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Courtesy of 'Weed the People'
Weed The People: Cannabis and Pediatric Cancer
“I just find it absolutely staggering to accept that in this day and age, with the billions of dollars spent on cancer research, that the medicine that we were relying upon is made in somebody’s kitchen.” Mother of Young Cancer Patient
Produced by the filmmaking team of Ricki Lake and Abby Epstein, Weed The People explores the use of cannabis products in the treatment of cancer in children. The film follows a few families as they struggle with the horrors of cancer, and find help via the inclusion of cannabis in their treatment.
The film is an emotionally powerful statement about the therapeutic value of cannabis, the limits of which are still unknown because of the cultural-political stigma of the plant, and the subsequent restrictive, oppressive laws that tragically limit its research and use.
Dylan’s ‘the times, they are a-changing’ aptly describes to the rapidly shifting attitudes about cannabis. Still, as our governments continue to squelch the medicinal use of cannabis, our children are unnecessarily suffering and dying.
Weed The People deserves a very wide audience—especially those in healthcare, and those who work in local, state, and federal government.
Here is a resource for parents.
Note: I have seen, enjoyed, and benefited from all the films in Lake’s and Epstein’s catalog of documentaries.