEAK PEAK.

WE PUT THIS SOUND
INSULATING FOAM IN

SO PEOPLE CAN'T HEAR
ME SCREAM.

AND, YEAH, WE GOT A LITTLE
GREEN SCREEN GOING ON.

HOPEFULLY, WE GET
SOME PRETTY GOOD USE
OUT OF THIS THING.

IT WAS PURCHASED
IN THE MID-NINETIES.

AND WEEDMAPS IS
AS OF TODAY

THE PROUD OWNER
OF THAT DOMAIN,

AND WE'RE GONNA
BE INTEGRATING IT

WITHIN OUR WEEDMAPS
NETWORK OF SITES.

[MAN] IN ANY
PROFESSION YOU HAVE,

YOU LIKE TO MAKE LIGHT
OF THINGS.

YOU CAN'T TAKE
THE JOB TOO SERIOUSLY.

SO, THE PICTURES IN HERE,

LIKE THE ONE
YOU WERE FILMING,

OR THE ONE THAT "WUZZAP?",

IT'S JUST,
YOU KNOW, HUMOR.

LIKE THE SIGNS
YOU SEE UP HERE,

THE CODE OF HONOR,
DUDLEY DO-RIGHT'S--

YOU USE TO TRY
TO MAKE YOUR JOB FUN
AND INTERESTING.

THE JOB IS STRESSFUL,

SO YOU CAN TRY TO PUT
A LITTLE BIT OF HUMOR INTO IT.

[ST. PIERRE] AS MODERN
AS CALIFORNIA IS,

AS CONGESTED AS
THE SOUTHERN PART
OF THE STATE

AND THE BAY AREA IS,

THE NORTHERN PART
OF CALIFORNIA,

PARTICULARLY THE WESTERN
MOUNTAINOUS REGIONS

LEADING TOWARDS THE COAST,

ARE ALMOST OFF THE GRID.

IF YOU ARE NOT ON
A MAJOR ROAD IN THAT REGION,

YOU HAVE NO
CELL PHONE COVERAGE

UNTIL YOU GET TO A TOWN.

THIS IS ABERRATIONAL THROUGHOUT
MOST OF THE UNITED STATES.

IT WAS ALWAYS ON THE FRINGE,

AND ALWAYS,
ALWAYS IN OUTLAW STATUS.

AMERICA'S DOMESTIC
MARIJUANA INDUSTRY

HAPPENS TO BE
IN THE NORTHERN PART
OF CALIFORNIA.

HUMBOLDT, TRINITY,
AND MENDOCINO COUNTIES,

THE NORTHERN PART
OF THE STATE,

THE EMERALD TRIANGLE,
HISTORICALLY,

HAS BEEN PRODUCING
THE BEST

AND PROBABLY THE MOST
AMOUNT OF MARIJUANA

IN THE UNITED STATES

IN THE SAME WAY
THAT THE WINE INDUSTRY
IN AMERICA

IS TOTALLY DOMINATED
BY CALIFORNIA

BECAUSE THE PHYSICAL REGION

GROWS THE PRODUCT THE BEST.

[HANSON]
MARIJUANA GROWING
IN HUMBOLDT COUNTY

CAME TO THE FOREFRONT
ABOUT 1983,

WHEN WE HAD A SPIKE
IN MURDERS AND HOMICIDES,

I THINK WE HAD
28 THAT YEAR

FOR A POPULATION
OF 130,000 PEOPLE.

PEOPLE STARTED
GROWING OUTDOORS.

ONE PLANT'S WORTH
ABOUT $3,500,

AND SO IT BEGAN
THE MODERN-DAY GOLD RUSH,

JUST LIKE 1849.

I KNOW WHERE I LIVE,
THE GUY BEHIND ME GROWS,

BECAUSE I CAN SMELL IT.

SO IF A GUY'S GROWING DOPE,

AND HE KNOWS
I'M THE DETECTIVE SERGEANT

RUNNING THE MARIJUANA PROGRAM,

IT'S PRETTY COTTON PICKIN'
RAMPANT, I THINK.

WHEN THE MARIJUANA
ISSUE STARTED,

IT STARTED
IN OUR SOUTHERN AREA
WE CALL GARBERVILLE.

MARIJUANA ENCOMPASSES
THE WHOLE COUNTY
OF HUMBOLDT NOW,

AND WE CURRENTLY
HAVE THREE OFFICERS

WHO ARE TRYING TO DEAL
WITH THE MARIJUANA ISSUE

WITH 130,000 PEOPLE.

OUR MAIN FOCUS
IS ON LARGE-SCALE
COMMERCIAL GROWERS.

IF I GET INFORMATION
FROM AN ANONYMOUS SOURCE

THAT SAYS THAT JOHN DOE
IS GROWING 100 PLANTS
AT HIS HOUSE,

I WON'T EVEN
TARGET THAT GUY.

I WON'T ARREST ANYBODY,
I WON'T TAKE ANY PLANTS.

TOO SMALL OF AN OPERATION.

[WOMAN ON RADIO]
WHAT IS THE LOCATION?

[RADIO CHATTER]

THIS IS A MARIJUANA GROW

WE FOUND IN AN EASTERN PART
OF OUR COUNTY.

IT WAS ON TIMBER
COMPANY PROPERTY

AND U.S. FORREST
SERVICE PROPERTY,

WHICH IS VERY REMOTE
AND ISOLATED.

THESE BIG CLUMPS HERE,
THAT'S ALL MARIJUANA.

THEY LOOK LIKE
LITTLE PUFF BALLS.

THIS IS A DIFFERENT ANGLE
AT THE SAME HILLSIDE.

YOU CAN SEE
HOW TALL THE TREES ARE

IN COMPARISON
TO ALL THESE DOTS.

THIS IS ONE GROW COMPLEX,

BUT WE HAD ABOUT 10
OF THEM OUT THERE
IN DIFFERENT AREAS

ALL INTERCONNECTED
WITH TRAILS.

NO ROAD SYSTEM INTO IT.

IT'S ABOUT A TWO-MILE WALK

FOR THE MARIJUANA
GROWERS TO GET IN THERE

AND YOU CAN SEE
HOW RUGGED IT IS.

IT TOOK US FOUR DAYS
TO GET THE MARIJUANA
OUT OF THERE,

AND WE HAD ABOUT
20 POLICE OFFICERS
CUTTING IT DOWN.

WE SEIZE A TOTAL
OF 133,000 MARIJUANA PLANTS.

FOR THE STATE,
IT'S UP TO AROUND

FOUR MILLION PLANTS
SEIZED A YEAR NOW.

LAST YEAR,
THERE WAS SEVEN SEPARATE

OFFICER-INVOLVED SHOOTINGS
IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA,

SO IT'S VERY DANGEROUS
OUT IN THE HILLS.

IN OUR COUNTY IN 2007,

ONE OF OUR DEPUTIES
WALKED INTO A MARIJUANA GROW

AND IT WAS
AN ILLEGAL HISPANIC

IN THE GROW THAT POINTED
A SHOTGUN AT OUR DEPUTY,

AND OUR DEPUTY
SHOT AND KILLED HIM.

