By Luke Sumpter


Have you had a long day at work? Or perhaps you fancy a chill weekend nestled on the couch? Either way, why not spend your downtime expanding your mind? The 10 cannabis documentaries below will give you important insights into all things weed, from how it affects the human body, to its history, the herb’s therapeutic potential, and the disturbing politics that surround prohibition. Grab some popcorn and dive right in!

Top 10 Cannabis Documentaries You Need to Watch

There are a bunch of cannabis documentaries out there, but they're not all equal. We're all short on time these days, so it's important to invest your energy in something worthwhile. To help you out, we've distilled a list of the 10 best cannabis documentaries out there. These films will change the way you see weed, teach you about the history of the plant, and give you new insights into how it impacts the human body. Check them out, pick your favourites, and enjoy a joint as you broaden your mind.

1. The Culture High

Released in 2014 and with a Rotten Tomatoes rating of 91%, this feature-length film explores marijuana prohibition and the war on drugs in the United States. Directed by Brett Harvey, the flick won Best Documentary at the Alberta Media Production Industries Association (AMPIA) Awards. If you’re in the mood for a deep dive into the drug war, its effects on communities, and arguments for cannabis legalization, then grab a snack, hit the bong, and get ready to learn something new.

As the documentary progresses, you’ll enjoy impressive videography of cannabis plants, drug raids, and war zones. Interviews with advocates for marijuana legalization, including Snoop Dogg, Joe Rogan, Howard Marks, Graham Hancock, and Richard Branson provide strong arguments for the case for cannabis. One of Rogan’s quotes in the film best sums up the lack of logic on the opposing side: “The only way marijuana can kill you is if you take 25 pounds of it, throw it out of a CIA drug plane, and it hits you on the head”.

The Culture High Documentary

2. Weed The People

“It’s the same as any other drug. There are chemical compounds in the plant that interact with the cells in our bodies and have certain reactions”. These are the words of physician Bonni Goldstein, one of many brilliant minds that make up the cast of Weed The People, a groundbreaking cannabis documentary released in 2018. Both heart-wrenching and eye-opening, the film delves into the painful situations of families with children suffering from cancer. With nowhere else to turn, these parents opt to take a shot in the dark and give their children cannabis oil, sometimes with spectacular results.

But Weed The People doesn’t stop at a handful of testimonies. Directed by Abbey Epstein, the film showcases the history of cannabis prohibition, features interviews with leading scientists on the function of medical marijuana, and looks at the therapeutic potential of the herb for life-threatening medical conditions.

Weed The People Documentary

3. American Drug War 2: Cannabis Destiny

What starts as a powerful healing anecdote unfolds into an investigation into the suppression of a herb with the potential to help so many. Released in 2013 and directed by Kevin Booth, the film starts with the intense story of a 2-year-old boy enduring a severe diagnosis. While on his deathbed, his parents insert cannabis oil into his feeding tube, and he makes a seemingly miraculous recovery. The documentary then calls into question why such an action is considered criminal activity.

Interviews with cutting-edge cannabis scientists of the time, including oncologist Donald Abrams, delve into the research to assess the potential of cannabis for critical health conditions. The rest of the film looks into the intricacies of prohibition, the invested interests that have played a role in suppressing the plant, and how this decades-long conspiracy has damaged society down to the level of individual families.

American Drug War Docuentary

4. The God Plant

How exactly does cannabis impact the human body to produce its unique effects? Watch The God Plant, and you’ll find out what makes this possible. Released in 2018, this cannabis education film looks at the chemical nuts and bolts of the weed plant and assesses its striking compatibility with one of the most mysterious signalling networks in the human body: the endocannabinoid system. Composed of various receptors, signalling molecules, and enzymes, this system holds sway over almost every facet of the human body, from the brain and gut to the skin, bones, and connective tissues.

By interviewing leading scientists in the field, The God Plant invites viewers to discover this hitherto hidden network that works like a lock and key with compounds from the cannabis plant. The film explores the evolutionary origins of the endocannabinoid system—all the way back to its presence in sea squirts—and details how it underpins the effects of cannabis on the human brain and beyond.

