High Relief (2016) Movie Script

1
[Breathing]
My whole life, I always thought
Cannabis was an illegal drug.
It was something
people did illegally.
It was not something
That you were
supposed to do.
It was against the law.
It was frowned upon by society.
There were no
benefits to it.
It was really just going
to destroy your life.
It was going
to make you lazy.
It was going to make
you eat too much.
It was going
to make you stupid
and not be able
to remember anything.
It stimulating.
Mind expanding.
Safer to use
than alcohol.
It's the in thing.
The hula hoop
of the jet generation.
And a much a part
of growing up
As smoking corn silk
behind the back fence.
But I want to
tell you about
something, that has
everyone buzzing.
Something that concerns
mature boys and girls
just like you.
Something called grass.
[Music]
Theres a lot of
abuses, a lot of
loopholes. There's
a lot of vaugness in there.
AS a result,
it's not something that
we should put
in our constitution.
[Music]
So I researched it
and low and behold.
It was a medicine
in this country.
From 1850 to 1937
Manufactured by
Merck, Elli and lilly.
All the major
pharmaceutical companies.
And it was used
for different disorders.
prevalently for
muscle relaxing,
anti-inflammatory and pain.
And I went
Whala, that's what
it's doing for me.
I gotta try this!
[Music]
We have known
there are anticonvulsant
properties in this plant
for 40 years.
The federal government
is standing in the way
of scientific progress
that could save our children.
It's unbelievable.
The fact that
we still don't know
how to use it effectively,
is unpardonable.
This issue, whether it be
amendment 2 or
senate bill 1030
is about parents
having options.
Not everyone is
going to sign
that waiver and
allow their kids to
be put on veterinary medications.
Truth is, there's a
million things that are
more fun than sitting around
getting stoned.
Yeah! We like
to party!
[Music]
Losing all motivation,
It's likely that
you will drop out
of school.
Take a sudden liking
to sitar music
and maybe even
get felt up
by a cop or two
So why smoke grass?
I took it on a dare.
I am Mike Tyson
a professional fighter
You can keep drugs
out of your life
and knock them out
of society, by saying no
Say no to drugs!
You there. Stop laughing!
Laughing is a sympton caused
by blowing pot.
Take a good look
at yourself.
Are you addicted?
Are your eyes half shut
and bloodshot?
Do you recognize
that person in the mirror?
Then blame it all
on marijuana
[Screaming]
Florida is known
as a swing state.
It's known as
a gateway state,
once Florida goes
The rest of the south
will go.
Georgia will become
medically legal,
Tennessee will become
medically legal, and all the
states around.
We've collected
a million signatures to
get this on the ballot.
We're fighting to make
sure we get 60% of the votes
we need to pass
this constitutional amendment.
To allow for medical marijuana
in this state.
Well just in a few month
you and Florida voters will
get the chance.
to vote on amendment 2,
which would legalize
medical marijuana.
Well tonight the group
"No on 2" is saying
that is it passes,
something as simple as a cookie.
When mixed with pot
could "Be the new
face of date rape."
Amendment 2 caregivers
can't be arrested or sued
If their pot hurts
someone.
They don't call it the
drug dealer protection act
But they should.
Yes on 2 allows
medical marijuana use
Under the strict
supervision of a doctor.
Only for debilitating
conditions and diseases,
Such as cancer
and M.S.
As a sherriff
I'm worried about
amendment 2
But as a father
I'm angry
amendment 2 is a scam
It preys on compassionate
Floridians
And gives teens
legal access to pot
Make no mistake
Teen drug use will rise.
They don't call
amendment 2 the
pot for teens amendment,
but they should.
There's polling that
says it will, that says
it won't. Look,
60% is a landslide
in Florida
Those who cover
politics, it's a landslide.
If it doesn't get there
then my effort failed,
but look
I'll tell you this.
I would much rather, Greg,
Try and fail,
then to never try at all.
What is on the ballot?
The ballot summary,
[Speaking text on screen]
That again is
what voters will see
when they vote.
And it says
"other conditions."
I think the other conditions,
what other conditions?
Debilitaing diseases
or other conditions.
What's another condition?
I don't sleep well at night.
My legs hurt.
The problem that
exists is that
Because there's an
existing CBD law
in Florida
There is a possibility
that the voters will
become apathetic
Meaning they will
think "Oh, the
laws already there.
Why do we need to change it?"
and not vote.
So what is the difference
between the statute that was
passed that takes effect
in January.
"The charlotte's web act."
what is the difference.
between what they passed in
January and what might come
on amendment 2?
charlotte's web will only help
a small number of Floridians
with a certain segment of
debilitating conditions.
They have estimated
100K patients under
charlotte's web. The
department of health is
estimating 400K under
amendment 2.
and I don't believe that
charlotte's web will help
the vast majority
of Floridians.
It's very clear to know that
charlotte's web is Marijuana
in the form of a pill
or an oil.
And there have
already been legislators
looking at expanding the scope
of that bill.
cause it's very
tightly regulated.
It's the big scam
of 2014
To get the compassionate
people of Florida,
which we all are.
To vote and legalize
marijuana
It's about money,
It's about greed.
I think this is a
good chance for Florida
to step up.
Stop being the last
leg to kick in.
And as far
as current polls,
Florida is 90% in.
On one hand yes,
Florida is taking the right
step towards legalization.
On the other hand
they didn't produce any of
the rules.
and the way they
took that step, was not
the best in my opinion.
It's called
"Senate Bill .1030"
Under 1030, the way
the rules are setup.
There are only 41
nurseries in the state of
Florida that would qualify,
for a license.
And of those 41, they are
only going to give out 5.
and they are estimating
there are about 40-50K
patients that could benefit.
From this low
THC marijuana
You've got 5 dispensaries
catering to 40K potential
patients
It's not enough.
Most states that have
medical marijuana laws
have done it, the route
of their state legislative
bodies.
Which means that
in those states that have
had issues, have had loopholes,
seen abuse in the law. The
legistlature in that respective
state, has been able to go back
and amend the law.
Unfortunately,
This is an amendment to
our state constitution.
This is not a bill.
There's no way to amend this,
this is what it is.
I'm standing behind
amendment 2 because,
I've seen people that I
know and love. Members of
my family, close friends.
Lose their lives, or lose
big chunks of time in their lives,
as a result of addiction.
And most of that
addiction has started with
the legal prescriptions of
narcotics like percocet,
clonapine, xanax. As a
result of
depression anxiety,
car accidents,
so to the extent that
people
can be recommended
to use marijuana versus
these
dangerous, highly addictive,
potentially lethal narcotics.
I think that's a good thing.
Good for the state of Florida,
and good for the public health.
I'm not arguing, that
People that are severely sick,
and no traditional
medicine works
Shouldn't have a pill
that has the cannabanoids
of marijuana in that
I support that,
but that's not what we
are debating here today.
We are debating an
intoxicant that is going to
be abused, because there
have been intentional loopholes
written into the law.
Aparently in California,
and some other states.
27 States
and the district of Columbia
have approved medical marijuana.
But in California, some doctors
are apparently Skyping
with patients and you
have a brief conversation
with the doctor
and then he writes you a script.
Now is that possible
in Florida, under this?
I don't believe that it is.
California is not a
representative example.
California was the first
state to pass a medical marijuana
law is 1996,
it is largely the example
of how not to do this.
There have been 22 other
states plus D.C.
that have passed medical
marijuana laws since then.
In drafting our law,
we were able to take
examples from each state.
and take the best
parts from each, and leave
out the worst from others.
Largely what we have
tried is not be like
California, and I think we have
acomplished that with
Amendment 2.
The languange in this bill
is nearly identical to that,
citizens in California
currently have.
[Ben Pollara shouting that is false]
and we've seen
what happened with
the pill mills.
In the past where
We had fake doctors
all over town, handing out
How is that comparable?
I don't understand.
We had all these
clinics and stores,
people were walking in
and getting
recommendations for
prescription medications
for very vague conditions.
This is exactly what's
going to happen if voters
approve this amendment.
We are going to have marijauana
stores all over town.
I think the polls
have changed so much
since I started working on this.
Even just a few
years ago.
I think the older
generation has been able
to see this
it hasn't just been what
they perceived.
They've been able
to look things up on the
internet,
see the videos, see
the children with epilepsy
in Colorado.
and everyone else
that's been having to
move from one place to
another.
I think we have gotten to
where we are because
of that,
I think we have a good
chance. The problem is
in non presidential year
elections
You don't see the same voter
turnout, and that's our
job to get voters to the polls.