HE WAS AN ILLEGAL,

DEPORTED ABOUT
FOUR MONTHS EARLIER

AND CAME BACK
IN OUR COUNTY AGAIN,

AND OUR DEPUTY
ENCOUNTERED HIM

AND HAD TO USE
LETHAL FORCE.

RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE SOMETHING
LIKE 14 OPEN HOMICIDE CASES

IN A COUNTY OF 138,000.

AND WHY? PRIMARILY BECAUSE
OF THE LUCRATIVE ASPECTS

OF AN ILLEGAL
MARIJUANA TRADE.

AND WHAT I HAVE IN MY COUNTY
IS AN ILLICIT TRADE,

AND AN INDUSTRY,
AN ILLICIT INDUSTRY,

THAT ARE OPERATING
IN A PARALLEL.

AND I LOVE HUMBOLDT COUNTY.

I LOVE THE PEOPLE HERE
IN HUMBOLDT COUNTY

WITHOUT ANY RESERVATION.

THE SAD THING IS THAT

THERE ARE PROBABLY MORE
PEOPLE IN HUMBOLDT COUNTY

AGAINST THE LEGALIZATION
OF MARIJUANA THEN FOR IT.

AND, WELL, I SAY SADLY,

BECAUSE A LOT OF THE PEOPLE

THAT ARE AGAINST
THE LEGALIZATION OF MARIJUANA

IN HUMBOLDT COUNTY

ARE PEOPLE THAT
ARE GROWING MARIJUANA.

THEY DON'T WANT
IT TO BECOME LEGAL

BECAUSE THEY DON'T
WANT THE PROFIT MARGIN
TO DISAPPEAR.

BECAUSE THEY KNOW
THE ONLY THING THAT
MAKES IT PROFITABLE

IS IT BEING ILLEGAL.

WE'VE BECOME MARRIED,
BOTH TO THE MARIJUANA INDUSTRY

AND TO ITS CRIMINALITY.

AFTER PROP 215 PASSED IN 1996,

THESE AGRARIAN COMMUNITIES

WENT FROM BEING
TOTALLY ILLEGITIMATE

TO SEMI-LEGITIMATE.

THE MEXICAN NATIONALS
HAVE ALSO FIGURED OUT

THAT THEY CAN TAKE
A PART OF THIS BUSINESS.

THEY HAVE COME HERE
AND STARTED THEIR OWN
MARIJUANA CULTIVATION.

[HANSON]
PEOPLE COME ALL THE WAY
UP HERE FROM MEXICO TO GROW

BECAUSE IT'S EASIER
TO GROW IN CALIFORNIA,

THAN TRYING TO SMUGGLE
IT OVER THE BORDER.

IT'S EASIER TO BRING
THE PEOPLE UP HERE

AND THEN GROW ON
OUR OWN NATIONAL LANDS

LIKE FOREST SERVICE,
NATIONAL PARKS.

[GALLEGOS]
YOU JUST DRIVE THEM
UP INTO THE HILLS,

AND YOU SAY,
"HEY, YOU'RE GONNA BE HERE
FOR A COUPLE MONTHS.

WE'LL COME UP PERIODICALLY
AND BRING YOU FOOD, WATER.

AND THEN WHEN
IT COMES HARVEST TIME,

WE'RE GOING TO GIVE YOU

A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF MONEY,
AND LET YOU GO."

SOMETIMES
THEY DON'T DO THAT.

WE HAVE PEOPLE
THAT JUST DECIDE,

YOU KNOW,

"OH, I'LL JUST KILL
MY LABORERS.

NO ONE KNOWS
THEY'RE HERE.

THEY DIDN'T TELL
ANYONE THEY WERE HERE.

ALL I HAVE TO DO
IS KILL THEM AND ROLL
THEM DOWN A HILL.

THIS IS A RURAL AREA.

THE ANIMALS WILL MAKE
SHORT WORK OF IT."

THEY'RE HERE ILLEGALLY.
THEY'RE EASY TO ERASE.

WHO'S GONNA KNOW ABOUT THEM?

IT'S NOT LIKE THEY TELL
THEIR FAMILY WHERE THEY'RE AT.

THEY HAVEN'T HAD PHONES,
BECAUSE ONCE THEY SHOW UP,

THEIR PHONES ARE CONFISCATED.

SO, THE FAMILY KNOWS THAT
THEY'RE UP THERE SOMEWHERE.

WHAT ARE THEY GONNA DO?
CALL THE POLICE?

"YEAH, MY FAMILY MEMBER

WHO WAS UP THERE
GROWING MARIJUANA,

I DON'T KNOW
WHERE THEY'RE AT."

WE HAVE A CASE,

A YOUNG MAN WHO'S FROM
MENDOCINO COUNTY

CAME UP HERE TO GROW,

HAD THREE PEOPLE
WORKING UP THERE,

DECIDED THAT IT WAS--

YOU KNOW, A BULLET WAS
CHEAPER THAN PAYING THEM.

[GUNSHOTS]

SHOT AND KILLED ONE.

SHOT ANOTHER ONE
THROUGH THE FACE

WHO HAPPENED TO LIVE

AND IS NOW ONE
OF OUR WITNESSES.

THE OTHER GUY
HE DIDN'T KNOW WAS THERE.
HE RAN OFF.

I MEAN, I HAVE
STORIES LIKE THAT

THAT I COULD TELL YOU

IF YOU SAT HERE
FOR 24 HOURS WITH ME.

[CHABOT] IF YOU LOOK AT THIS
IN THE UNITED STATES,

MOST CRIME IS DRUG-RELATED,

SO WHAT WE HAVE
TO UNDERSTAND IS

AS MUCH AS PEOPLE MIGHT THINK

MARIJUANA IS
A BENIGN SIMPLE DRUG,

IT IS ATTACHED TO
A VERY VIOLENT INDUSTRY

WHICH IS IN IT
JUST FOR THE MONEY.

THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE
TO LEARN AS A SOCIETY.

WE HAVE MURDER CASES
IN THIS COMMUNITY

WHERE NEIGHBORS
WHO KNOW ABOUT IT,

BECAUSE THEY'RE INVOLVED
IN THE MARIJUANA INDUSTRY,

DON'T ASSIST LAW ENFORCEMENT
IN FINDING THE MURDERERS.

SOMETIMES THEY KNOW
WHO THE MURDERERS ARE

AND THEY STILL DON'T HELP US.

HOW MUCH MORE
PERVERSE CAN YOU BE?

[HANSON]
I PERSONALLY THINK
IT'S GETTING WORSE

BECAUSE OF THE ECONOMY.

EVERYBODY WANTS
TO GROW MARIJUANA
TO MAKE MONEY.

THERE'S A LARGE AMOUNT
OF MONEY TO BE MADE.

THE LIBERAL LAWS
THAT YOU REALLY

DON'T GET INTO MUCH TROUBLE
FOR GROWING MARIJUANA.

BASICALLY IF YOU GET CAUGHT
IN THE COUNTY OF HUMBOLDT,

SAY, WITH 1,000
MARIJUANA PLANTS,

THE FIRST TIME YOU'RE CAUGHT,

YOU'RE NOT GOING
TO STATE PRISON.

