A new documentary slated for release later this month takes an in-depth look at the science behind cannabis as medicine, from the groundbreaking researchers who first discovered the curative power of cannabinoids to the pioneering patients whose lives have been transformed by the plant. The documentary from Mad Machine Films, CBD Nation, will be available in North America via multiple viewing platforms on August 25.
The film by director David Jakubovic features leaders of the medical cannabis movement, including scientists, patients, and activists such as Steve DeAngelo, the co-founder of Harborside Health Center in Oakland, the largest and one of the first medical marijuana dispensaries in the country.
“CBD Nation brings you the real science that decades of U.S. government-sponsored misinformation have hidden from public view,” DeAngelo said in a press release for the documentary. “Watch it, and learn why cannabis may just be the most valuable medicine ever discovered by human beings.”
The film explores the work of Dr. Raphael Mechoulam, an Israeli organic chemist who, with other scientists, was the first to isolate, describe, and synthesize delta-9 THC, and is widely considered the father of cannabinoid research. He notes that cannabis has been known to have medicinal properties for decades, but the development of the plant’s potential was greatly hindered until patients and families led the way.
“We published our findings thirty-seven years ago: cannabidiol (CBD) blocks epileptic attacks in patients. What happened? Nothing for thirty years,” said Mechoulam, who serves as the president of the Multidisciplinary Center for Cannabinoid Research at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem. “Nothing happened until desperate parents like those in this film did their own research and found out that cannabidiol can help children with epilepsy. But epilepsy is just one of many conditions that we know cannabis medicine can treat. If the world chooses to not look at all of the science, it is not ignorance—it’s negligence.”
Determined Patients Lead The Way
The film also follows the journeys of patients whose determination to access a medicine that makes them well when others can not have made them spokespeople for a movement. People like teenager Rylie Maedler, who at age 7 was diagnosed with a rare degenerative bone disease called aggressive giant cell granuloma that caused tumors that ate away at the bones of her face. Following treatment with CBD, she became the only person with the disease whose bones have regenerated.
“I hope that U.S. doctors, educators, and politicians see this film,” said Maedler, who worked closely with legislators in her home state of Delaware to pass Rylie’s Law, a measure granting children with qualifying conditions access to medical cannabis. “Because I’m living proof of the fact that cannabis and CBD have a place in modern medicine.”
Director Jakubovic said that creating CBD Nation forced him to confront the stigma that continues to be associated with cannabis, a stigma that only serves to obscure the true value of the plant.
“Over the course of this project, I came to realize that cannabis is far from a gateway drug; for many, it’s actually an exit drug from pharmaceuticals and narcotics,” said Jakubovic. “And in the U.S.—which has 5% of the world’s population consuming 75% of the world’s pharmaceuticals – we can no longer afford to be in the dark about the facts. Facts can save lives.”
CBD Nation will be available in North America from video-on-demand platforms and streaming services including Amazon and iTunes on August 25 through a distribution deal with Gravitas Ventures. A trailer for the documentary can be watched on YouTube.
I am a true believer in the medical use of marijuana. I have been telling about my success story of my recovery with medical marijuana. Pharmaceutical drugs are not organ friendly and they affect the vitals of our body. It is okay to use medicines for a small period. People don’t trust medical marijuana as a treatment option and it’s okay because I had the same thoughts unless I tried it. Even some famous experts suggested marijuana as a treatment option https://mdberry.com/health-uses-medical-marijuana/. The thing is Medical Marijuana is underrated and is considered as an illegal drug due to which people hesitate to give it a chance. But trust me in my honest opinion, It is magical, a wonder drug.
Now there are many scientific films that dispel myths. Our fears can lead us into the abyss
I am a true believer in the medical use of marijuana too. In medicine every year more and more scientific discoveries. Many doctors talk about successful treatment experience
Yes I totally agree. Still it’s under rated and considered illegal, Alas!
Watching this makes me tear up because I’ve been on medications my whole life having epilepsy and getting older 25 I understand how we need to balance each other to not have seizures. I’ve stopped taking medications for a few years because of the symptoms but I just got sick of having seizures In public. I’ve been taking more cbd the past few years because of this And it really been helping me out after I have grand mal seizures with nausea and headaches
I have a history of anxiety and depression. I used pharmaceutical drugs for a long time and they didn’t work very well. My organs were damaging. And my body wasn’t functioning like before. I skipped the drugs for a week and on a suggestion of my friend and it worked so well on me http://bit.ly/ways-marijuana-superior-opioids. After this I realized how miraculous medical marijuana is, Unlike other people I realized the power of medical marijuana only after using it.
That sounds like a great documentary, but the name of it is unfortunate. – While CBD has valuable medical uses, THC is crucial in many ways as well. — See Dr. Sanjay Gupta’s “Entourange Effect.”
When you tag the work with such a glaring misnomer, it comes off as an appeasement to prohibitionists.
I love hightimes!
Nice post! Thanks for sharing this.
This is not a popular opinion, but , I have seen many value in the use of marijuana as a treatment for depression, anxiety, PTSD, any sort of psychotic or psychosis prone disorder. I also think that medical marijuana is all that useful in general in the way that it is typically applied.
It is widely believed that marijuana is harmless and entirely safe—totally not addictive. This is a misnomer. It has side effects, and it is addictive. Like Heroin? No. http://bit.ly/medical-marijuana-treats-diseases. People have different beliefs and they don’t agree to wonders of marijuana once they are in it, using it, experiencing it. On a personal note, I started to consume high CBD cannabis and the brain fog from my brain injury started to lift. I was hoping it would but there were only a few studies done on Cannabis and injured brains but I was amazed none the less. Suddenly I felt less confused and calmer and peaceful, where before I was confused and scared all the time. Everyday I got better and better. A side effect that I didn’t expect was my arthritis in my feet all of a sudden got better too. I just noticed one day it didn’t hurt to walk.
I am very fond of marijuana and I have been using it for a long time and I feel no shame in telling that marijuana has changed my life completely. I read a lot of researches on medical marijuana and the success stories and they all states alot of successful experiences, what I have observed is that there is a lack of medical research on marijuana. Scientist are not performing the research trails on medical marijuana and somehow the government is letting the black market make their profit which is not acceptable and we want marijuana to get legal. https://mdberry.com/medical-marijuana-effectiveness-research/ Read the researches on medical marijuana’s wonders.