It's certainly a challenge
to get to 60% in Florida
or in any state.
We're one of the
only states where you
need 60% to pass,
most states are 50%
plus 1
This should be put
into law, where we
can change it.
as things change,
as we understand,
what the impact is
going to be on dosage
On Strength
We can change a law,
we just can't change
a constitutional amendment
very easiliy.
It's really not a
controversial proposition
to most people that
If a doctor recommends
some sort of treatment to
a sick patient, whether it's
Whether it's exercise, a
change of diet, a multi-vitamin
or the use of marijuana.
That patient should be
able to follow their doctors
recommendation, without
fearing arrest.
I don't think that's
a controversial position.
I don't think it will be going
into election day, which is why
I think we'll win.
We started this documentary...
In a lot of ways,
we didn't know where it
was going to go.
Me personally, I never thought
that weed could be used medically.
I thought my whole life, that
it was fake, not true. These
were lies people were giving
That weed could actually
be used as a medicine.
I always thought it
was people trying to get
around the system,
around the laws.
To make it so that they
could smoke weed legally.
I thought it was all
a big trick.
[Music]
Studio A64 is here,
we call it liberty hall.
It looks like a ship,
we call it the buffalo ship.
Because our founding fathers
threw tea into the harbor.
Then went out to a bar
and got drunk, look it up.
Look it up, our founding
fathers. All those guys we worship.
They pirated a ship, threw in the
tea in the harbor, went to a bar
and celebrated their
rights as Americans to do so.
So studio A64 is just that.
We're not George Washington,
not Thomas Jefferson.
We're just two veterans
who believe in our country
and we are going to fight for
that damn right.
[Music]
It's kinda like in the
very beginning, with the
end of prohibition.
You tried to regulate and
criminalize this, and all it
did was ruin your society.
And Colorado, Washington
Alaska, all across this country
23 states and the
district of Columbia
have legalized it for
medical or recreational use.
So the question is,
where do American's go
where they can
express their rights and
liberties that we're founded
on.
We have coffee shops,
we have bars, we have
cocktails.
Cannabis is the same thing,
we must be equals as artists and
individuals. Because we are
Americans.
[Music]
So why is our
federal government not
allowing it to be legal?
Money, that's the only
reason anything happens in
this country is because of
money.
If they can make more money
off of marijuana than
prescription pills, Marijuana
will be legal.
And that's the main reason
marijuana is becoming legal
right now, they figured
out they can make Money.
We have a blue-print
on what to do, and what
not to do.
And I think this is going to
push the federal government in
a direction as more states
adopt policies as it
relates to
marijuana use and
revenue streams
The federal government
has to ease up on the reins
and allow for
fair and free trade to
exist, because right now
it's a cash only
business.
Yes, I'm the Wolf
of Weed street.
How's that?
I guess I would consider
myself a marijuana stock
analyst.
Basically I have created
a community of investors
to
capatilize on the green rush
or the .bong era
So to speak
A small group of investors
who wanted to take part
of this company public.
The issue was, I didn't
know anything about stocks
he didn't know anything
about stocks.
We didn't know
how to plan it out.
However he came up
with a very interesting way
to seperate the public
entity from the growing.
The problem is when you
grow marijuana it's federally
illegal. It's a schedule 1 drug.
Because it's a schedule 1
drug, how can you have a
public company that is
illegal federally.
So he devised a plan
to seperate out
all the other, what they
call the picks and shovels,
all other products
except for the growing
He seperated it out,
and it was ingenius.
and I helped him
with putting all that together
and I helped with
one of the first companies
that went public
It had a tremendous
surge in price because of
the way it was structured.
It did very well,
that was my exposure to this.
I learned a lot.
My father accidentally
fell into this industry after
taking to companies public.
So I sort of piggy backed
onto that as an attorney
as well.
I was already an attorney
before we got into the industry.
However what I did was, instead
of being just a Florida attorney
which is what I was originally
Once I realized there
was a market for this
industry
not so much in Florida
back then, this was a year
and a half ago
there was not really
anything going on in
Florida back then.
What I ended up doing
was going out to states
where marijuana was legal
right now
and I went and took those bars.
So that I could get
barred in as many states as
possible with regards to
marijuana.
A lot of people
anticipate that this should
be like any other business,
but
There's nothing about this
business or industry
that is typical.
Just when you think
you have it figured out
somebody throws you
another curveball.
We were very fortunate
to make some good friends
early on
that allowed us to
share a license.
Which was the easier way
for us to get up and going.
We were able to
purchase a small percentage
instead of starting from scratch.
One of the challenges
here in Colorado to aquire
a license to produce, is
you have to have
a facility.
and your facility
has to be within zone.
and then you can apply
for a license.
So that means people end
up taking a huge financial risk
by acquiring an overpriced
property on the hopes
of getting a license.
and there's no guarantee.
In this industry I have
noticed that you have two
groups of people.
You have the businessmen
in the suits,
and then you have the
lifestylers or people in it
for the good of
marijuana.
and to succeed in this
business, you need both.
The hardest part right now
is trying to
get the two parties to
work together so that
they can actually produce
something that'll work.
It's like, we've done this
by our boostraps you know,
using sales to evolve the
product line and build up
my studio. Stuff like that,
its been
a huge challenge. Shifting from
being an artist
to a businessman, but
its been great
everyday is exciting
and crazy
I wouldn't trade it for
anything. This is the future
right here.
I think it's incredible.
It's a really good time to
be in the business.
It's very beneficial to
our community. That much
money going into
Denver Colorado. New jobs,
new packaging jobs.
Obviously the direct relation
to the cannabis industry.
It's just more
tax dollars for our schools
our roads,
and it gives people like me
who are new college graduates
a chance to
show our own in a brand
new industry, that got pulled
out of the black market.
and pulled out of
the hands of drug dealers.
Because the truth of the
matter is, no one on the
business side who's
ever done cannabis.
There's nobody on the
cannabis side who's ever
really done big business
because you couldn't do it.
So to meet cannabis with
big business, or big business
might be an innapropriate
term but
business professionalism.
It's really a unique item,
and interesting how it's
working to get to that point.
When we all first started
this, most of us when we
first started was about 5
years ago.
and when amendment 20
passed for the state,
back in 2000
it was pretty much open.
When president Obama said
we are not going to
prosecute people for
medical marijuana is
basically what he said.
Everyone decided to open
up shops here and
see what happens.
You've got people with
no business experience
at all trying to do this.
There were no rules,
no rules at all yet.
We finally got rules
July 2011 and they
are very strict.
All the felons
had to be out of this.
Once we got in,
new regulations continue to
come down the pike all the time.
Packaging was a new one
and you'll see
the state continue to
come down on edible
and milligram dosing.
and what not
We had all our process
and procedure and everything
in play
and then they say now
we need single use,
child resistant,
tamper evident,
batch numbered packaging,
and you have to have it
by the first of January.
And the states making
millions of dollars.
Millions and Millions.
Although not as much
as originally anticipated.
Some people seem to feel
that if marijuana is legalized
We're going to be able
to pay off the national debt.
No, it's not going to
do that. It's going to make
a lot of money, no doubt
about that.
But that's not why you
want to legalize marijuana.
You want to legalize marijuana
because it would be beneficial
to our communities. Number 1
reduction in alcohol
consumption.
It's amazing when you
think about it. So this,
I came from a medical
background with cannabis.
I joined the military,
and swore it off during
that time because that
was our oath.
But when I left the military
and had a chance to
live my life and
come to Colorado.
Experience the revolution.
It really is a social,
economical
medical, recreational,
industrial revolution. You can
not over-estimate this.
Cannabis touches
every aspect of our lives.
The clothing we wear,
the lotions we use
the medicine we prescribe
to ourselves.
Those who think that
legalization is a panacea,
I think
they need to ask
themselves some
tough questions too.
because if we start
having a situation where
big corporations, with
a lot of resources
and distribution and
marketing arms are
suddenly
going out there and pedaling
marijuana then
the levels of abuse
that are going to take
place are going to be higher.
[Music]
If you learn anything tonight
it should be that marijuana
is not marijuana, is not
marjuana.
Marijuana is um...
can vary widely in
composition
between strains,
and it's very important
to keep that in mind.
One marijuana strain
can be very rich in the
cannabinoid cannabidiol
and very low in the
cannabinoid THC.
and have very little
psychoactive effect.