YOU GET PUT ON PROBATION,

YOU WORK ON THE WEEKENDS.

YOU MIGHT NOT EVEN
SERVE ANY TIME IN JAIL.

YOU'LL BE IN TROUBLE
AND CONVICTED OF A FELONY,

BUT YOU'RE NOT
GOING TO STATE PRISON
FOR THE FIRST TIME.

SO, PEOPLE ARE WILLING
TO TAKE THAT RISK.

[CARROL]
THERE'S A SMALL MAJORITY
OF THE POLITICIANS IN URUGUAY

THAT WANT
THE GOVERNMENT TO START
CULTIVATING MARIJUANA

AND SELLING IT
TO THEIR POPULATION,

BECAUSE THEY RECOGNIZE
THAT BRINGS VIOLENCE,

AND HIGHER PRICES,

INSECURITY TO A LOT
OF PEOPLE.

AND THEIR FEELING IS

THAT IF THEY WERE
TO CULTIVATE IT AND SELL IT

TO THOSE PEOPLE IN URUGUAY

THAT ARE ALREADY
MARIJUANA SMOKERS,

THEY CAN BASICALLY KILL
THE BLACK MARKET THAT WAY.

INSTEAD OF FIGHTING
THEM WITH GUNS,

INSTEAD OF ARRESTING THEM,

JUST ERASE
THE ECONOMIC INCENTIVE.

[CHABOT] WHATEVER WE DO,
THE CARTELS ARE GONNA ADAPT.

THEY'RE ORGANIZED
CRIME SYNDICATES.

THESE ARE VERY
RESILIENT ORGANIZATIONS.

THEY'RE NOT IN IT JUST
FOR THE DRUGS, THEY'RE
IN IT FOR THE MONEY.

AND WHEREVER THEY CAN FIND
A MEASURE TO MAKE MONEY,
THEY WILL.

THE CARTELS DON'T
JUST SMUGGLE MARIJUANA.

THEY DO HEROIN,
COCAINE, METHAMPHETAMINE,

DVD SMUGGLING,
THE HUMAN SMUGGLING,
THE WEAPON SMUGGLING.

I SPENT 10 YEARS WORKING
ON MY DOCTORAL DISSERTATION
ON DRUG CARTELS.

I KNOW THESE GUYS
VERY, VERY WELL.

IT'S NOT ABOUT
JUST THE DRUGS.

IT'S ABOUT THE MONEY.

[SABET] TO THINK THAT WE WOULD
NECESSARILY IN ONE FULL SWOOP

GET RID OF THE UNDERGROUND
MARIJUANA BUSINESS
IS VERY NAIVE.

THERE'S GONNA
BE AN INCENTIVE

FOR THESE BUSINESSES
TO STAY IN PLACE.

THEY'RE IN PLACE NOW.
THEY'RE ENDEMIC.

TO THINK THAT
THEY'RE GONNA GO AWAY

JUST 'CAUSE CALIFORNIA
IS GONNA LEGALIZE MARIJUANA

MAKES ABSOLUTELY NO SENSE.

SO, URUGUAY IS, TO ME,
JUST AHEAD OF THE GAME.

AND THEY'RE WILLING
TO BASICALLY BUCK

THE VOICE OF
THE UNITED STATES IN THIS,

BECAUSE THE UNITED STATES
IS REALLY THE WORLDWIDE BULLY

ON FORCING
OTHER GOVERNMENTS

OR TRYING TO PUSH
OTHER GOVERNMENTS

TO MAKE MARIJUANA
AND OTHER DRUGS ILLEGAL,

AND TO SET UP
INCARCERATION RATES.

I MEAN, YOU NAME IT.
YOU NAME IT.

[CHABOT] THE UNITED STATES,
THROUGH OUR CONSTITUTION,

HAS GOT SOMETHING CALLED
THE TENTH AMENDMENT,
WHICH IS STATE'S RIGHTS.

WELL, THE UNITED STATES
ALSO HAS SOMETHING CALLED
THE SUPREMACY CLAUSE,

WHICH MEANS THAT STATES
CAN DO WHATEVER THEY WANT

SO LONG AS IT'S NOT
IN VIOLATION OF FEDERAL LAW.

AND THE SUPREMACY CLAUSE
AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT

HAVE BEEN VERY IMPORTANT
TO THE UNITED STATES HISTORY.

WHETHER IT WAS OVERCOMING
SLAVERY WITH SOUTHERN STATES
THAT WANTED SLAVERY,

THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
SAID NO.

[ST. PIERRE] THE UNITED STATES
IS LITERALLY CREATED

BY THIS FRICTION BETWEEN
THE STATE GOVERNMENTS

AND THE AUTONOMY
THAT THEY HAVE

AS THE UNITED STATES
OF AMERICA

AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

THE SUPREME COURT WAS SET UP
TO RESOLVE DISPUTES

BETWEEN THE STATE
AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT,

WHICH ARE PRACTICALLY
RARE IN THIS COUNTRY.

THE PRO-MARIJUANA PEOPLE
THINK THAT BECAUSE CALIFORNIA
PASSED THESE PROPOSITIONS

THAT THEY CAN DO WHATEVER
THEY WANT WITHOUT CONSEQUENCE.

BUT THE FEDERAL LAW
TRUMPS STATE LAW.

IN A SENSE,
CALIFORNIA WANTS MARIJUANA,

THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
SAYS NO.

IN THE UNITED STATES,
THERE IS CLEARLY
A TWO-TRACK SYSTEM.

THERE IS LOCAL STATE LAW,

AND 99% OF PEOPLE WHO GET
ARRESTED FOR MARIJUANA

GET ARRESTED AND CONVICTED
AT THE LOCAL LEVEL.

ABOUT ONE PERCENT
OF THE POPULATION WHO GETS
ARRESTED FOR MARIJUANA

GETS BUSTED BY
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

EVERY SINGLE PERSON
WHO GROWS MARIJUANA

AND EVERY SINGLE PERSON
THAT SELLS MARIJUANA

ARE BREAKING FEDERAL LAW
EVERY SINGLE TIME THEY DO IT.

THEY MIGHT HAVE THE AUTHORITY
OF THEIR LOCAL GOVERNMENT.

THEY MAY BE EVEN HAVING
TO PAY 5% TAXES

TO THE LOCAL
OR STATE GOVERNMENT.

THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
CAN STILL COME IN THERE
AND RAID THEM,

AND STILL TAKE AWAY
THEIR ASSETS,

AND STILL TRY TO RAM
THEM INTO A CAGE.

SO, THAT IS WHAT
IS SO CONFUSING

TO SO MANY PEOPLE
IN THE UNITED STATES TODAY
AND AROUND THE WORLD.

AND WHAT REALLY DRIVES ME
PERSONALLY CRAZY

IS HOW SUBJECTIVELY
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT

CHOOSES TO ARREST
AND PROSECUTE VERY, VERY,

VERY FEW OF THE MEDICAL
CANNABIS PROVIDERS.