The God Plant Documentary

5. The Union: The Business Behind Getting High

Brought to screens in 2007, The Union: The Business Behind Getting High offers an intriguing throwback to the underground pre-legalization era in the nation of Canada. This cannabis industry film opens with a detailed four-minute history of cannabis in North America. The documentary then goes on to cover British Columbia's previously illegal cannabis trade industry, dubbed “The Union” and worth a massive $7 billion Canadian each year at the time.

Follow the plot as it shines a light on the underground markets of the era, and hear firsthand experiences from growers, dealers, politicians, and police officers. Ultimately, the film highlights the history of weed prohibition and puts on an exhibition of its economic and social consequences.

The Business Behins Getting High Documentary

6. Emperor of Hemp

Hemp differs from the high-THC cannabis used in recreational and medicinal markets. Tall, fibrous, and low in THC, humans have used industrial hemp for millennia to craft a range of materials. In the past, civilisations used this subtype of cannabis to craft ship sails, ropes, and paper. In the contemporary era, companies are using hemp to make batteries, building materials, and even cars and planes.

However, despite containing only trace quantities of the principal psychoactive component of cannabis, hemp has been subject to prohibition in the past. Among all of the advocates of the hemp plant in recent history, Jack Herer, also known as the “Emperor of Hemp”, stands out the most. His namesake cannabis documentary showcases his exceptional life and work. Watch his story unfold as he fights to raise awareness of hemp and its multitude of uses and benefits.

Emperor Of Hemp Documentary

7. The True History of Marijuana

You know cannabis has a long list of functions, but how exactly did our ancestors put the plant to use over the past few thousand years? Well, watch The True History of Marijuana, released in 2010 and directed by Massimo Mazzucco, to find out! This cannabis education film traces the history of hemp back to ancient civilisations and tracks our relationship with the plant right up to modern times. Along the way, the documentary highlights what went wrong.

Critical of prohibition, it pinpoints the racial, political, and economic influences that put the herb in shackles from a unique and captivating angle. By the end of this film, you’ll view cannabis and mankind’s relationship with it in a whole new light.

The True History Of Marijuana Documentary

8. When We Grow

Produced by two young filmmakers on a tiny budget, When We Grow takes a deep dive into the state of cannabis culture and legislation in the United Kingdom during the early twenty-teens. The opening of the film features footage pulled from archives looking at ancient uses of hemp, and goes on to interview experts in the fields of UK cannabis policy and science.

Peter Reynolds, an advocate of cannabis law reform in the country, outlines the hypocrisy of the laws surrounding hemp. Likewise, the famous neuropsychopharmacologist professor David Nutt weighs in about how cannabis influences the brain and the safety of cannabis compared to other drugs. When We Grow also interviews medical cannabis patients, a hydroponic store owner, and a dealer.

When We Grow Documentary

9. Lynching Charlie Lynch

The cannabis documentary Lynching Charlie Lynch uncovers the friction between state and federal cannabis laws in the United States. Released in 2011, the film focuses on a period in 2006 when Charlie Lynch, from San Luis Obispo, California, obtained a business licence for a cannabis dispensary legal in the eyes of the state.

However, a problem emerged that still rears its head in the country today. Cannabis remains a Schedule I substance in the eyes of the Drug Enforcement Administration of the federal government. Because of this conflict, the law-abiding Charlie Lynch finds himself in the crosshairs of the DEA, who eventually paint him as somewhat of a drug lord and throw him into federal detention. Discover the details of this riveting account and the fate of Charlie Lynch.

Lynching Carlie Lynch Documentaryac

10. Grass Is Greener

Perhaps you don’t fancy watching anything too heavy as you experience the effects of that strain taking hold? In that case, prepare for something lighthearted yet fascinating with Grass Is Greener. The masterpiece of director Fab 5 Freddy, this flick explores the history of cannabis in America—strictly with music in mind.

From Snoop Dogg and Bob Marley to Cypress Hill, discover the link between some of the biggest musical names and their favourite herb. Freddy has also added a touch of activism to his film, covering the link between the drug war, marijuana, and revolutionary musical messaging.

Grass Is Greener Documentary

Stay Informed & Entertained With the Best Weed Docs

Look no further, friend! You’ve just found the 10 best cannabis documentaries available. Watch just a couple of these films and you’ll come away with a whole new mindset when it comes to your favourite plant. You’ll possess a newfound knowledge of the endocannabinoid system, cannabis history, politics, and the uses of hemp. So, what are you waiting for? Sit back, relax, spark one up, and get watching!