Another strain could be
very high in the cannabinoid
THC
and low in the cannabinoid
cannabidiol and
have a very strong
psychoactive effect
So when people
say CBD
The only pure
CBD that exists right now
That is safe and
okay to use
is produced by GW pharma and
it's called epidiolex.
and it is currently in
clinical trials.
Anything else out there
that you see called CBD
it's not CBD it's some
form of whole plant material
that contains everything
else including CBD.
Cannabis, it's something
that effects everyones life.
Its been illegal
so long, everyong thinks
its a dangerous drug.
Everyone thinks it's
harmful, something to
get addicted to.
and it can destroy
your life. But the
truth it, for many people
it's the reason that
they have life.
It's the reason they
can live a normal life.
And it saves, it's
a life saver.
Marijuana as a schedule
1 drug is
asinine scheduling.
whoever does the
scheduling, is a moron.
How you can put
cocaine, heroin and
marijuana into the same
category is beyond me.
You're saying there are
no medical benefits to
marijuana. Yet,
you don't want to test
it and see if there are
medical benefit to
marijuana.
The proof is in
the pudding, so
to speak.
I understand the need and
urgency to find better
medications for our children.
I have personally in
California experienced
going to drug dealers.
to try and get medication
to treat my son.
These are drug dealers
that know nothing about
epilepsy.
They know nothing about
how fragile my son is.
They give me something that
they call CBD rich.
Now, in their opinion
CBD rich means something
that doesn't get them very high.
In my opinion,
CBD rich is something that
has little to no THC in it.
Well my name is David,
I am a little person.
My type of dwarfism,
is call SED congenita.
Which means
I have
skeletal dysplasia and
I was born with it.
This has caused me
to have sever limitations
in my mobility.
which got progressively
worse as I got older.
It wasn't your normal
back twinge, where
a lot of people
go to Chiropractors for.
is was
a pain that has me
curling up into a
fetal ball.
I was hyperventilating
to the point I thought I
was going to have a cardiac
arrest it was so painful.
I can't carry a
coversation, I can hardely
see straight.
It's unbelievable.
I've had it looked at
by my orthopedic
specialist at John's Hopkins
who know dwarfism.
I've had it looked
at by orthopedic
specialists down here.
I've had it looked
at by pain specialists.
I've had it looked
at by my regular GP
I've had it looked
at by my chiropractor.
No one can figure out
exactly what it is
they don't see anything wrong,
I've had MRI's.
It's a mystery to everyone,
they think
it's a side effect of
having all those surgeries
as a child.
My name is
Irvine Rosenfeld
and I am the longest
survivor of the final
two federal medical
cannabis patients in
the United States.
So about the tenth
time I did it, I played
a game of chess.
and I hate chess.
and it took me
thirty minutes to lose.
Then it dawned on me,
I sat for the entire 30 minutes.
Now up to this point,
over the last 5 years
I was able to sit for
ten minutes
and then stand for ten minutes.
Sit stand,
sit stand.
So in what way
had I taken the narcotics
that allowed me to sit.
Then it dawn on me,
I hadn't taken a pill
for six hours.
Then how was I able
to sit? Just then the
person next to me handed
me to joint, it was my turn.
and I thought,
this is the only thing
I have done differently,
I smoked this garbage.
I wonder if there
is any medical benefit
to this garbage.
And that's
how it all began.
My introduction to all
of this was
through the viewpoint,
because I don't smoke
because I don't
ingest it.
The person who
got me into this industry
asked me, do you have any
pains? I said yeah sometimes
my leg
it pains. So he took
out a cream. It was
not this but a similar cream.
and it was a cannabis
infused cream or a salve.
He said, where does
it hurt? I said here under
my knee.
He said, okay
let me put some on you.
He put some on one
knee, I said, what
about the other one?
He was a little pissed
off I was having him
put a salve, just below
my knee.
So he put it on
and he asked me
then we started talking,
he asked me after 4-5
minutes.
So how's the pain?
I said, what pain?
It had actually
just,
I don't want to say
magic, but it disapeared.
The truth is
cannabis is a
it's like the
fountain of youth.
it stops oxidation,
it stops aging processes.
In the future people will
be using cannabis in their diet.
If you eat cannabis
raw, it doesn't get you high.
Most people don't know
that. Since it doesn't get
you high. You can eat a
fairly large amount of it.
The more you eat,
the more antioxidant
properties it has.
It will protect the
beta cells of the pancreas.
Those are the cells that
produce insulin.
The opponent to medicinal
cannabis, focus on the
guy with the surf board.
I focus more on the child
with epilepsy, or
the mother with M.S. or
the grandmother with
cancer, or
the father with cancer.
You know like,
this is real.
And if it were
my daughter, my father
my child
or my grandparents
I would want them
to have access to all
treatment options that
might work for them.
To me, it's insane
that people don't
have that.
So I went back to
Port Smith, and knowing
that the federal government
would probably stonewall me,
it would take me about a year
to write this up.
I needed a supply
of marijuana.
So I went to the
chief of police in my
hometown in 1972
and told him
what I was planning to do.
I asked him to give me
confiscated marijuana
so I wouldn't have to deal
with the criminal element.
and I explained to him
and said check with
the school board
and ask them
about me.
Check with the top
doctors in the community,
ask them about me.
Top lawyers and
business people,
ask them about myself
and my family.
and see what comes back.
So I gave them a week
and they came back, and
said number 1 we asked the
school board and they said
you're one of the best students
they have ever had.
They said I was an advocate
against marijuana in high school,
and if I say it works medically
then it must. They should give it
to me.
They checked with the doctors
in the community and they said
he's lucky to be alive.
and if marijuana works for him,
them you should give it to him.
So I said, so you're
going to give it to me?
and he said No.
I said why? He said
for several reasons, number
you would be breaking
federal law.
I said F federal law,
they don't have to know about
it, I am not going to be bragging
that I am getting it from you.
He said the second
thing is,
that if you caught something
from the confiscated
marijuana, then the city
would be liable.
I said I would indemnify
the city. He said, I suggested
that and the city manager
said no.
You see this was
1972 and they were
starting to use paraquat
and all that stuff.
So the city was worried.
So the chief of police
, chief boone, said to
me. Irvine look
You're not a criminal
you are a patient.
He said, promise me
you'll never sell it
and if anything
happens to you.
You have them call me.
When I discovered this
benign substance was the
best medicine for me
I went about trying
to educate the
federal government.
I was going to school
at the University of
Miami. He was picking
up his
tin of medical marijuana
joint there every month
from the university of
miami bausch and palmer
hospital.
It didn't make sense
to me how this stock
broker in Fort Lauderdale
was able to have medical
marijuana, but the rest of the
Floridians in this state were
not able to have medical
marijuana.
and there were all these
other states around the
country where people are
able to get medical marijuana.
It didn't seem right,
it didn't seem just,
and it didn't seem possible.
I was living in portland
oregon. In 1995 I became a
caregiver for a close friend of
mine
who had contracted AIDS.
He was a roley poley of a guy
that had wasted away
to next to nothing.
I saw that his use of
marijuana, cannabis
restored his appetite
so he'd eat,
keep his weight on,
stay alive.
Back in 1995 people were
taking a cocktail of drugs
and a lot of them if not
all of them, had very
negative side effects.
The cannabis helped
mitigate the side effects
The nausea and all
this kind of stuff, so
he would stay faily compliant
with his medication.
In 1995 AIDS was a
terminal disease
you got AIDS and
you died. So it
was kinda depressing.
So the cannabis did what?
It helped him feel better
and lift his spirits.
So here was this medicine
that made him feel better
helped him stay compliant
with his medicine, helped
him eat so he would stay alive
and I had to go out,
or friends of his had to go
out on the streets to
deal with criminals
to get him this
life saving medication
That's the time that
I recognized cannabis
had health benefits.
I've read bit and pieces
about it helping people
at NORML rally's and stuff
when I used to go as
a college kid.
In the Grateful Dead
shows I would hear
about it helping people
eat.
That are dealing with
chemotherapy and helping
people with AIDS.
That are dealing with
wasting away and
losing their appetite.
but I've never really
heard about it helping
with pain
until I figured out that
it was really helping me.
Seeing what the FDA
has approved in the last
15 years as it relates to
medicine for various
ailments. The
greater likelyhood
of opiate addiction
as it relates to
substances like
oxycodone or
oxi-cotton.
and those being legal
market drugs. You really
run out of excuses as
to why marijuana.
is still being
put into this box.