THEY ARE DOING IT,

BUT IT'S VERY SUBJECTIVE.

IT'S A BIG PROBLEM,
BECAUSE YOU KNOW WE OPERATE
TOTALLY LEGALLY.

WE COMPLY WITH
ALL OF OUR STATE LAWS.

AND WHEN WE WERE RAIDED
BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT,

WE WERE IN TOTAL COMPLIANCE
WITH THE STATE LAW.

THEY PUT A GUN TO MY HEAD--

ACTUALLY
FIVE ASSAULT RIFLES.

POINTED AT MY HEAD,
SCREAMING AT ME

TO "GET UP, GET UP, GET UP!"

AND I'M PARALYZED,
SO I COULDN'T GET UP.

AND I TRIED TO POINT
TO MY BRACES AND CRUTCHES
NEXT TO THE BED

WHICH COULD SCARILY
ENOUGH LOOK LIKE WEAPONS
BECAUSE THEY'RE METAL.

AND I WAS TRYING TO PULL
MY VENTILATOR OFF

'CAUSE I USE A BREATHING
MACHINE AT NIGHT.

AND THEY WERE TELLING ME
TO PUT MY HANDS UP.

IT WAS VERY,
VERY SCARY, YOU KNOW,

TO BE WOKEN UP AT GUNPOINT.

AND I KNEW WHO IT WAS.

I HAD PREPARED
MENTALLY FOR THIS,

BUT NO PATIENT
SHOULD HAVE TO GO THROUGH
WHAT I WENT THROUGH,

WHAT VALERIE WENT THROUGH.

[ST. PIERRE]
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
HAS MADE HUNDREDS OF RAIDS

IN CALIFORNIA, OREGON,

AND UNTIL VERY RECENTLY,
WASHINGTON,

ON INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE
GROWING AND SELLING MARIJUANA.

[SABET]
LET'S BE VERY CLEAR HERE.

WHAT YOU'RE DOING,
MAKING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS

PROFITING OFF OF MARIJUANA,

GIVING IT TO ANYBODY
WHO WANTS IT,

MIXING IT IN WITH OTHER
ILLEGAL DRUG BUSINESS,

MIXING IT IN WITH
YOUNG PEOPLE HAVING
ACCESS TO IT,

HAVING THEM BE ACROSS
THE STREETS FROM
SCHOOLS, ET CETERA,

THAT IS ABSOLUTELY NOT
PERMITTED UNDER FEDERAL LAW
AND WE NEVER SAID IT WAS.

AND NOW, GUESS WHAT.
WE GAVE YOU TWO YEARS,

BUT WE'RE NOW GONNA
ENFORCE THE LAW.

POLICE DEPARTMENT!
SEARCH WARRANT!

- OPEN THE DOOR!
- [POUNDING ON DOOR]

POLICE DEPARTMENT!
SEARCH WARRANT!
OPEN THE DOOR!

- MOVE. MOVE.
- HIT IT.

[OFFICERS SHOUTING]

[SABET] DO I WANT TO ARREST
THE 85-YEAR-OLD GRANDMOTHER

WITH SIX MONTHS TO LIVE,
DYING A SLOW DEATH OF CANCER,

WHO SMOKES MARIJUANA
EITHER THROUGH A VAPORIZER

OR THROUGH CIGARETTES
THAT SHE OBTAINS?

AND DO I THINK
THAT THAT'S A GOOD USE OF
LAW ENFORCER RESOURCES?

OF COURSE NOT.
NOBODY THINKS THAT.

AND THAT PERSON
ISN'T BEING ARRESTED.

EVERYBODY SAYS,
"OH, THEY DON'T WANT
TO COME AFTER PATIENTS."

WE'RE GOING AFTER THE PEOPLE
THAT ARE MAKING MONEY

OR NOT COMPLYING.
BUT IT'S NOT TRUE.

THEY STILL DO GO
AFTER PATIENTS.

AND THEY STILL DO GO AFTER
PEOPLE WHO ARE COMPLYING.

AND AS LONG AS
YOU HAVE THIS TENSION

BETWEEN THE FEDS
AND THE STATES,

IT'S GONNA KEEP HAPPENING,
BECAUSE THERE'S PEOPLE

THAT WANT TO TAKE
ADVANTAGE OF THAT

BASED ON THEIR OWN
PERSONAL BELIEFS.

[HARTFIELD]
PERSONALLY, I NEVER GREW
UP IN THE INNER CITY,

BUT MY FRIENDS THAT DID
GROW UP IN THE INNER CITY,

THEY CAN TELL YOU THAT
IT'S A WHOLE OTHER SCENARIO

WHEN YOU'RE THERE,
BECAUSE ONE OF COMMON WAYS

TO GET RICH AND MAKE IT OUT
OF THE GHETTO IS TO SELL DRUGS.

AND THE ONLY REASON WHY
THAT WORKS IS BECAUSE THERE'S
A PROHIBITION ON DRUGS

DRIVING THE PRICE
OF DRUGS INCREDIBLY HIGH.

CONSEQUENCES OF PROHIBITIONS
ARE ALWAYS THE SAME.

THE VIOLENCE SKYROCKETS
AND THE DRUG USE GETS
HARDER AND HARDER.

WHEN YOU MAKE IT ILLEGAL,
IT TURNS EVERYTHING UNDERGROUND.

IT FUELS THIS ENTIRE
BLACK MARKET ECONOMY WHICH
IS RULED BY VIOLENCE,

AND PEOPLE ARE
TRYING TO FIT SMALLER
AND SMALLER QUANTITIES

INTO MORE AND MORE
POTENT DOSES,

SO IT'S EASIER TO TRANSPORT.

THE MORE YOU CRACK DOWN
ON SOMETHING,

THE HARDER THE DRUGS BECOME.

IT'S CALLED THE IRON LAW
OF PROHIBITION.

[ST. PIERRE] DURING ALCOHOL
PROHIBITION IN AMERICA,

IT IS ESTIMATED
THAT 700,000 AMERICANS
HAD A PRESCRIPTION

TO POSSESS A CASE OF BEER

OR TWO GALLONS
OF WINE EVERY DAY.

ONE HAS TO ASK ONESELF,

WHAT MEDICAL USE
IS THERE FOR ALCOHOL?

THE ALCOHOLISM RATES
BEFORE PROHIBITION

WERE APPROXIMATELY 10 PERCENT.

THERE'S SEVERAL STUDIES
THAT LOOKED AT PROHIBITION
ALCOHOLISM RATES

AT 25 PERCENT OR HIGHER.

SO, IF WE MADE IT ILLEGAL,

WHY DID THE DRINKING
RATE GO UP SO MUCH?

[CHANTING]

WHENEVER YOU TRY
TO LEGISLATE BEHAVIOR,

ESPECIALLY IN AMERICA,

WE HAVE AN OPINION
THAT SAYS,

"DON'T TELL US
WHAT WE CAN'T DO.

AND IN FACT,
IF YOU TELL US WE CAN'T,

WE'RE GOING TO DO IT."

LOOK AT PROHIBITION.

