Over the years, there has been a constant debate on legalization of marijuana with the proposers giving numerous benefits of the act. While some states have taken to conform to the practice, others have remained reluctant. True to it, there are certain benefits, many for that matter, that are associated with it. For instance, there are health benefits of marijuana and the trade can benefit a nation's economy significantly. However, some effects of addiction to the drug are fatal, hence making other nations maintain to keep it illegal. Today people have become more accommodative of marijuana usage, and more states are slowly legalizing it. Back in 2014, Washington took to selling marijuana for recreational purposes. The next year Oregon followed suit. Such are the examples Ben Grayzel uses in his documentary on North West Trees that was published in 2016. We try to analyze the strongholds and shortcomings of the documentary in this paper.
In this day and age, talks about marijuana usage have become so common that it almost feels like it is legal everywhere. Ben Grayzel is a young filmmaker who likes to tell stories on important things through the film. At the age of nineteen, Grayzel released a documentary on marijuana. The documentary entitled North West Trees takes a deeper look into the youth culture on drugs especially after the legalization of marijuana in Washington and Oregon. The documentary analyzes the pre and post marijuana legalization years and tries to weigh there are any changes in its usage, especially among the youth and teenagers. Grayzel (2016) also conducts some interviews with both adults and teenagers on the usage and effects of narcotics.
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Washington was first to legalize the sale of marijuana for recreational purposes. Soon afterward Oregon and Colorado followed suit. The question that Grayzel poses is whether this legalization takes into account the all-around effects of the drug. Does the nation have to put economic status first and be blind to the potential risks associated with it? ( Monte, Richard & Kennon, 2015) . Grayzel travels to the regions where the drug has been legalized to find the thriving marijuana culture at its core. After the ban on marijuana was lifted, accessing the drug has become easily accessible by users. However, even before legalization, the drug was still available to those who needed it. Such a fact makes it difficult to know whether the usage has increased or remained the same, so says the author. Kids have been experimenting with the drug from as early as six years. As they grow up, the usage becomes more dominant in their lives. Also, today many music videos and movies are openly showcasing the usage of marijuana which influences more young people to partake in practice.
The documentary also showcases interviews with teenagers and school officials. These interviews reveal that the use of prescription narcotics is on the rise especially in schools. Grayzel again poses a question as to whether marijuana serves as the gateway to these hard drugs. The issue remains a topic of debate with opinions differing on a case to case basis (Grayzel, 2016). The usage of narcotics is rampant the states and also countries where marijuana has still not been legalized. The side effects of this addiction are gruesome, yet somehow, the users seem to not care about the consequences. More children are being lost in the addiction that it has reached a worrying level.
In the documentary, Grayzel seems to be more concerned about the youth. His interviews and findings are more youth-oriented than adult oriented. From the documentary, the consumption of marijuana is dependent on the user. Some people can take it every day and some take it occasionally. One of the interviewees claims that smoking weed is what helps him maintain his grades high (Grayzel, 2016). Note that this is a myth that has existed for a long time. Many people have given this as an excuse to use marijuana and ended up not getting the results they so wished. Even the kids who are naturally smart are now deciding to smoke marijuana. The results are that the states are losing many potentially bright students, with the capability of making a difference, to addiction. The age to start smoking the drug is slowly becoming a non-issue as its popularity is becoming widespread.
Marijuana has become so common in the states that if someone were to claim they have never smoked it, they are regarded as special. As has been mentioned, whether the drug is legalized or not, people will still have access to it. Whether the number of users has increased or not, it is a mystery. However, what is certain is that today the influence has become stronger because of the legalization and the public display. Secondly, it is a gateway drug has been opposed by one pediatrician. This doctor claims that no matter what type of drug is used, the first one to be experimented on becomes the gateway drug. The documentary advocates that more research is to be done on the topic before all nations legalize the drug.
Grayzel is passionate about informing the world on important topics. The same has been brought out in his documentary on marijuana. The forty-five-minute long documentary touches on marijuana addiction and its effects on the youth. However, the main objective is to have people talk honestly about the drug (Grayzel, 2016). The governments seem to be blinded by the health and economic benefits that they ignore some important risks posed by the drug. Grayzel claims that these are the conversations people need to have before legalizing marijuana. From the documentary, we can deduce that it will come to a point when the nation cannot find the drug will corrupt leaders as everybody's mind. People will seize to be responsible as they will be driven by the urge to constantly smoke. Streets and houses will be filled with marijuana smoke because everyone is smoking. The spillover effects will be a reduction in output. The economy that is thought to be thriving from the sale will start going down.
Grayzel (2016) does a commendable job in bringing some aspects to light. The nation as it does not sit down to look at the disadvantages. The media is leaned towards promoting the drug than proving information about it and letting people decide for themselves. Gone are days when smoking marijuana was regarded as a serious crime. In countries where it is legal or not, people, especially the youth, do not care whether they will be caught or not. Even the police officers themselves are victims of marijuana usage and will let individuals walk away scot-free. On the other hand, medical practitioners are always promoting the advantages of marijuana and how it is providing breakthroughs in the field.
The message being spread by Grayzel is agreeable. Most states need to do more research before blindly legalizing it. Fact, legalizing marijuana has its benefits ( Monte et al. 2015) . Also Fact, there still lies dangers of addiction and mental illnesses brought about by the drug. There need to be measures put in place before it is too late for the youth. Secondly, the documentary by Grayzel is not only informative but also interesting. It captures the attention of the viewer to the very end. The message behind it is very straightforward. However, as the filmmaker passionately focuses on the downside of legalizing the drug, which as mentioned is quite agreeable, there should also be more cases showcasing a controlled way of using the drug. The third fact is that its use is already with us, whether legalized or not. A better way of addressing the issue would be to discuss ways in which post-legalization period of marijuana can be made productive for the youth. In fact, maintaining it as an illegal substance has proved to have worse effects than in its legal status.
Nevertheless, the documentary remains to be enlightening and to capture the attention of many viewers. Considering his age, the filmmaker gives an objective point of view of the legalization of marijuana. College students are known to abuse narcotics highly. It takes courage for one to come out and address an issue that many are avoiding. North West Trees is a documentary that should be watched by everyone around the globe.
References
Grayzel, Ben. (2016, January 9). Marijuana Documentary - Northwest Trees (2016 ). [YouTube Video]. Retrieved From youtube.com/watch?v=dQ_kNfYrdxk
Monte, A. A., Zane, R. D., & Heard, K. J. (2015). The implications of marijuana legalization in Colorado. Jama , 313 (3), 241-242.