We have endocannabinoid
systems in our body.
We are biologically
designed by the God
you believe in, for this.
Whether it's
medical or recreational.
Our bodies are by
design are for it.
It's quite
all natural really.
When you're born,
everybody has
endocannabinoid
receptors.
But a perculiar
thing happens when
you first use cannabis.
Something happens
where
they don't exactly know
what it is, but you
up-regulate
additional cannabinoid
receptors.
And all of a sudden
you have multitudes
more
endocannabinoid
receptors, once you
use cannabis.
What this does is
that it allows the user
to have neuroplasticity.
It allows you to inhibit
certain parts of your
brain that you were not
able to inhibit before.
And so you can inhibit
the amygdala
and when you turn the
amygdala off you turn
off the fear,
and the anxiety, that's
why when you eat cannabis.
When you eat cannabis,
it gives you a feeling of well
being. Like there is no danger
around you.
I never thought that
it could help me until
I needed it medically.
At the age of 28
I was diagnosed with
epilepsy, I had my first
seizure.
I had to go to the
hospital, I was in the
hospital for a few days.
And what did they
do? I was put on a prescription
pill. That's what our system
does.
We are put on pills,
that's the way the
medical system works.
There's no options,
that's all they have.
Surgery or pills.
[Seizure sounds]
Who am I?
What am I?
[Incoherent gibberish]
Am I your girlfriend?
Yes
So I started to do
my own research and learning
about CBD oil and how it
can help with epilepsy.
I decided to not listen
to the doctors.
Because doctors did
not care. That's the one
biggest thing about the
medical industry today.
They don't care,
they just want to
make their money.
I decided to take the
risk and start taking CBD oil
everyday
Since then, it has been
six months and I have
not had one seizure.
People use it for pain,
they use it for depression,
they us it for glacoma.
They use it to get
a good nights sleep,
they use it to combat
and it does more movement
disorders, how could one
one plant
have such an incredible
and broad array of effects.
It's because it interacts,
it's the only thing out there
that interacts
properly with our
endocannabiniod system.
And this
endocannabiniod system
is a very mysterious
thing. We only learned about
it 25 years ago.
because we didn't have
the technology to see it,
but once we found it.
But it turns out the
endocannabiniod system
is our largest neuro
transmitting system in
our body.
It is part of what
keeps us in balance,
it is a very old system.
A very old system,
it dates back 650
million years.
When cells were just
beginning to talk to
each other practically.
That's how old it is.
And what happened,
and why it is so important
to us and why cannabis
is so important.
Is that as our
organism became more
complex,
our muscles became
more complex, our
nervous system became more
complex,
our digestive systems became
more complex,
the endocannabinoid
system evolved with
these changes
to act as the
balancing mechanism.
It is the endocannabinoid
system that keeps us
in balance.
We have an endocannabinoid
system.
And we need to feed
deficiencies for some people.
The plant has been around
for 34 million years
and it treats all 210
cell types.
It's magnificent,
it's evolved.
And we've evolved,
and what we need to
do it start to
isolate the different
molecules of the plant
and implement them
dietary suppliments for
some people and dietary
essentials for some people.
This state is full of sick and
dying patients
They've tried a variety
of pharmacuetical drugs
that have not been helpful
or have been terrible
for them with all the
side effects.
They need to at least
have the option to try
medical marijuana if their
doctor thinks it could be
helpful for them.
The benefits I've seen
are unbelievable in some
circumstance, and
we need to study this and
research it more.
and allow patients to have
safe access in this state,
without fearing being
arrested or having their
home raided.
[Music]
most people as you know,
smoke the bud,
take the bud, and
medicate that way.
But there's a lot
other concentrates,
or pills where people
can put these in a purse
go to work, and go
to the mall.
Where nobody knows
what they are doing, so
they can medicate.
You've got shatter,
which is
like liquid gold.
A lot of people use
the shatter when the bud
doesn't work for them
anymore. They've
become resistant
to the bud and they
need something a little
stronger, so they use
the shatter.
We also have tinctures,
basically an alcohol based oil,
they can put in liquids
and food
A different way to take it,
more stealth.
You have edibles
you can take with you
wherever you need to go,
the whole point of this is
to medicate without people
knowing what you're doing.
You're not pulling out and
smoking a joint.
Creams for aches and pains,
which help a lot of people.
Basically, this is what you'll
see out on the market on
average. There's a lot more,
but this is the majority
of what you'll see.
Most people think bud
is the most popular product,
but it's coming back to more
of concentrates, people are
really getting into the dabbing
and the concentrates,
it's a smaller container to
carry around with you.
It's more concentrated
in itself.
There just getting away
from the bud. It's a
something we're seeing,
we never thought we would see.
This is all over Colorado,
and if it's happening here
eventually it will happen
in other places. Bud is
becoming the least that we sell
It's gonna be edibles
and concentrates that
we sell more of.
[Music]
Prohibition cannot
be enforced
for the simple reason
that a majority of American
people
do not want it enforced,
and are resisting its
enforcement.
That being so, the
orderly thing to do
under our form of
government, is to
abolish
a law which cannot be
enforced. A law the people
of this country do not
want enforced.
Let me give you
some history first.
Harry Anslinger was married
to the daughter of
the director of
the treasury.
What happened was they
passed the marijuana tax
stamp, which made
marijuana illegal.
And apparently Mayor
Laguardia,
or governor Laguardia,
decided to trick Henry
Anslinger. What he did was
He started a study on
marijuana and asked Anslinger
for permission to get
marijuana for his study.
And Henry Anslinger was
the head of the
government basically
so he was the only person
that could allow anyone
to have marijuana. So,
Anslinger agreed to provide,
marijuana for this six year
study. And there was like
35 scientists and doctors
conducting this study,
it was a six year study.
At the end of this study,
they disproved all of the
governments negative claims
about marijuana.
It upset Henry Anslinger so
bad, that he decided
well first off he destoyed
as many of those copies
as he could get.
And then he said if any
doctor practiced, or did
any experiments on cannabis
without his specific
written consent
that he would make
sure that doctor
did jail time.
Well I think that's a
conversation changer
too
when you talk to
people about reefer
madness and why
marijuana or even
hemp, right, is illegal.
People tend to go,
really? I had no idea.
I had no idea
that people lobbied
for and were successful in
a propaganda
movement that banned
a plant.
Why are you locking
up someone for
having a joint. There's no
point, who is he harming?
I mean the crime
associated with marijuana
just personally seeing it
What's the worst that's
going to happen from
someone that's high?
They are going to raid a
vending machine or something?
You're not really
looking at violent crimes
when it comes to
marijuana.
Now there is some
violence around it
because it's illegal.
But once you sort of
get rid of that
illegality around it,
any violence around
marijuana should go away.
Well if you understand
the history of prohibition
and what caused it to
become illegal
you'll realize that
tobacco doesn't threaten
the timber industry.
tobacco doesn't threaten
the pharmacuetical industry.
tobacco doesn't threaten
the prison guard union.
tobacco doesn't threaten
any of the lobbying efforts
for cannabis to remain illegal.
I mean if you look at
the history of it. It had
something to do with the
Nixon administration
and it was probably backed
by big pharma coming in
and saying
let's crush this drug, because
they realize that there
probably is a legitimate
medical benefit that
you can recieve from
marijuana.
We need to have more
medical studies out there
showing the reality.
This is what is does for people
and then teach them that
in school. Right now it's
seen as this drug
it's dangerous, it's evil
you have to go out
and do it only
because it's forbidden
by your parents.
Well if they were educated
on what it will do,
then it's not
that thing that you have
to go out and do.
Like drinking alcohol.
Look at all the studies
they haven't done, and
all the studies they have done.
We don't
hear about,
they don't tell us
what the good and the
bad is.
Well the government has
been lying to us for 70
years. I remember
going to school,
and seeing these
black and white films
One of them in particular,
a group of kids go out
and smoke marijuana,
break a bottle and drink
the broken bottle. You know
This is what we were
all filled with, the
horrors of marijuana.
You're told it day
after day after day,
you're going to
believe it.
You tell a lie often
enough and it becomes
the truth as far as
people are concerned.
They've got this
saturated in their
brains. And on top of
that, on top of that,
we had the sixties,
where a lot of people
my generation,
started smoking marijuana.
and yet, so you know
the older people
saw and said Oh My God,
these kids are smoking
marijuana
and their having free
sex, and their saying what
they want to do, and they
are against us going to war.