SO MANY PEOPLE DECIDED

THAT WE NEEDED TO MAKE
ALCOHOL ILLEGAL,

THAT WE DID.

AND IT BLEW UP
IN OUR FACE,

ALTHOUGH IT TOOK US
13 YEARS TO FIGURE IT OUT.

FOR GOD'S SAKES,
IT CREATED THE MAFIA.

[ST. PIERRE]
MARIJUANA PROHIBITION HAS BEEN
SO EXTREME IN THIS COUNTRY

COMPARED ALCOHOL PROHIBITION.

ALCOHOL PROHIBITION,
THE ONLY THING THAT WAS
ACTUALLY ILLEGAL WAS

YOU SIMPLY COULDN'T
POSSESS ALCOHOL

AND THEN TRY TO SELL
IT TO ANOTHER PERSON.

MARIJUANA PROHIBITION
IS SO EXTREME.

YOU CAN'T POSSESS IT.
YOU CANNOT GROW IT.

YOU CANNOT USE IT
AS A RELIGIOUS SACRAMENT.

YOU CANNOT USE
IT AS A MEDICINE.

AND EVEN MORE
TO THE EXTREME,

REGARDING MARIJUANA
COMPARED TO ALCOHOL,

FARMERS CAN'T EVEN GROW
THE NON-PSYCHOACTIVE STRAIN
FOR INDUSTRIAL CROPS.

OF COURSE,
I AM DELIGHTED,

BUT NOT SURPRISED,

BY THE FINAL REPEAL
OF THE 18TH AMENDMENT.

I'VE FELT ALL ALONG

THAT WHEN THIS MATTER
WAS PROPERLY SUBMITTED

TO THE RANK AND FILE
OR OUR PEOPLE,

THEY WOULD READILY SEE
THAT IT HAD NO PLACE
IN OUR CONSTITUTION.

IT WOULD BE VERY DIFFICULT,
IF NOT IMPOSSIBLE,

TO ESTIMATE THE BENEFIT THAT
WILL COME TO THIS COUNTRY

FROM THE LESSONS TAUGHT
TO THE COMING GENERATIONS

TO MAKE IT THEIR
BUSINESS TO SEE

THAT NO SUCH MATTER
AS THIS IS EVER AGAIN

MADE THE SUBJECT OF FEDERAL
CONSTITUTIONAL LAW.

[MAN] MARIJUANA IN GENERAL
IN CALIFORNIA IS FINE WITH ME.

SOME PEOPLE NEED IT
MEDICINALLY, CLEARLY.

THE BENEFITS ARE--
THERE'S DATA TO BACK UP

THE BENEFITS
OF MEDICAL MARIJUANA.

I'M FINE WITH IT.

I'M ACTUALLY FINE WITH IT
EVEN NON-MEDICINALLY.

WEED'S NOT DANGEROUS.

IT'S CERTAINLY NOWHERE
NEAR AS DANGEROUS

AS ALCOHOL CAN BE.

AS A RECREATIONAL DRUG,

CANNABIS IS INCREDIBLY SAFE.

IT'S INCREDIBLY THERAPEUTIC.

AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO ALCOHOL?

IT SEEMS TO MAKE
A LOT OF SENSE.

TO ME IT'S NOT AN ISSUE

ABOUT COMPARING DANGERS
OF ALCOHOL VERSUS MARIJUANA.

YOU CAN TAKE ANY DRUG

AND SAY IT'S NOT
AS DANGEROUS AS ALCOHOL

AND YOU'D PROBABLY
BE RIGHT.

IT MAY MAKE PEOPLE CRAZY
TO THINK THAT,

"HEY, I CAN SMOKE MARIJUANA
AND I FEEL MUCH BETTER

THAN I DO
WHEN I DRINK ALCOHOL.

I GET MUCH MORE VIOLENT
WHEN I DRINK ALCOHOL
VERSUS MARIJUANA."

BUT THAT'S NOT
REALLY OF CONCERN.

WE HAVE TWO LEGAL DRUGS

THAT CAUSE HUNDREDS OF BILLIONS
OF DOLLARS IN ADDICTION

AND SOCIAL COSTS
AND HEALTH COSTS.

WHY WOULD WE CREATE
ANOTHER INDUSTRY LIKE THAT?

IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO ME.

HOW MANY PEOPLE DIE ON WEED?

HOW MANY PEOPLE GET ENRAGED

AND BEAT UP THEIR HUSBAND

OR WIFE OR KIDS ON WEED?

I DON'T THINK
THAT'S EVER HAPPENED

IN THE HISTORY
OF HUMANITY.

[SABET]
YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT
TODAY'S MARIJUANA

ISN'T THE MARIJUANA
THAT YOUR GRANDFATHER
MIGHT HAVE SMOKED.

IT'S NOT THE MARIJUANA
THAT WAS ALL ABOUT PEACE,
LOVE AT WOODSTOCK.

A LOT OF THE MARIJUANA
IN THE UNITED STATES
IS INDOOR GROWN.

IT IS MANIPULATED
SO THAT THE THC CONTENT,

SO THE ACTIVE INGREDIENT,
WHAT GETS YOU HIGH,

IS ACCENTUATED.

AND THE OTHER INGREDIENTS,
WHICH ACTUALLY HAVE

A COUNTER-BALANCING
EFFECT ON THE THC--

AN INGREDIENT LIKE
CANNABIDIOL, OR CBD--

IS ENGINEERED IN A WAY
SO ITS EFFECTS ARE REDUCED.

AND THAT WAY
YOU GET A BETTER HIGH,

BUT ALSO THAT BETTER HIGH

TRANSLATES INTO
BIGGER HEALTH HARMS.

ONE OF THE MORE SURPRISING
THINGS THAT PEOPLE LEARN

WHEN THEY HEAR ABOUT
THE PROCESS OF ADDICTION,

IS THE FACT THAT
THERE'S NOTHING OUT THERE
THAT GETS YOU HIGH

THAT YOUR BRAIN
DOESN'T ALREADY MANUFACTURE.

ALL WE'RE DOING
WHEN WE USE DRUGS

IS WE ARE DISPLACING
WHAT'S ALREADY THERE

WITH OTHER CHEMICALS.

WHEN WE PUT THOSE
CHEMICALS INTO OUR BRAIN,

THE END RESULT IS
OUR BRAIN STOPS MAKING
THE SAME AMOUNT

OR THE SAME TYPE
OF CHEMICALS

BECAUSE WE'RE BRINGING
IT IN FROM OUTSIDE.

THERE'S A DIFFERENCE
IN THE HIGH

BETWEEN DIFFERENT
KINDS OF DRUGS

BASED ON THEIR PROPERTIES.

THE MOST EXTREME DRUGS
ARE THE STIMULANTS.

COCAINE
AND METHAMPHETAMINE

TEND TO BE THE ONES
THAT CAUSE THE MOST DAMAGE

BECAUSE THEY SEEM TO BE
ADDICTIVE VERY QUICKLY.

MARIJUANA DOESN'T HAVE
THAT SAME INTENSITY TO IT,

BUT FROM A NEUROTRANSMITTER
PERSPECTIVE,

IT'S STILL LOCKING OUT
THE BRAIN'S NATURAL
NEUROTRANSMITTERS.

THERE'S PHYSICAL DEPENDENCE

AND THEN THERE'S
PSYCHOLOGICAL DEPENDENCE.

AND YOU DON'T NEED TO HAVE
PHYSICAL DEPENDENCE

IN ORDER TO HAVE
AN ADDICTION.

THE FACT
OF THE MATTER IS,

MARIJUANA EFFECTS
CANNABINOID RECEPTORS
IN YOUR BRAIN,

IF OFFSETS
THE NATURAL ONES
THAT WE MAKE,

AND YOUR BRAIN NEEDS
THOSE CHEMICALS

IN ITS NATURAL AMOUNTS,

AND IT'S NOT MAKING
THEM ANYMORE

BECAUSE YOU'RE
PUTTING THEM IN.

THAT CREATES
A PHYSICAL DEPENDENCE.

YOUR BODY GOES THROUGH
A WITHDRAWAL WHEN YOU'RE
NOT SMOKING IT.

NOW, THIS IS FOR
REGULAR SMOKERS.

IT'S NOT FOR PEOPLE
WHO SMOKE ONCE A MONTH.

[DANOVITCH]
WITHDRAWAL SYMPTOMS
FOR MARIJUANA,

PROBABLY MOST SIMILAR
TO NICOTINE WITHDRAWAL

IN TERMS OF INTENSITY.

THEY'RE NOT AS SEVERE
AS THE WITHDRAWAL

YOU SEE WITH ALCOHOL
OR WITH OPIOIDS.

THEY'RE CERTAINLY
NOT LIFE-THREATENING.

IN ORDER WORDS,
IT'S NOT GONNA KILL YOU.

IT'S NOT MEDICALLY
DANGEROUS,

BUT IT'S CERTAINLY
UNCOMFORTABLE

AND IT CERTAINLY
SUSTAINS CONTINUED USE.

[ODUM] WHAT WE KNOW IS
FOR PEOPLE WHO DRINK
OR USE SUBSTANCES,

ADDICTIVE PRESCRIPTION
MEDICATIONS, MARIJUANA,

APPROXIMATELY ONE IN TEN
ARE GOING TO HAVE A PROBLEM.

IN OTHER WORDS, NINE PEOPLE
CAN USE IT JUST FINE,

BUT THAT TENTH PERSON,

IT CREATES A PROBLEM
IN HIS OR HER LIFE.

IT BEGINS TO CAUSE SERIOUSLY
NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES.

[DANOVITCH]
WITH THE DEVELOPMENT
OF THE MARIJUANA INDUSTRY

AND MARIJUANA CULTIVATION
AND PREPARATION,

THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT
OF FORMULATIONS OF THC

THAT HAVE BEEN
DEVELOPED AT INCREDIBLY
HIGH CONCENTRATIONS.

AS INDIVIDUALS GET INTO
HIGHER AND HIGHER POTENCY
FORMULATIONS OF THC,

THEY TEND TO GET MORE
SIGNIFICANT WITHDRAWAL
PHENOMENOLOGY.

I HAVE AN INDIVIDUAL
THAT I WAS SEEING RECENTLY

THAT WAS TAKING
A DISTILLATION OF
MARIJUANA OIL

WHICH WAS 70
TO 80 PERCENT THC--

INCREDIBLY
HIGH CONCENTRATIONS--

AND USING A QUANTITY OF IT

THAT WAS GIVING
HIS BODY THC EXPOSURE

THAT YOU COULD NEVER GET TO
BY SMOKING MARIJUANA.

YOU JUST COULDN'T
SMOKE THAT MUCH,
IF YOU SMOKED ALL DAY.

THIS INDIVIDUAL WAS
HAVING REALLY SEVERE
WITHDRAWAL PHENOMENA,

WITHDRAWAL PHENOMENA
THAT REALLY HAVEN'T BEEN
WELL-CHARACTERIZED

AMONG PEOPLE THAT
JUST SMOKE MARIJUANA.

[ODUM]
NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS,

WHETHER IT'S
MADE LEGAL OR NOT,

THERE ARE CERTAINLY PEOPLE
WHO ARE ALWAYS GOING TO BE

EXTREMELY OBSESSIVE
ABOUT THINGS

AND COMPLETELY
OVER THE TOP.

THE YOUNGER YOU START,
THE MORE LIKELY IT IS

THAT YOU ARE GOING
TO BE ADDICTED.

KIDS WHO START USING DRUGS
OR DRINKING BEFORE AGE 15

ARE FIVE TIMES MORE
LIKELY TO BE ADDICTED

THAN KIDS WHO WAIT
TILL THEY'RE 16.

IT'S THAT MUCH
OF A SENSITIVE TIME
IN THEIR LIFE.

THAT MAY HAVE EVERYTHING
TO DO WITH THE FACT

THAT THERE'S A FOREST
OF NEURONS IN YOUR BRAIN,

AND IT'S GETTING MAPPED OUT
AS TIME GOES BY,

AND IT'S GROWING
AND DEVELOPING,

AND IF YOU LAY DOWN
ADDICTIVE MEDICATIONS
INTO THE HARDWIRING,

THEN IT'S MUCH MORE LIKELY
YOU'RE GONNA HAVE
A PROBLEM WITH IT

THAN IF YOU LAID DOWN
CALCULUS ABILITY
AND TRIGONOMETRY FIRST

AND THEN SMOKE ON TOP OF IT.

SO, MAYBE WAIT
A LITTLE WHILE

BEFORE YOU START
DOING THAT KIND OF STUFF.

MARIJUANA IMPACTS
THE ENDO-CANNABINOID SYSTEM
IN THE BRAIN.

THAT'S A NEUROTRANSMITTER
SYSTEM

THAT'S VERY INVOLVED
IN BRAIN DEVELOPMENT.

THERE'S A LOT OF CONCERN
THAT HAVING HEAVY EXPOSURE

TO MARIJUANA DURING
THE PHASE OF LIFE

THAT WE'RE HAVING
MAXIMAL BRAIN DEVELOPMENT,

AND THAT IS DURING YOUTH,

IS NOT A GOOD THING.

A CONSISTENT
AND GROWING SET OF
DATA AND STUDIES

WHICH SHOW THAT THERE ARE
SUBTLE BUT SIGNIFICANT EFFECTS

AND LONG TERM EFFECTS

ON THE QUALITY OF COGNITION
AND BRAIN FUNCTION

AMONG INDIVIDUALS THAT
ARE EXPOSED TO HEAVY AMOUNTS
OF MARIJUANA EARLY ON.

THERE'S SO MUCH MISINFORMATION
FROM EVERY SIDE

THAT IT WOULD BE NICE IF
WE COULD ACTUALLY HAVE FACTS.

UNFORTUNATELY,
EVERY TIME A STUDY COMES OUT

THAT SAYS SOMETHING POSITIVE
ABOUT MARIJUANA,

ANOTHER ONE COMES OUT
THAT SAYS SOMETHING NEGATIVE.

SO, IT REMAINS MURKY
AT BEST.

WE REALLY NEED
TO BE DOING NEW RESEARCH

[NIXON]
HELLO, NEIL AND BUZZ,

I'M TALKING TO YOU
BY TELEPHONE

FROM THE OVAL ROOM
AT THE WHITE HOUSE,

AND THIS CERTAINLY HAS
TO BE THE MOST HISTORIC
TELEPHONE CALL EVER MADE.

IN ALL OF MY YEARS
IN OF PUBLIC LIFE...

[DU PONT]
WELL, I GOT INVOLVED
WITH THE DRUG ISSUE

IN THE LATE 1960s THROUGH
CONCERN ABOUT CRIME

IN THE NATION'S CAPITOL
IN WASHINGTON, D.C.,

AND THAT WAS BEING DRIVEN
BY A HEROIN EPIDEMIC.

WHEN I CAME TO
THE WHITE HOUSE,

PRESIDENT NIXON SAID TO ME

I WAS THE EXPERT ON DRUGS
AND NOT HIM

IN ALL WAYS BUT ONE,

AND THAT WAS
ABOUT MARIJUANA.

WITH RESPECT TO MARIJUANA,

HE HAD DETERMINED
THAT HE WOULD

AND HIS
ADMINISTRATION WOULD

OPPOSE MARIJUANA
DECRIMINALIZATION.

IF I SHOWED ANY SIGNS OF
FAVORING DECRIMINALIZATION,
I WAS GONE.

AND I GOT THE MESSAGE,

AND IT WAS VERY EASY
FOR ME TO ACCEPT THAT

BECAUSE MY FOCUS
WAS HEROIN ADDICTION.

I WASN'T PARTICULARLY
INTERESTED IN MARIJUANA.

I THOUGHT IT WAS TRIVIAL.

I DIDN'T CONSIDER
IT TO BE A VERY SERIOUS
DRUG ISSUE AT THE TIME.

I BLAME NIXON.

NIXON ACTUALLY WAS THE ONE
WHO CRIMINALIZED MARIJUANA,

HE SAW IT AS A WAY TO ATTACK
THE ANTI-WAR MOVEMENT,

MOSTLY YOUNG PEOPLE WHO WERE
EXPERIMENTING WITH DRUGS.

IT WAS A WAY FOR HIM
TO BE ABLE TO ARREST PEOPLE

AND PUT THEM IN JAIL

AND A WAY TO ATTACK
THE COUNTER CULTURE.

I THINK THAT
IT'S REMAINED THAT WAY

BECAUSE IT STILL
IS AN EFFECTIVE TOOL

FOR ATTACKING
THE COUNTER CULTURE.

[MALE NARRATOR]
THIS IS THE STRAIGHT SOCIETY.

THE ORDERLY, WELL-MANAGED,

WELL-DISCIPLINED WORLD
OF THE ESTABLISHMENT.

[DU PONT] IN 1974,
NIXON WAS GONE

AND NOW WE'VE GOT
GERALD FORD IN.

I WAS THE HEAD OF
THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE
ON DRUG ABUSE AT THAT TIME

AND THE WHITE HOUSE
DRUG PERSON.

AND GERALD FOLD HAD NO QUALMS
ABOUT DECRIMINALIZATION,

SO I WAS QUITE FREE
TO EXPRESS SUPPORT
FOR DECRIMINALIZATION,

AND THAT MADE ME
SOMETHING OF A HERO

WITHIN THE PRO-DRUG
GROUP AT THAT TIME.

OVER THE COURSE OF MY TIME
IN THE GOVERNMENT,
MARIJUANA USE EXPLODED,

AND WE GOT TO A POINT
WHERE ONE IN NINE AMERICAN
HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS

WERE SMOKING
MARIJUANA EVERY DAY.

I REGRETTED
THIS NEW SOFTER LINE

WHEN I BECAME
CONCERNED ABOUT IT.

I HAD TRIED FOR YEARS,

TRIED TO SAY
MARIJUANA IS A PROBLEM,

BUT I DON'T THINK
PEOPLE SHOULD BE ARRESTED
FOR MARIJUANA.

I DON'T THINK IT SHOULD BE
A CRIMINAL VIOLATION.

I NEVER SAID I THOUGHT
MARIJUANA WAS A GOOD THING--
USING MARIJUANA.

I THOUGHT FROM
A HEALTH POINT OF VIEW,
IT'S A BAD THING.

I WOULD ALWAYS SAY THAT,
BUT WHAT'S REALLY
STRIKING ABOUT IT

IS EVERYTHING I SAID
WAS WAS EXPERIENCE--

UNDERSTOOD AS EITHER,
PRO-POT OR ANTI-POT.

THESE DISCRIMINATIONS
I WAS MAKING

COULDN'T BE TRANSLATED.

THE MEDIA IS A BIG
FACTOR IN THIS,

BUT NOT BECAUSE
OF ANY MALICIOUSNESS,

BUT BECAUSE THE MEDIA
IS RESPONDING THROUGH
THE AUDIENCE.

THE MEDIA MAKES
ITS MONEY BY HAVING EYES.

YOU HAVE
A LITTLE BIT OF EYES,

YOU GET A LITTLE BIT
OF MONEY.

YOU'VE GOT A LOT OF EYES,
YOU GET A LOT OF MONEY.
IT'S NOT HARD TO FIGURE OUT

WHY THEY GO
THE DIRECTION THEY DO.

YOU'D SAY, "BALANCED,"
YOU KNOW,

"NUANCED,"
TO USE THE TERM.

"COMPLEX."

OH, NO.

YOU'RE THIS SIDE
OF THE LINE

OR YOU'RE THAT
SIDE OF THE LINE,

AND ANYTHING ELSE
DOESN'T MATTER.

YOU HAVE TO BE
YES OR NO.

IT HAS TO GO ON
A BUMPER STICKER

OR YOU CAN'T PLAY
THIS GAME.

GUN CONTROL, ABORTION,

IMMIGRATION.

EACH OF THOSE THINGS,
IS PHENOMENALLY COMPLEX.

AND IT COMES DOWN TO
ARE YOU IN FAVOR OF ABORTION

OR ARE YOU AGAINST IT?

ARE YOU IN FAVOR OF GUNS
OR AGAINST GUNS?

I MEAN, IT IS MADDENING,
BUT IT'S EVERYTHING.

HONEST TO GOD, THAT'S THE WAY
THE GAME GOES DOWN.

AND THAT'S
WHEN I SAID, OKAY,

I'VE GOTTA MAKE--
THERE'S A LINE HERE.

I GOTTA BE ON ONE SIDE
OR THE OTHER.

AND THE SIDE
I NEEDED TO BE ON

FROM A PUBLIC HEALTH
POINT OF VIEW

WAS TO DISCOURAGE
MARIJUANA USE.

I COULD NOT FAVOR
DECRIMINALIZATION

AND GET THE MESSAGE ACROSS
THAT MARIJUANA WAS A PROBLEM.

IT WAS A BRIGHT LINE
THAT TO COMMUNICATE

I HAD TO BE ON
THE CORRECT SIDE,

OR THE ANTI-MARIJUANA SIDE,

TO BE ABLE TO GET
THAT MESSAGE ACROSS.