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Privacy Policy - Royal Queen Seeds

To ensure a safe online environment and guarantee adequate data protection, we strictly comply with all legal requirements. In this privacy statement, we provide information about how and for what purpose data is collected, safety measures, storage periods and contact details.


COMPANY NAME: SNORKEL SPAIN, SL (hereinafter ROYAL QUEEN SEEDS)

C/ Vilar d'Abdelà, 5 (nave 1) CP: 08170 de Montornès del Vallès

+34 937 379 846

support@royalqueenseeds.com


The present Privacy Policy sets out the terms on which we will treat personal data at ROYAL QUEEN SEEDS; this includes any personal data collected through our website https://www.royalqueenseeds.com/ as well as any other data we process in the course of our business activities.

ROYAL QUEEN SEEDS collects the following personal data for the purposes listed below:

SECTION 1 – PERSONAL INFORMATION WE COLLECT

1.1 Account purchases

Account purchases can only be made if you are in possession of a personal account. When you create an account or purchase something from our shop, as part of the buying and selling process we collect the following personal information that you provide to us:

This information is required for delivery. In addition, when you browse our shop, we automatically receive the Internet Protocol (IP) address of your computer. Based on this information, we can optimise your online experience and at the same time protect our online environment.

Purpose of data collection

We collect and store account-related data for the following purposes:

(a) to carry out obligations arising from any contracts between you and us, and to provide you with information, products and services that you may request from us;

(b) to set up, manage and communicate with you about your account and your orders;

(c) to conduct market research and analysis;

(d) to confirm your age and identity, and to detect and prevent fraud.

1.2 Newsletters

With your explicit permission, we may send you newsletters about our shop, new products and other updates. We send newsletters based on your explicit consent. In the event that you purchase a product, and in accordance with current regulations, we may send you commercial communications in accordance with the legitimate interest of our company, always about products or services similar to those you have purchased or contracted. In any case, you may exercise your right of opposition through the channels announced in this Privacy Policy. The following information is collected in relation to the newsletter:

We do not need to know the sex of the person in order to send the newsletter (data minimisation: by law we must ask for data that is strictly necessary to provide the service, and in this case knowing the sex is not necessary to send the newsletter).

Purpose of data collection

The data collected is used to:

(a) personalise our emails, including your name and gender;

(b) provide gender-specific content.

You can withdraw your consent at any time by using the link provided in the newsletter or the contact information provided in section 2.

1.3 Customer service and contact form

In order to provide appropriate support, our customer service employees have access to information related to the account. Consequently, their support will be highly effective and friendly. The data provided in our contact form is used by our CRM provider, SuperOffice. We will only use your details to respond to your message.

SECTION 2 – LEGITIMATE INTEREST

If you have purchased any of our products, please note that we may process your personal data for promotional purposes, based on Royal Queen Seeds' legitimate interest only to offer you products or services from our company and about products or services similar to those you have purchased. You may exercise your right to opt out of future messages by the means set out in this Privacy Policy or through any notification you receive.

2.1 How do you withdraw consent?

If you change your mind, you can withdraw your consent for us to contact you for the purpose of collecting, using, or disclosing your data at any time by reaching out to us at: support@royalqueenseeds.com.

SECTION 3 – DISCLOSURE

We may disclose your personal information if we are required to do so by law or if you breach our Terms of Service.

SECTION 4 – HOW LONG DO WE KEEP YOUR DATA?

At Royal Queen Seeds, we will not retain your data for longer than is necessary for the purposes described in this Policy. Different retention periods apply for different types of data; however, the longest period we will normally hold any personal data is 10 years.

4.1 Account information

Data relating to the account remains relevant for as long as the consumer is in possession of an account. Therefore, the data remains documented for as long as the account exists. When our customers delete an account, the associated data will be deleted within a reasonable period of time. Requests regarding the inspection or correction of stored personal data or the deletion of an account can be sent to support@royalqueenseeds.com.

4.2 Newsletters

In the event that you give us your consent to inform you about our products or services, we will keep your data until you express your wish not to receive any further communications from us. However, we regularly (every month) carry out a relevance check. Registered customers (and their personal information) will be deleted whenever customers do not reply to our request. In addition, our newsletter mailing has an opt-out feature. Consumers can withdraw their consent by using this opt-out feature.