So marijuana not only
got a bad rap from the
government lying about
it for so long
but it also got a bad
rap because they associated
it with
a major social change
in the country.
The lies that the
government has told
about marijuana has
hurt them more
than they understand.
If the government
is willing to lie about this
then can they be trusted
on any other level.
So what this means is
that people don't trust
their government
because they know
this is such a lie.
and so it hurts them
in their taxes
it hurts them
in respect.
We used to be a land
where we respected
the police.
Where we respected
our rights.
Where we had a
may berry mentality.
But maybe
that was always a fiction.
[Music]
So the first question
that I think we need
to ask is
do we have data from
scientifically conducted, um
studies in a very
rigorous manner.
Where you compare
the safety and efficacy of
the various components
of the marijuana leaf
in people with
epilepsy. And when we
are talking about people
with epilepsy, we have to
be very careful because
we have different
types of epilepsies.
We have certain anti-epileptic
drugs, for example, that work
for certain types of epilepsies
and don't work for other types.
Have we proven safety?
Because that's a very important
issue.
And at this moment,
the answer is no.
I order for use to
capture this information
Dr. Canter is talking about
This critical information
that we need, in order to
go out and treat our children.
With a medication that
might help them instead
of harm them.
Either the same person,
the specialist, the epileptologist,
who understands the
condition of epilepsy,
also understand marijuana.
And be comfortable
prescribing it, or know
how to prescribe it.
Understanding how
to treat with it.
Only for, double blind,
placebo controlled trials,
where the drug was
tested, and the total
about of patients in the
trial was 48.
So you realize it's not a
large amount of
individuals where this
drug has been tested.
I am a desperate parent.
There are other desperate
parents in this room.
We have no alternatives
We can't wait three
or four years for FDA
studies.
The big problem is,
and doctor you're
saying the importance
of studies.
I agree I would love
to see studies
of the whole cannabis
plant.
But the problem is,
the reason we can't
do studies
is because marijuana
is a schedule 1 drug
and no one can
study it.
Over a hundred thousand
people die every year
from FDA
approved drugs.
A hundred thousand.
Not one person to date
has ever been documented
from the use of marijuana.
This is not a drug we
can willy nilly use because
we don't know that
it hasn't killed
somebody. That
is not necessarily true.
Guys, when people because
toxic with these agents
people can commit suicide.
The problem is, how many
doctors do we know
that have the education
and the knowledge about
the use of medical cannabis.
I personally
know 4 or 5 and I
know a lot of doctors
in this state.
The problem is
that the doctors here
are not educated.
And basically what
we saw from senate bill
.1030, the doctors
would go online,
and take an 8
hour class online.
And that's how
they would learn about it.
Is that enough?
So you know who
know's the most?
The passionate
parents, the parents
like me.
The people who care about
their loved one. They'll
study it, they'll learn
as much as they can.
We have known
that there are
anti-convulsant properties
in this plant for 40 years.
The fact that we still don't
know how to use it
effectively is
unpardonable in my opinion.
The fact that federal
government is standing
in the way of scientific
progress,
that could save our
children, is unbelievable.
My alternative is,
going to the nuerologist,
and this is a true story
and they said to me,
Mr. Hyman,
your daughter has
intractable epilepsy.
A third of all epilepsy
patients have intractable
epilepsy.
Meaning, traditional
medications do not work
in any shape or form.
So i would think that 33%
of patients, their desperate,
they would try anything.
So we go to the doctor,
and he says look,
we are at the end of the
line here
there's really no other
options.
But, here's an option,
we want you to sign
this waiver.
This waiver states that
your daughter might
die from taking this
FDA approved medication.
Sign it, oh your daughter
may go blind from taking
this "FDA approved"
medication.
So do we do that?
The answer is, I didn't.
We didn't. So here you
have a medicine
that could potentially
give relief.
And we do know,
I don't think that the
thousand of parents in
the other legal states
Colorado, California,
and the other 27 something
states
I don't think these
parent's are hallucinating
when saying their
childs seizures went from
hundreds a day to 2.
This is factual,
these parents are
telling the truth.
A caregiver can be
anybody that wants to
sign up with
the department of health
and to get a card
that says you can
give out marijuana.
And that card,
is going to limit your
ability
to give marijuana
to only 5 people.
How many of you in
this room
think that if you get a card
That everybody
is only going to
give it to five people.
That somebody's
not gonna give it to
6 or 56
, or a thousand and 6.
There's not enough
cops in the state
of Florida
to keep the bad
actor from doing
the bad thing.
I'm not talking about
epilepsy, I'm not talking about
people that are
going to do it
the right way.
I'm talking about
people that abuse
the system.
Let's assume the state
persues no additional
regulations
when it comes
to who can be
a caregivers under
amendment 2.
Which no one actually
thinks will happen, but
let's just assume that
for the sake of argument.
Under the abuser
scenarios of the caregiver
The drug dealer protection
act, as the advertisements
from the other side like
to call amenment 2.
This drug dealer, is
assigned by a patient
somehow.
Um, registers themselves
with the state of Florida.
Recieves an identification
card from the state
of Florida.
This drug dealer.
Goes to a government
regulates facility,
where purchases are tracked,
where security cameras
are all over the place.
Purchases marijuana there.
And then goes on to sell
that marijuana to 6 or 7 patients
or however many.
It is an absolutely
false, ludicrous argument.
It's intentially vague,
because it's left up
to the department of health
of Florida, to make all
these rules and regulations.
So if the department of health
wants a
marijuana treatment
center on every corner,
they'll allow it.
If they want a
certain type of
caregiver to have
a background check
they'll make sure
that caregivers have
background checks.
This is about providing
an option to doctors.
This is about providing
an option to very
sick and suffering Floridians.
This is about providing
relief and compassion
to the sickest
and most desperate amongst
us as Floridians.
I had a fair number of patients
who realized that when they
were smoking marijuana
their seizure frequency
decreased.
And I had a few patients
that became seizure free.
But, I had four patients
that became
severely psychotic.
Senate bill .1030,
people refer to it
as the charlotte's web bill.
Charlotte's web
is a brand, it's now
a trademark.
So, everytime we say
it. We're putting money
into the pockets of
those who own that
trademark.
They'll be many different
strains out there with
many different properties
of the charlotte's web
strain,
and basically the
Senate Bill .1030
calls for a minimum of 10%
CBD and
no more than .8% of THC.
It's really important to
note that there's nothing
inherently special about
charlotte's web
that any strain that
is CBD rich
um, may have the same
effects
as what people are calling
charlotte's web.
and that we have yet
to define what CBD rich
marijuana actually is.
Rather than talk about
high THC and low CBD
let's just talk about
whether you're going to
get high off marijuana
or you're not going
to get high off marijuana.
It's either euphoric,
you get high
or non-euphoric,
you don't get high.
charlotte's web is designed
to be non-euphoric, and
that's what the parents
asked for, and that's
what the legislature
gave them.
Didn't give them everything
they wanted, but that's
the way the legislative process
works in our country
from washington DC
down to every state in
our country.
We should not have limitations.
Our government should
not dicate to us as a patient
and get between me and my
doctor, by saying, well
you can have this medicine
but you can only have .8% THC
and a minimum of 10% CBD.
We know that children
in other states who
are having success,
with a high CBD low
THC oil,
their using THC that's
above the .8% that's
allowed in Florida.
So my point is, what
happens if my daughter
is one of those children
who needs 1.5% THC.
She won't be able to
get it here in Florida,
with Senate bill .1030.
My daughter should have
all options, and the only way
she'll get all options
is from amendment 2.
If you were sick
and perhaps
dying of cancer,
the high itself which
you get from THC
in and of itself
has a medicinal benefit.
Having cancer, staring
down the barrel of death
is a depressing,
anxiety ridden
process. And part
of the medicinal benefit
for cancer patients
with the use of marijuana
is that little moment of
euphoria during their day.
and the relief from
the anxiety that accompanies
suffering from
a horrible debilitating disease.
But if we're going to be
able to know what the effect
of charlotte's web
We're going to need
it to be given in the
same dosage, in the
same manner,
to patients. We need
to have control groups.
We need to have
a double-blind study.
That's going to take
money, and it's going
to take time to do it.
We need to
get started now,
Because in 3,4,or 5 years
when results start to
come in.
Doctors like on the either
side of me, are going to be
able to look at that
research data
and understand
how it helps people.
Even if people with
epilepsy can benefit
from this particular
configuration
of chemical composition
under Charlotte's web
or senate bill .1030.