[MARGOLIN]
THERE'S NO LAW

THAT'S GOING TO MAKE
MARIJUANA GO AWAY, PERIOD.

WE HAVE DRACONIAN LAWS,

THAT PROVIDED FOR
INCARCERATION

FOR MANY YEARS
FOR MARIJUANA CASES.

IT DIDN'T WORK.

IT'S JUST--
IT'S SHOCKING TO ME.

IT'S A MYSTERY TO ME
WHY IT REMAINS AS IT DOES

IN THE VEIN
THAT IT'S ILLEGAL.

TO CALL A PLANT A CRIME
JUST DOESN'T MAKE SENSE.

YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE A RATIONAL
WAY TO DEAL WITH IT,

AND I THINK WHEN
WE WENT DOWN THIS PATH,
IT'S BEEN IRRATIONAL

AND A GREAT DETRIMENT
TO SO MUCH OF OUR COUNTRY

AND SO MUCH TO PEOPLE
THAT LIVE IN IT

AND AROUND THE WORLD.

[SABET] WE DON'T HAVE TO CHOOSE
BETWEEN EXTREME POLICIES.

THAT'S THE ISSUE
AND THAT'S THE PROBLEM

WITH OUR CURRENT DIALOGUE
ON MARIJUANA TODAY.

WE'RE PRESENTED WITH
TWO POLICY SOLUTIONS.

ONE, ENFORCEMENT ONLY.
ONE, LEGALIZATION.

THAT'S NOT HOW
THE REAL WORLD WORKS.

THERE ARE PRACTICAL REASONS

WHY SOMEBODY SHOULD CARE
ABOUT THIS ISSUE.

ANYBODY LOOKING DISPASSIONATELY
AT THE DATA WOULD SAY,

"THIS IS AN ISSUE
WE SHOULD LOOK AT

AND WE SHOULD MONITOR
AND WE SHOULD CARE ABOUT."

FRANKLY,
THE MOST COST-EFFECTIVE
WAY TO DEAL WITH IT

IS TO PREVENT IT
IN THE FIRST PLACE.

[GALLEGOS] I'M NOT
AN ADVOCATE FOR MARIJUANA,

IT'S NOT MY LIFESTYLE.

I'M NOT ADVOCATING ITS USE,

AND I CERTAINLY DON'T
WITH MY KIDS.

WHAT I DO ADVOCATE IS
RATIONAL GOVERNMENT POLICIES.

WHAT I SEE IS MURDERS
ASSOCIATED WITH MARIJUANA.

BECAUSE OF THE VALUE OF IT,

BECAUSE WE'VE
CRIMINALIZED IT,

WE HAVE YOUNG PEOPLE THAT
ARE BEING KILLED OVER IT.

THAT'S A TREMENDOUS
INDIVIDUAL COST

AND A TREMENDOUS
SOCIETAL COST.

I AM PERSONALLY
FOR LEGALIZATION,

AND I AM A STATE OFFICER

WHOSE RESPONSIBILITY
IS TO ENFORCE THE LAWS

OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA

WHETHER I AGREE
WITH THEM OR NOT.

[ODUM]
I'VE BEEN AROUND
AND WORKED WITH

HUMAN BEHAVIOR LONG ENOUGH
TO UNDERSTAND

THAT LAWS IN SOME CASES
ARE PRETTY SECONDARY,

AND PEOPLE ARE GOING
TO DO WHAT THEY DO

WHETHER IT'S LEGAL
OR ILLEGAL.

WHEN IT COMES TO
THE QUESTION OF AM I FOR IT

OR AM I AGAINST IT?

I SIMPLY LOOK AT IT
AS A THERAPIST.

I'M PREPARED TO DEAL WITH
WHATEVER THE OUTCOME IS

AND HELP PEOPLE MAKE DECISIONS

THAT ARE ABOUT WHAT'S BEST
IN THEIR OWN LIVES

REGARDLESS OF WHAT
A LAW MIGHT SAY.

[ST. PIERRE]
ONE OF THE HARDEST
JOBS AT NORML

HAS BEEN TO GO OUT
TO THE MARIJUANA GROWING
AND SELLING COMMUNITIES

TO ASK THEM TO VOTE
FOR LEGALIZATION.

WITH LEGALIZATION,

THERE ARE GOING TO BE
SOME PEOPLE DISPLACED

WHO HAD BEEN GROWING
IT AND SELLING IT.

AND THAT'S THE
DIFFICULTY OF LOOKING
SOMEBODY IN THE EYE

AND SAYING,
"WILL YOU VOTE AGAINST
YOUR OWN SELF INTEREST?"

PARTICULARLY IF YOU'RE
ASKING THEM TO VOTE

AGAINST THEIR OWN
ECONOMIC INTEREST.

UNLESS THAT PERSON
HAS A LARGER WORLD VIEW

OR A GREATER APPRECIATION
OF THE HUMANITY

THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE,
THEN IT'S A LOT EASIER

FOR THEM TO BE SELF-INTERESTED
AND SELF-CENTERED,

BUT THAT'S NOT AN ARGUMENT,
FROM MY POINT OF VIEW,

TO CONTINUE WITH ANOTHER
80 YEARS OF PROHIBITION.

I HAVE TO BELIEVE
THAT ONCE THE UNITED STATES

ENDS MARIJUANA PROHIBITION,

A GOOD PART OF
THE REST OF THE WORLD

IS GOING TO MOVE
IN THIS DIRECTION
FAIRLY QUICKLY.

[CHABOT] LESS THAN
10% OF CALIFORNIA CITIES NOW

ALLOW FOR MARIJUANA
DISPENSARIES.

THAT NUMBER'S SHRINKING.

SO, I'D SAY WE'VE GOT
SOME GREAT VICTORIES.

BUT IT'S LIKE
THE OLD HORROR MOVIES.

ONCE YOU THINK YOU'VE
GOT THE BAD GUY DOWN, RIGHT?

YOU PUT THE AXE IN ITS HEAD
AND YOU TURN YOUR BACK

AND YOU START WALKING,
WHAT HAPPENS?

THE MONSTER GETS
BACK UP AGAIN.

THIS IS NEVER A PROBLEM
THAT IS JUST GOING TO
GO AWAY COMPLETELY.

IT'S ALWAYS
GONNA BE THERE.

WHICH IS WHY WE
AS HUMAN BEINGS

ALWAYS HAVE TO
BE THERE FOREVER.

[DU PONT]
THE PROBLEM, REALLY,
IS FOR THIS SOCIETY

IS TO COME TO TERMS,
NOT JUST WITH MARIJUANA,

BUT WITH THE USE OF DRUGS
THAT PEOPLE WANT AND PAY FOR,

AND HOW TO DEAL
WITH THE PUBLIC HEALTH

AND PUBLIC SAFETY PROBLEMS
THAT THAT CREATES

IN A WAY THAT'S COMPATIBLE
WITH OUR LAWS,

WITH OUR VALUES,

WITH A CONCERN ABOUT
CARING ABOUT PEOPLE.