SECTION 5 – COOKIES

Cookies are small information files that notify your computer of previous interactions with our website. These cookies are stored on your hard drive, not on our website. Essentially, when you use our website, your computer displays its cookies to us, informing our site that you have visited before. This allows our website to function more quickly and remember aspects related to your previous visits (such as your username), making your experience more convenient. At Royal Queen Seeds, we use two types of cookies: functional and analytical.

5.1 Functional Cookies

Functional cookies are used to enhance your online experience. Among other things, these cookies track what is added to your shopping cart. The use of these cookies does not require prior authorization.

5.2 Analytical Cookies

Analytical cookies are used for research and market analysis. The data collected with these analytical cookies is anonymous, making it unusable for third parties. The use of these cookies does not require prior authorization.

SECTION 5 – THIRD-PARTY SERVICES

Third-party services are required to conduct transactions and provide our services. In general, the third-party providers we use will only collect, use and disclose your information to the extent necessary to enable them to perform the services they provide to us.

However, certain third-party service providers, such as payment gateways and other payment transaction processors, have their own privacy policies regarding the information we must provide to them for your transactions.

We encourage you to read the privacy policies of these providers so that you can understand how these providers will handle your personal information.

In particular, certain suppliers may be located or have facilities located in a different jurisdiction than yours or ours. Therefore, if you choose to proceed with a transaction involving the services of a third party, your information may be subject to the laws of the jurisdiction in which that service provider or its facilities are located.

Once you leave our website or are redirected to a third-party website or application, you are no longer governed by this Privacy Policy or the Terms of Service of our website.

Web analytics service (anonymous data)

On this website we have integrated an element of a web analytics service (with anonymisation functionality). Web analytics can be defined as the gathering, processing and analysis of data about the behaviour of visitors to websites. An analytics service collects, among other things, data about which website a person came from (the so-called referrer), which sub-pages they visited or how often and for how long they visited a sub-page. Web analytics is mainly used for website optimisation and for a cost–benefit analysis of internet advertising.

Courier service

To complete deliveries we use a courier service. This courier service carries out the delivery between our company and the consumer's home. To complete these logistics, the company requires access to the consumer's name and address information.

Mailing service

Royal Queen Seeds uses a third-party mail service provider to send its newsletter. This provider has access to limited account information related to opt-in consent (e.g. email address).

Marketing services

Royal Queen Seeds has the support of a company that specialises in marketing and communication activities. Their access to personal information is very limited and mostly anonymous.

Payment services

At Royal Queen Seeds we use external payment services to handle our transactions (e.g. credit card payments).

SECTION 6 – SECURITY

To protect your personal information, we take reasonable precautions and follow industry standard best practices to ensure that it is not inappropriately lost, misused, accessed, disclosed, altered or destroyed.

If you provide us with your credit card information, the information is encrypted using secure socket layer technology (SSL) and stored using AES-256 encryption. Although no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure, we follow all PCI-DSS requirements and implement additional industry standards that are commonly accepted. Information related to the account is protected with a hashing method. This method transforms the information into a generated hash. As a result, confidential information is protected and invisible, even to us. In addition, our databases are exceptionally protected against unauthorised access. For example, access to the database is only possible and permitted via approved IP addresses (e.g. from Royal Queen Seeds headquarters). Other attempts and addresses are rejected at all times.

Furthermore, data is anonymised as much as possible, so it cannot be directly linked to a specific consumer. With this data, however, we may be able to carry out market research and analysis. In addition, the third parties concerned (e.g. mailing service) are examined prior to our collaboration, comply with the GDPR from the EU and receive a processing agreement. Within Royal Queen Seeds, employees are assigned different access permissions. Specific permission provides access only to information that is strictly required to perform a task. Digital security measures are subject to change and must meet high requirements to ensure the safety of online customers. That is why, at Royal Queen Seeds, we appoint a security officer. Regular verification and improvement of security measures (where necessary) are part of the role.

SECTION 7 – CHANGES TO THIS PRIVACY POLICY

We reserve the right to modify this Privacy Policy at any time, so please check back regularly. Changes and clarifications will be effective immediately upon being published on the Website. If we make substantial changes to this policy, we will notify you here that it has been updated so you will know what information we collect, how we use it and under what circumstances, if any, we use and/or disclose it.

SECTION 8 – YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO: