Marijuana: A Chronic History: Documentary Commentary essay

This week’s documentary Marijuana: A Chronic History, gave insight of America’s usage of drugs and why people are seeking marijuana. In the United States Marijuana is taking the lead over tobacco and wheat. Past Presidents George Washington and Thomas Jefferson also grew Marjuana on their own farms. Marijuana was used as legitimate tender. Plants of marijuana give people too much control to smoke it. In the United States, Humble county and the Emerald triangle are the Pot wine country, and have a major role to play in the California economy. California became the first state to have Marijuana legalized for medical use. Depending on the region, the State limits the amount of plant farmers may grow. 99 instalments of the plants within 100 metres.

At the Emerald triangle it has more weed grown than anywhere else in America. Th 60 percent of the residents are marijuana-connected. Growing began in the 1960s, but farmers were forced to develop indoor growing overtime to prevent detection if not they had to be stopped. Perhaps no one keeps track of how much money the cannabis industry is worth. For California alone some predict 14 billion a year.

The marijuana policy project is a nonprofit group committed to the legalisation and regulation of drug education. United States Office of national drug control policy, 10 percent of American adults use marijuana on a regular basis. Students have seen the upbringing of seeing marijuana become a part of daily life, especially done by college on and off campus. In 2009, 10 million plants had been confiscated in the United states. Despite the general risks of marijuana use, legalisation is no longer just a fringe move.

Policies in Europe are much less harsh than policies of the United States. 190 million consumers worldwide, legislation is infringing on the globe. Decriminalized nations have suspended or reduced drug penalties. In Jamaica, they have a large population of Rastafarians, who use marijuana as part of their religion. It is illegal but widely used in this Island culture. Portugal was the first country to implement decriminalised drugs like marijuana. Over the past couple of decades they turned a blind eye in Amsterdam as coffee shops sell marijuana. Although the Dutch government tolerates and sells drug use among adults, increasing and possessing in Holland is illegal.

Commentary:

After watching the documentary, it made me reflect back on how much marijuana has impacted American and Canadian society from 2010 to now in 2020. Although the United States has not legalized marijuana, it is legal in Canada. By looking at other countries that have legalised marijuana from the documentary, we can better redirect how this could impact life in the U.S. Amsterdam, which is well known for its approachable drug policies, can foreshadow what might happen if marijuana was legalized in the United States. Marijuana was decriminalised in the Netherlands in 1976 Under Dutch law, possession remains a criminal offence. Although the national policy does not enforce that law. After the 1980’s, a chain of coffee shops developed in which they purchased small quantities of marijuana by adults was informally accepted and then officially permitted in license shops. This plan could work for the US because we could have dispensaries selling limited amounts of the goods to adults 21 and up, keeping them out of adolescent hands.

According to Module 4 part:2, following decriminalization in Holland, there has been a slight decline in drug use. This is acknowledged that the Dutch Government is liberal in the use of marijuana. This is therefore strict about what is known as ‘hard drugs.’ Marijuana and alcohol are considered “soft drugs”. Dutch drug laws are unique around the globe. It is motivated by the idea that every human being should decide on his or her own health matters. With those ideas, the Netherlands seeks to decriminalise drug use, giving it an individual private matter and not a strictly enforced matter. Production, selling and supplying of drugs, like every other country, remains a criminal offence.