A new documentary scrutinizing the commercial cannabis industry is arriving in Colorado next month, with the state serving as a backdrop the film's organizers describe as the nation's foremost test case for marijuana legalization.
The film, "THC INC | How Cannabis Legalization Changed Everything," sets out to examine how legalization is reshaping public health outcomes, with a focus on younger populations. Investigative journalist and filmmaker Leighton Woodhouse, featured in the trailer, argues that today's commercial cannabis products bear "about as much resemblance to a marijuana plant as strawberry Kool-Aid has to strawberries."
The Colorado premiere will take place at 6:30 p.m. on September 10 at the Landmark Theater in Greenwood Village. Following the screening, organizers plan a panel discussion and audience question-and-answer session. The national advocacy organization Smart Approaches to Marijuana, led by president and CEO Kevin Sabet — who produced the film — is coordinating the event, with backing from Colorado's One Chance to Grow Up.
The documentary centers on personal stories from individuals the filmmakers portray as casualties of the commercial cannabis industry, with accounts from young adults — whom the film identifies as the industry's primary targets — forming the core of its argument. Among the statements attributed to young people featured in the film are descriptions of consuming cannabis from morning until night, an overpowering attachment to getting high, fears of losing control of one's life to drugs, and relentless efforts to intensify the effect.
A theme running through the film is that today's marijuana products are far removed from anything that could be called natural. The filmmakers contend that the commercial scaling and mainstreaming of highly potent, heavily processed cannabis products has taken a measurable toll on the physical and mental health of young Coloradans.
Responses to the film's YouTube trailer have been mixed, with some dismissing it as a modern-day version of exaggerated anti-drug messaging from the past, though that view appears to represent a minority. Supporters argue the documentary avoids sensationalism and instead approaches its subjects with care and its viewers with genuine respect. A significant share of online comments accompanying the trailer contain additional personal accounts from people describing relatives or close contacts harmed by contemporary marijuana use.
Admission to the screening is free, but organizers note that capacity is limited and encourage interested attendees to reserve seats in advance through an Eventbrite link they have made available.
Whether additional screenings will be scheduled closer to Colorado Springs, or whether the event will prompt local policy conversations, has not been announced.