Weed the People (2018) User Reviews

Well-made Advocacy Documentary on Medical Marijuana

[JustCuriosity · 8/10 · 13 March 2018]

Weed the People was well-received at Austin's SXSW Film Festival. It is a solid, if somewhat predicable, documentary on the absurdity of medical marijuana prohibition. While it is certainly possible for folks of goodwill to have differing opinions on wisdom of legalizing recreational marijuana, the argument for maintaining medical marijuana as prohibited Schedule 1 drug with zero medical benefits is increasingly ridiculous. The film focuses on telling the stories about half-a-dozen kids with cancer and their parents and the struggles to use marijuana to assist their children. My only concern was that at times they seemed to be delaying traditional treatments in favor of relying on marijuana as an alternative cure. The marijuana advocates often seemed to be experimenting with these kids lives and come dangerously close to practicing medicine without proper training and licensing. While there are certainly medicinal benefits to marijuana particularly in pain amelioration, I'm concerned to see it advocated as cure for cancer and other conditions since that has clearly not been shown by medical research (which the government has unfortunately severely restricted). There was something deeply problematic about the filmmakers use of anecdotal evidence to argue a scientific case. The film was well-made and well-edited. The storytelling was compelling. One questioner in the audience pointed out - correctly I think - that title, while funny, suggested a film that was more about recreational weed than a lot more serious issues involved in treating those with terminal illnesses. They might want to consider a new title or adding a subtitle.

Very Interesting

[Mehki_Girl · 8/10 · 28 December 2019]

Very interesting information presented here, including the fact that some stains of cannibids can make certain cancer cells (breast and colon) "commit suicide", while not affecting other cancers like prostate.

The show follows four families who's children do improve and two remain cancer free, while one child died as predicted within 8 months, he did improve for a while. Another child continues to have shrinking brain tumours.

This film makes enough of a case that we the people should start making demands on our government representatives to start making changes in how this plant is classified.

This documentary also follows a woman called Mara who "treats" the children with her cannabis oils and documents their information in hopes of passing it on to the medical professionals.

Unlike another reviewer, I didn't find her controlling. When one mother decidef she knows more about mixing the oils and starts who own business and no longer followed her protocol, she drops her. But not because she is controlling, but because she needs to be able to keep accurate records. After all she had done saving that mother's child's life I think it was the mother that was cold and controlling, rather flippant, and not particularly nice.

A thought provoking documentary

[GirlRebuilt · 7/10 · 19 September 2020]

This thoughtful and sensitive documentary shows the often gut wrenching plights of several families with children battling cancer who are helped tremendously by medical cannabis. I have seen many times the phenomenal results that medical cannabis has in controlling the side effects of chemotherapy, but the fact that correctly dosed appropriately chosen strains of both THC and CBD tinctures can actually serve as tumour shrinking agents, as demonstrated in clinical settings in more liberal countries, is new to me. It's unfortunate that because big Pharma cannot gain from the use of cannabis for medical treatments we are seriously lacking in the studies that we need to know how to use it use to combat many diseases. I live in a country where not only is cannabis legal for medical use, but it is also now legal for recreational use. I have used prescribed clinical grade CBD oil to help with the symptoms of MS and fibromyalgia. But this film makes me wonder if correctly chosen and dosed cannabis extracts could actually help me battle the diseases, MS in particular, at their core as opposed to just providing some relief from symptoms. But alas, if in a country that recognizes that cannabis has medical merits and no longer criminalizes its use recreationally, big Pharma still controls what is studied and what is not based on their own financial agenda . This film is thought-provoking and extremely optimistic in its tone. I won't lie, the Kleenex did come out a few times, but for the most part this film shows children having success treating cancer with medical cannabis and are happy, thriving , and now in remission. This is clearly an advocacy piece so it is one sided in its opinion of the merits of cannabis. But if nothing else perhaps it will prompt people with serious illnesses or their caregivers to entertain the idea and do some research on their own, however limited the resources may be. My only issue with the film is it's title. I actually passed this one over many times having read the title but not the synopsis and thought it sounded like another stoner-made decriminilization piece. Something more indicative of it being a medical documentary would have been much more fitting.

Informative and Interesting

[anthonydapiii · 7/10 · 20 July 2020]

I learned more about science in this episode than was expected.

This was fascinating and compelling. The story's always add an element of depth to a film like this.

Data that shakes your stigmas and assumptions to their core.