It doesn't help everyone.
People with cancer,
will not be helped by this bill.
People with ALS, lou gehrig's disease,
parkinsons, multiple sclerosis,
H.I.V. A.I.D.S. will
not be helped by this bill.
We're not concerned with
good parents getting, um
getting medicinal
marijuana from good doctors.
Let me make that clear,
we're not against that.
Because there's are
going to be good doctors
and there's going to be
parents just like you,
just like my family,
who has people with seizures,
and who have cancer.
That have all of these
other things, and
they need this.
And there's no
problem with that,
what we are concerned with
are the abuses.
How could people sit
on these panels,
and oppose something
that may save my
daughters life.
I just don't get it,
they'd
rather me give my
daughter a veterinary drug,
that could cause brain damage
and kill her.
I agree that as parents,
we should stand up and
demand that that change.
That's the crux of the
problem is that
we don't have the information
that we need right now,
in order to treat
our children.
And to know whether
this is an effective
treatment for
our children
we don't know what
the risks are, we really
don't know what the risks are.
Not everyone is going to
sign that waiver, to
allow their children
to be put on
veterinary medications.
Not every parent,
is going to want to
treat their child
with a CBD enriched oil,
but
the passage of
amendment 2 in particular
is about providing those options.
To you as parents,
and to your physicians.
[Music]
So what they wanted
to do was test the
difference, what's the
difference
between a mouse with
cannabinoid receptors,
a normal mouse
and one of these knockout
mice, without cannabinoid
receptors.
And they developed this
test called the Morse
Water Maze.
And what happened is
there's a big four
foot tank.
They fill it with water.
They have a TV
camera overhead.
They have directional
markers on the inside
of the tank.
And they place a
subsurface stage,
somewhere in the tank,
you can't see it.
And what they do is,
they throw the mice
in there and
they swim around.
And eventually they run into
the stage and they can stand
up and save themselves,
holding their head
up above water without swimming.
Well they train these mice,
and they do this repeatedly
over a week or two.
And after a while, you
throw a mice in and they
swim right to the thing,
because they know where it is.
What they do is they
repeat that experiment,
what they do is move
that subsurface stage,
over to a different
location.
And they throw regular mice,
and the regular mice
swim to where it used to be,
they test the enviroment,
they swim around and around,
and they can't find it.
And they do what
everybody would do,
they look somewhere else.
So they swim around,
and eventually find it,
saving themselves.
But the knockout mice
are perculiar.
They will swim
continuously where
it used to be
until they drown.
Even if you pick them up
and put them on the stage
at the new location,
they deny reality,
and jump off the stage,
and swim where it used
to be until they drown.
And, so they do
repetitive
negative behavior
despite having
feedback that it's
not working.
And they continue
doing this negative
behavior until
they kill themselves.
And they deny
reality when it's
shown to them.
[Music]
I was following
California law, I had a
collective in california
and I was doing everything
by the book and I got arrested.
And I didn't think
that could happen.
I thought we had
passed a law and
I was following it.
So everything was okay,
and I come to find out that
not only was nothing
okay,
but when I reached out
to activist organizations
for help
they didn't know
what to do.
In 2004, there was a
gamechanger. That was
called Senate Bill .420.
We finally got,
8 years after it passed,
we finally got
enabling legislation enacted.
And the distribution
method that this legislation
setup was collectives
and cooperatives.
It says that patients may
assemble collectively and
cooperatively
to cultivate their
own medicine.
Now, just what
does that mean
I'm not sure,
no one really knows.
But it at least
was something.
And so we started
forming these collectives.
Where patients would come
together and we would grow
our marijuana someplace
and distribute it
to the members
of the collectives.
Well some of these
collectives started
growing pretty big.
One thousand, two thousand,
three thousand, four thousand
five thousand members or more.
And when you are going
to be distributing
something to five thousand
people
you're going to have to
have something called
a distribution center.
And in this country,
we call distribution centers
that provide things to people,
stores.
Wallmart is
a distribution center.
And so stores,
operated by these collectives,
started opening up
on mainstreet,
in cities throughout
California,
and the cops went nuts.
I had a very serious
case in mississippi,
charges about Cannabis
crimes.
And I reached out
to every
national organization
that I could
to try and get help
with my plight,
being charged with cannabis.
It turns out very few
people fight their cases.
And there wasn't anyone
to stand up for those
that did.
And so I went at it, and
started fighting my case
and I asked people
for help
and it came together,
and I sort of built
this little group.
I was in jail pre-trail.
Denied bail, they came
to get me and put me in
a red jumpsuit.
Signifying the dangerous
nature of my
cannabis crime.
And they took me to court
in pascagoula, mississippi.
It was a very bad storm
coming through
pascagoula, mississippi
at that time.
And they hauled me
into the court in that
red jumpsuit and chains.
And I was sitting there,
listening to the thunder
and the lightning.
And the head narc,
jackie trussell was put
on the stand to testify.
And all this time,
I'm praying
that I was going to have
some sort of intervention,
because I was in that
courtroom alone.
With nobody on my side.
Many of the cases involve
transportation, where
somebody
got pulled over and
they had
medicine that the law
enforcement determined
was for sale.
And how they do that,
is they look for anything
they can
make it look like it's
for sale. So if they find
any money, or if your
medicine is in more than
one container.
Or there's more
than a little bit.
Um, they look
for anything that
says you were just
selling it you were't using it
for your own personal,
there's no legitimate use.
You know when proposition
216 passed in 1996
patients did absolutely
nothing
with this grounbreaking
piece of legislation.
They just, they just sort of
took this polly otta
pollyanna attitude.
That our elected officials
and the police would
say well look, the voters
of california have passed
this measure to allow doctors
to prescribe medical marijuana
Let's see what we can do
to implement the
will of the voters.
No, that's not
what happened.
We should have been on the
steps of the state
legislature the day after
that initiative was
voted on and passed,
demanding
that the legislature,
enact enabling legislation.
But we didn't,
we didn't do anything.
But the cops,
nuh uh. They started
working against it right away.
And no matter what
the law says, people
are still getting arrested.
More people are getting
arrested in California,
to date,
18 years after we passed
our law, then ever before
we had a law.
So legalisation,
is not necessarily the answer.
[Laughing]
This is not an issue
that the public
really cares about.
They try to make it look
like, oh the public is
all incensed about
these collectives opening
up. No their not.
No, they don't want
them across the street
from schools.
And they don't want to
have five of them on
one block and stuff.
But having them licensed,
and regulated and orderly
The public's not
opposed to that.
Prohibition exists because
of a policy of deceit
and misinformation,
and hiding the truth.
So the difference,
really is the truth.
People that
don't know the truth,
tend to be more against it.
People that know the truth
tend to be more for it.
[Music]
We're going to change
the law here in Florida.
We have more sick and dying
people that any other state,
I think, in the country
we need to make sure
that they have access to
the healthcare that they need.
We need to step back,
we need to take a very
serious look at this.
And what we need to
do is fund research.
Get the data that these
doctors were talking about,
that we are supportive of.
So we can say a year,
two years, three years
down the road from now
But if you take X, for
this many days
it will have this
impact on a patient.
And that's where we need
to get to. This amendment
won't drive that kind of
data or research.
I'm nervous because the anti-
marijuana advocates
are very well organized,
they're very well funded.
While we have been at it
trying to get patient access
for about a year and a half
to two years now
They are just starting,
with a fresh bank roll.
United for Care polling
says 70% of Floridian's
want medical marijuana
in Florida.
And we're pretty confident
that it is going to pass.
Right now, the polls are
looking good I believe
some of the latest polls
are saying 70 or 80 percent
approve of marijuana.
Now don't forget that in
Florida it is a constitutional
amendment that is proposed,
so we do need a 60%
vote for it to pass.
So the numbers are good
at the moment. There's a lot
of people behind this industry.
You know, when we do
a lot of our speaking arrangments
at the seminars
and business summits
that go on in south florida.
There's a lot of activity.
People are excited.
It's coming, at the
end of the day it's
honestly coming.
I hope that Florida does
things the right way.
I hope Florida takes
a different approach
than everybody else.
We have a few other
states that
we can at least take
a small blueprint from
and run from.
This should be put into
a law, so we can change it
when things change.
As we understand what
the impact could be
on dosage
on strength
all of those things.
We can change a law, we
just can't change a
constitutional amendment
that easily.
There's issues,
you know, there is a
Ben Franklin to this.
There's some
positives and there's some
negatives.
You know, and the positives
just far outweight the negative.
And it any decision
in life, when you have
overwhelmingly positive
you know, influence and
impact on society
it's something that
you go with.
We've got 37 states right now,
that's a vast majority of
the country
in some way shape or form
are pro marijuana.
And I think that the federal
government needs to step in
and say okay,
we need to think about
taking it off that schedule
1 list.
When it's schedule 1,
it's automatically default
under the law
there are no medicinal
purposes, and I think
there's been
proven that there are
medicinal purposes now.
I think it's going to be
a groundbreaking year,
I think we're going to get
turnout that we've never
seen. I think that we're going
to have
people from all walks,
from all ages, from all
political parties all voting
for this issue.
I think it's really changed,
I think
we're really seeing
people in favor
of this.
They weren't sure
they've heard all the
negatives
and now they've been
able to hear the positives,
to hear the stories.
And we need to get them
out and make sure that we pass.
And I think that's what's
going to happen. And I think
it's going to be a great year
for Florida.
And we gotta make sure
that we get the medicine to
the patients are quickly as
possible thereafter.
[Music]
So right now, there
are a lot of issues
that come into play.
One thing you need
to realize is that you have
the federal government,
where it's illegal. It's a schedule
1 drug.
And then you have the state
government. And of course
anything federal trumps state.
So now you have all these
states, where now they
yeah, they have it on their laws
where you can use marijuana
whether it's recreational
or medical
but at the end of the day
every single person that is
touching the plant
is breaking a federal law.
So it's tough, sorta,
to figure out exactly
what to do.
You know, there are
memos from the U.S.
Attorney General saying
there not going to touch
marijuana in states where
they have regulations.
But, still at the end
of the day you're breaking
a federal law.
You know, if
you have a new administration
coming in
they could just come
in and say, you know,
no more marijuana
and cut it completely out,
and start to enforce it.
Now of course,
the other thing you'll
see is
right now, there are actually
37 states that have marijuana
which can be used
in some way shape or form.
There are only 13 states
at the moment that have
a full prohibition on marijuana.
There are 37 states that have
some sort of low THC such as
in Florida right now
we have a low THC before
the amendment 2
Right now, you can actually
get it as long as it's below
.8% THC
charlotte's web, which is
a typical strain that they use
is legal right now
in Florida.
So there are actually 37 states
that have marijuana that can be used
legally in some way shape
or form, at least within that
state at the moment.
So that's the other issues that
will sort of be, um,
might have to be addressed,
is that if you have the federal
government come in and
shutting it down
you've got 37 states that are
going to come in and say, hey,
you're going to destroy our
marijuana industry, you're
going to take away our
tax money.
It's going to cause a problem.
You basically don't want to
start another civil war
is what it comes down to.
So it's getting to the point
where the federal government
basically needs to do something.
Cannabis had just become legal,
in the first state ever, in the
United States, Colorado.
We heard about it,
heard all the things on the
news
but we really wanted to
see for ourselves. So the
Cannabis Cup was coming up
we got some press passes
and decided, we're gonna go.
Not knowing what we
were going to find. Not knowing
where it was going to take us.
[Music]
Happy 420! [Cheering]
[Music]
They don't want to
abandon their place
in line, but they see the fun
Do we have any dabstars
in the crowd? Come on
get loud! [Cheering]
[Music]
I'm here at the
Denver Cannabis Cup,
for High Times.
420, 2014. What a
beautiful day.
[Music]
Look at this place,
these are all weed
people. All of them.
This guy, that guy,
this guy. We are all
weed people.
See we all come together
for a purpose that
marijuana should be
legalized.
First of all in
California. Let's
get that set and done.
Then we would like
to talk about it getting
legalized, federally.
Recreational use,
all 50 states.
Tax it, do what
Colorado has done
so well.
Places like The Clinic.
Companies like WeedMaps,
helping it grow
in a positive light.
I'm going to be leading
a yoga class, it's
called moving prana
hatha yoga and cannabis.
When we are looking
at the idea of the yoga
practice, it can be considered
a spiritual practice.
A practice that gives
you a mystical experience
so to speak.
And cannabis has
always been hand in
hand with that. So,
allowing cannabis
to be recreational,
allows it to be used
in a more spiritual context.
Not necessarily religious
either, just with
the spirit.
I come from the military,
and I'm probably the last
person you would
expect to see at this event.
But,
I truly believe
in this plant, I think
it's a great product.
I think that,
if we do it the right
way, we educate people
and be responsible
then cannabis is
going to be around for
a long time.
We came from a very
far away country.
We are the first country
in the world that
legalized marijuana.
And for us it is
a very important
responsibility
to show the world,
what Uraguay has
been doing.
To learn from
Colorado and let
Colorado learn from
us also.
[Music]
We've got some
really good flower
strains. The cool thing
is that our flower
comes straight from production
So the same thing
we pull
that we put
in this cup,
the same thing
that's here today,
is giong to be the
same thing that's
on our shelves.
Well, eat to treat.
And do it
responsibly people.
You know, and last
but not least,
cheers to goodness man.
Whenever you're
cooking THC there's a
certain level
of heat you can
release onto it.
The cleanest level is
going to be at 7 minutes
at 145 degrees celsius.
and this is
the only machine that
let's you do that
for the exact 7 minutes.
[Music]
I'm actually very
proud of the progession
of marijuana over
the last couple of years.
Uh, especially in
the Colorado model.
Obviously I'm a little
particular or biased
towards Colorado,
because I'm here.
But I do follow the news
fairly closely
in the other states.
In my opinion I really
feel like Colorado's
got it right.
So we had a very
progressive model,
in the case that
we started slow
with medical.
Uh, allowing the
companies to grow
six plants per patient.
Which only allowed
the companies to grow
so fast.
That gave the state the
time to really build
the laws up and
regulate the industry
slowly and patch the
holes as we went along.
And then,
we did recreational and
they already had a good look at
how the industry worked
to get to this point
Because there's a ton
of regulation and I don't
think a lot of people
understand how hard it is
to write regulation and
how many people are
actually involved in that.
I feel the recreational
taxes that have been
imposed upon cannabis
are extremely high.
Right now, what I think
they should have done is
some sort of pilot program
to introduce people
to the legal market
of cannabis.
Right now, I worry that
some people who don't
qualify for a Red card in
any of the other legal states
they might think I can get it
cheaper from a friend or
unfortunately a dealer.
The other thing is it
allowed us as companies
to grow
slowly and shirley
and no one really got
out of control because
at this point and time
the big money comes in
from these other states
and it gets really hard
to grow slow when
you have these big zero's
behind you that are
offering to do this
and they just
want you to continue
to grow as fast as possible
so.
It really takes a lot of
discipline to be able to
grow slowly.
And not get ahead of
yourself. Now the state
kinda forced us to do that
so nobody got too
outa control.
[Music]
[Blow torch sound]
You gotta work the crowd,
you gotta work the crowd.
[Music]
The movement of
marijuana is just part of the
trailblazing that is
taking place
and it's part of
history. So,
everyday that we are out
here doing this, I know that
we are
changing people
perceptions and minds.
on the positive
effects of cannabis
and I see this as a social
policy movement.
It is so awesome to be back
in the cannabis capital of
the world for this epic
420 weekend.
Thank you.
There's a question on
the November ballot
you may be puzzled over
It's amendment 2 and it
asks it medical marijuana
should be legal in Florida.
Supporters and detractors
are spending millions of
dollars on ads
to win your vote.
If amendment 2 on the
ballot passes,
the state house and senate
will write the rules
and regulations.
News 4 jax investigator vic
micolucci has been digging
deeper
talking with legislators
on both sides of the debate
about the job they could
face next spring.
[Music]
You know, it's time for
change. This needs to be
changed. We go 23
, 24 states it's already
legal in. Medically.
And that's all we want here.
This isn't for kids,
it's not to be abused,
it's for the people that need
it. And there's a lot of them,
thousands
and thousands of them
out there that need it.
But I'll say this, being born
in 1971
I never thought I would see
it in my lifetime to be
honest with you. Um,
So I am just super
excited to be a part of it
In any small way I can,
waving the sign.
Talking to people who are
coming to vote, who may
have questions. Um,
thrilled to be a part of it.
[Music]
This is election night,
we are watching the results
come in for amendment 2
tonight
my feelings are, there are
still quite a few votes
to be counted
but as of right now,
we have about 57% of the
vote.