[jakeryanswanson · 10/10 · 25 January 2019]

This is not another hyped up, stoner, progressive, liberal leaning documentary. Though many of those have been affective or true, this one takes out every stigma of those movies and presents hard data and facts.

This movie is concrete, analytical and authentic. Those three elements bring about awareness of simple data, innovators, open-mindedness and a dense history.

It evokes equal feelings of happiness, sadness and confusion.

I believe I am very progressive, and this movie blew my mind and added many key tools to my advocacy tool belt. It is on every recommendation list I have. This is a tool and an educational piece, in the deepest most connective manner.

Well done.

A beautiful film

[hollygriggspall-2 · 10/10 · 24 February 2019]

This is a beautiful film dealing with one of the toughest subjects there is - childhood cancer - with light and grace and optimism. Well-researched but also utterly compassionate to the families involved. I went in thinking it would make me sob, but I left uplifted. Just beautifully crafted as a film.

Great job of making the most important points!

[fcbkcontctacct · 10/10 · 16 May 2020]

I think the film did a great job of making several very important points: 1. Chemo is very hard on anyone. 2. Cannabis cannot hurt a person. 3. Cannabis helps lessen or eliminate side effects of Chemo. 4. Cannabis helps lessen the mental and physical pain of cancer. 5. Cannabis may increase the chances of a positive outcome for cancer patients. 6. The U.S. Government doesn't want the public to know the benefits of Cannabis. 7. There has been untold needless suffering because of the Government's refusal to use Cannabis. 8. The cost of medical grade Cannabis is outrages.

A few things the film does not tell you: 1. You can make your own Cannabis oil. The instructions are all over the net. 2. Homemade Cannabis oil will cost a fraction of medical grade oil. 3. Since Cannabis relaxes you, there is hardly an ailment or concern that will not be improve if you keep a low level of Cannabis in your system at all times. 4. I don't care how good a Dr. may be, a patient needs to take responsibility for his/her own care. The current state of medical care in the U.S. is such that no has the time to make absolutely sure patients are getting the best care possible. 5. If you know how to use Google, you have a ton of information available to learn what you need to know about any medical issue. If you care about yourself or your loved ones, you will become educated on the problems and the possible treatments, including natural product treatments.

This film is misleading in a big way . . .

[trillium-79535 · 1/10 · 18 June 2019]

I honestly had hoped this would have been a well thought out documentary but it isn't. Mara is in this to sell her software to doctors is what you should really focus on here which explains her controlling attitude. They leave out the part about how the mother of the baby did not follow Mara's recommendations initially and THAT is why the child does poorly. They created a dramatic effect here but they should have explained the mother's reticence about this new treatment which would have been very understandable. When the mother of the baby is using other sources due to cost of Mara's oil, Mara takes a really hard line with her and then tersely tells her they are not her patients anymore. OMG really? Instead Mara could have said, ok I get it. My oils are expensive. Keep me informed on how your daughter does. Keep in touch etc. But no. Mara cuts them off with her hatchet personality. The mother then sees the holes in Mara's approach and decides to organize herself and the film makes it out like she is the wrong doer. I think Mara can be super controlling and egotistical and this turns folks off in a big way. It made me pause. Another HUGE fail with this film is one of the patients dies. He is the only one of color and there is really no discussion on this either. What happened and why. I mean this one died, maybe a paragraph on this would have been appropriate? When you go to their site you will not find helpful info on any of this on how much of this or that to take for conditions. Nope you will find more selling for consulting. This so called documentary is an infomercial pure and simple for Mara and her software and the expensive oils. Really a shame since it is entities like this that sets back the credibility of this sector and what it CAN do. Mara's clipboard and novelty data base and all is just a really bad approach on so many levels but it makes her out like this great champion. Ha! If she was really trying to do right with all this the information would be free on the site. Her methods are not that great either so do not get lulled into the idea she has some special data that will help. They also don't really discuss all the big time variables with THC and CBD and how you will NEVER get the exact same stuff in each generation of oils since the plants don't operate that way. Also distillates are much more concentrated than oils and you don't need to use as much and way cheaper. I hate people who take advantage of the sick for their own monetary gains. The big tell here is when Mara says "you are not my patient". Mara has zero credentials as being anything close to a doctor. This is her ego revealing itself. I would warn others that this so called documentary is missing critical information and is very misleading. It also brings home the point that Ms Lake is not really doing her due diligence with what she produces. You don't need to be an expert to see the gaping holes in this piece of digital garbage.