Which is a larger share of
the vote than the last
6 governors in the state of
Florida have been
elected with.
So a huge majority
of Florida voters
have voted yes on
amendment 2, yes
on medical marijuana.
And clearly the people
of Florida want a medical
marijuana law.
Veterans for cannabis
is an organization
I started
because what we are
finding is that 22 veterans
a day are commiting suicide
with post dramatic stress
disorder.
And what's happening is
I can tell you personally
from my personal
experience, because I
had PTSD from vietnam
the anti-psychotics they
gave me, definitely made
me suicidal.
I wanted to end my
own life, I couldn't
take it anymore.
I got off all drugs,
and every once in a
while I use a little
cannabis, not everyday.
But I use it,
and I'm just like,
[Breathing]
It's not that bad man.
So to feel a little
better, oh, God forbid
I get high.
There's no euphoria for me,
it's just the relief of pain.
Tom, behind me is the
campaign headquarters
for Yes on 2.
A lot of people upset,
some emotional.
I talked to a couple
of women who actually
cried when they heard
that it did not get
the 60% to pass.
I've given a lot of
thought, I've had the
opportunity to speak
to a lot of people.
Who have, you know,
said no.
There's actually a
significant percentage
of them tonight saying no.
And I have put a lot
of time trying to
figure out why.
Why would somebody
say no,
to an issue, that
is an issue of compassion.
Because I don't
want to be the only
patient in Florida
using this medicine.
That's legal.
I want patients
to have
the right, I
want doctors
to have the right
to take care of
patients in this state.
That's what we
send them to school for.
That's what they pay
to go to school for.
They've become
doctors, they should
make this decision.
And the opposition
says, gee, they can
recommend it for anything.
Because any
debilitating disorder.
Well guess what
the doctor can
recommend oxycontin
for any debilitating disorder
they deem necessary.
What's the difference.
It's a medicine.
Treat it like one.
The amendment was written
to establish basic
rights and principles.
Because you don't
want all the regulations
in an amendment.
You have to realize,
that everytime you change
or want to change
one of those regulations
you need a 60%
vote again.
So the amendment
limited itself to
the basic rights and
principles.
And then allow the
department of
health to come in
and write regulations.
That's exactly the way
it should be done. That's
the responsible way to
write an amendment.
Only in Florida do
you get 58% and not win.
Alright we have won.
We have sent a huge message
to the policitians
in tallahassee
that this is not a poll
this is not a bill
filed by and activist
or legislature.
This is a huge majority
of Florida voters
who want medical
marijuana.
And their gonna get
it whether the politicians
and legislature in
tallahassee give it to them
or that we have to
go back to the ballot
in 2016.
Medical marijuana is coming
to the state of Florida
because the people of
Floridawant a
medical marijuana law.
See to us,
we've already won.
Because, to have this
in a public place.
Okay, talking
about medical marijuana.
I've been doing this
for 20 years,
My wife has been sick
for 28 with ALS
Okay, we've been screaming
, screaming for
something like
this to happen.
Okay, nobody paid
attention. My home
got raided.
John Morgan jumped
in got the money got
the seniors, now this.
So we've already won.
We've won as
far as I'm concerned.
They can't put the
cat back in the bag.
If it don't happen
this year,
it'll come out in
2016. I guarentee you
one thing
when we go back to
tallahassee and talk
to the legislators
They will pay attention,
they will.
They won't have
a choice.
People are always
going to medicate
themselves. Nothing
is going to change.
I mean because, again,
their breaking the law,
which is sad.
But, when you have a
devastating disorder
like I do and other people do.
Hey, look, all you care
about is getting
the best medicine possible.
If somebody says that
this best medicine is
illegal
They're not a criminal.
But they are going
to take care of their
medical needs. Okay.
And I don't think
there's anything
wrong with that.
And thank got in the
state of Florida we do
have a medical necessity
defense.
Which we still will
have no matter what
happens tonight.
So if,
the 63 sheriffs want
to go after all these
patients
and arrest them for
using their medicine
go right ahead.
Because I'm prepared
as a federal patient,
to be at each and every
one of those trials,
to say hey look, the
federal government has
been giving me this
medicine for 32 years,
and you're trying to
arrest this patient for
using the same medicine
the federal government is
giving me?
This is one battle,
this is not the war.
We feel very strongly
that this movement will
continue just as strong.
We know that the people
of Florida agree with
medical marijuana.
In this particular case,
due to
A lot of disingenuous
messaging and a lot of
money from out of state
it did not pass,
but we feel that the people
of Florida do
certainly support
the concept.
And we believe that
this will eventually be
a reality here in Florida.
It must, we have 23
states
and the district
of Columbia
We have 5 recreational
states.
We are almost at
an absolute majority.
I think acceptance
continues to grow,
and as acceptance
continues to grow
again, you know,
it's back towards
natural solutions.
And I can't see it any
clearer than, we have
to get to the point where
we use sythetic substances
as the second step
but first we try
to do it naturally.
The biggest problem we
have it apathy, we don't
vote,
we don't get out.
We like to smoke our pot
but we don't like doing
much else.
We like to show up
as a concert, we like
to come to party,
but we don't like to
get out there and make
a difference. So,
It's all on us
we just have to change
it.
I think the states
one by one are going to
go. I think Florida is
the biggest state
right now.
Um, because
that will be the domino
for the south.
And we're going
national now.
how Florida goes,
the rest of the south
is going to go
and when the rest
of the south goes
the rest of the country
goes.
You're seeing this
drug war in the
dying days.
People are
waking up to it.
It does have a huge
place in the world
medicinally,
a huge place in
the world economically,
and a huge place in
the world recreationally.
I guess I never thought
that cannabis could
actually be legal.
Going to Colorado
really opens your mind
into the
future is what it
really is, the future
where
humans are going back
to our roots. Going
away from these
prescription drugs
and going back to
natural remedies
going back to the
things we were
given by nature.
Instead of,
always using science
to out trick nature,
we use nature
to fix nature.
Right now, the
federal government has
taken a back seat. So long as
the state has it's
own regulations.
Now of course,
in states that
don't have regulations
California poses
a little bit of a
problem here because,
their regulations
are not tight enough
in the industry
they might get
in trouble.
Once these things
start, they may get bumps in
the road and
slow down, but they
more or less keep
rolling down the hill.
By ten years, I bet
at least half the states
have it legalized
total recreational
legalized.
Um, I see maybe
medical
even thought I'm in
the medical, I see it
maybe going
by the wayside.
Because once you
legalize it, you don't
need the medical
aspect of it.
I think that it's going to
continue to
legalize in states, um,
I think that it's
going to continue
to be an
uphill battle
for a long time,
I don't see federal
legalization in our future.
There's a lot of
folks that talk about
the possibility
of rescheduling
cannabis
I think at some point
we are going to
see a very crippling
federal tax
applied.
Um, Everybody has
to make their money
somehow in the government.
Look at Colorado.
Look at Washington.
Now these are two states
that legalized marijuana.
And, January 1st of
the first stores
opened up in the
state of Colorado
selling recreational
marijuana to anybody
over the age of 21.
And for years,
the anti-marijuana
people. The,
professional drug
warriors if you will.
Have been saying,
all, and for years
they've been doing this
, these stories of
the sky will fall in
if marijuana became
legal.
You would have children
smoking all over
the place.
There would be a blood
bath on our nations highways
from all the stoned drivers.
People, our emergency
rooms in our hospitals
would be overflowing
with people.
We would have maniacs
running down the streets.
And what's happened
in Colorado?
Nothing!
[Music]
Medical marijuana
got the thumbs up from
voters here in the
sunshine state
amendment 2
passed after a narrow
defeat two years ago,
Take a look at the
final results. 71% of
voters said yes.
It needed at least 60%
to become law.
A group of supporters
erupted in cheers after
hearing the outcome.
Amendment 2 expands the
conditions eligible
for medical marijuana use.
Including PTSD,
crohn's disease, parkinsons,
and AIDS.
Moving forward the
department of health
will continue to monitor
the list of Floridians
who are eligible
They still would have
to get approval from
a doctor certified through
the states department
of compassionate use.
There are only 180
in this state,
but that number
may increase.
Supporters say
this decision,
will change their lives.
[Music]
We want to turn
to the historic night,
here in california
what effects you the most.
Voters legalized the
recreational use of marijuana.
Here's a look at the
prop 64 results,
with 38% of
precincts reporting,
the yes's have it
with 56%,
no's 44%.
[Music]