Let me introduce you to The Union.

March 2, 2010 9:09 PM

Let me introduce you to The Union. While the title refers to the illegal marijuana trade in British Columbia, the movie is more about presenting what the filmmakers see as facts about marijuana and comparing marijuana to legal but more deadly substances, like alcohol and tobacco. It is an argument for the legalization and decriminalization of marijuana and also the adoption of medical marijuana. Caution: Film contains Joe Rogan.

Its funny, I found those pages for alcohol and tobacco deaths on the cdc websites within seconds. After twenty minutes I couldn't find any reputable source for deaths due to marijuana.

Also, hope you like my first post to the blue.

posted by DoublePlus (28 comments total)

Caution: Film contains Joe Rogan.


Good thing it's about BC, if it was about the Mexican drug trade we would have ended up with Carlos Mencia.
posted by furiousxgeorge at 9:23 PM on March 2, 2010 [3 favorites]

seriously, that is the greatest caution notice of all time. A gold star for you.

also: Its funny, I found those pages for alcohol and tobacco deaths on the cdc websites within seconds. After twenty minutes I couldn't find any reputable source for deaths due to marijuana.

I see what you did there.
posted by shmegegge at 9:28 PM on March 2, 2010

The only way to be killed by marijuana is if a couple hundred pounds of it falls on your head.
posted by DecemberBoy at 9:31 PM on March 2, 2010 [2 favorites]

Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence.
posted by docgonzo at 9:34 PM on March 2, 2010 [2 favorites]

After twenty minutes I couldn't find my feet.

Wait, what?
posted by vitia at 9:44 PM on March 2, 2010

Safer
posted by gingerbeer at 9:47 PM on March 2, 2010 [1 favorite]

Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence.

Yeah, but absence of evidence after 40 years of widespread use is evidence of, at most, a marginal effect.
posted by daksya at 10:06 PM on March 2, 2010 [1 favorite]

DecemberBoy - you like, finally made these phish lyrics make sense !
posted by mannequito at 10:11 PM on March 2, 2010

made these phish lyrics make sense

I think thats what the marijuana's for.
posted by wildcrdj at 10:20 PM on March 2, 2010

Safer

The ratio of effective dose to estimated lethal dose for THC is 100 times higher than that of alcohol. You could kill yourself with $12 of Thunderbird; the street price of a lethal dose of marijuana is about $13.6 million dollars.
posted by eddydamascene at 10:37 PM on March 2, 2010 [1 favorite]

100 times higher lower

FTFM
posted by eddydamascene at 10:38 PM on March 2, 2010

Having smoked a few tons of the bush before I finally quit, I must say that death is not the only danger with pot.

I only quit because I was severely addicted and severely demotivated in my life. And, of course, inhaling can't be good for your lungs, can it?

Now, I am only saying.

If you aren't prone to addiction and uber-lethargy and don't mind the lung damage, go for it.

OTOH, I strongly advocate legalization...Criminalization makes about as much sense, and may be equally costly, as our modern-day imperialism.
posted by lometogo at 11:19 PM on March 2, 2010 [1 favorite]

Don't let fear be a factor for you. There's no shame in admitting that you secretly love Joe Rogan. It's okay, we understand.
posted by dchrssyr at 12:59 AM on March 3, 2010

Joe Rogan is one of the three best stand up comics working today. He's also a hell of a nice guy. (The other two are Doug Stanhope and Patton Oswalt).
posted by Optamystic at 3:55 AM on March 3, 2010 [1 favorite]

And, of course, inhaling can't be good for your lungs, can it?And, of course, inhaling can't be good for your lungs, can it?

You could always eat it instead; that would eliminate the black-lung risk aspects. (Although since I think you have to fry it in butter or some other fat, you might end up with heart disease, but it's not like most Americans aren't well along that road already.)

And if you have access to purified or synthetic THC, then there are a lot of delivery mechanisms which don't involve inhaling combustion byproducts. Admittedly, to keep the comparison fair this means that you should be looking at the risks of nicotine gum, not cigarettes, but I suspect THC is still a lot less toxic than nicotine even setting aside delivery methods. (IIRC there's some Al Qaeda terrorist manual floating around that details how to produce some sort of toxin / nerve agent from cigarettes, by extracting the nicotine. It's vicious nasty stuff.)
posted by Kadin2048 at 5:57 AM on March 3, 2010

Haha, I only put the Joe Rogan caution in because I was a little put off seeing him twenty minutes into this documentary.

Also, that's what this post was really about, the documentary. Looking at the comments it seems like everyone is focusing on either Joe or my little statement I made at the end.

Also, if anyone is interested more in the history of marijuana prohibition in this country check out Grass. It is pretty informative about what our country has done and how much it has cost.
posted by DoublePlus at 5:58 AM on March 3, 2010

Hey DoublePlus, good post. found this film last week, not sure what makes it more watchable than a lot of other drug 'documentaries'... but it is. While i don't think everybody should get stoned i'm eponysterically pro legislation. Not sure how much there is to the claims in the last 5 or 10 minutes of the film... i.e. weed is banned because it's a source of lots of medicines and you can just grow it free = no profit for big pharma?
posted by yoHighness at 6:03 AM on March 3, 2010

(Rings true enough for outragefilter though.)
posted by yoHighness at 6:04 AM on March 3, 2010

While discussing Michael Jackson's death with some younger family members, one nephew commented, "when I can't sleep, I smoke a joint. Works great, and there's no hangover. And I don't die! Too bad Michael didn't try that." Which of course raised the whole issue that an illegal drug is in fact safer to use than many ostensibly legal ones (granted, the stuff Michael was using was administered by a doctor, although not in a proper or legal manner).

Similarly, I attended a school in the late 70s where a particularly gruesome death and some hospitalizations were directly due to alcohol. The campus stoners smugly pointed out that the worst consequences of overpartying for them were depleted bank accounts and growing waistlines due to heavy patronization of the local pizza and sub shops. (Enforcement was at that time pretty much of a non-issue.)

These days, the greatest danger from marijuana is its illegality. Which has been the motivation for the development of stronger strains and a thriving hydroponics industry--not the deterrent that legislators may have intended. Prohibition didn't work in the 20s and it's not working now.
posted by kinnakeet at 6:04 AM on March 3, 2010 [3 favorites]

I was looking for the 'previously', because I've seen the film. Turns out it was at the local film festival. Nice movie.
posted by MtDewd at 6:55 AM on March 3, 2010

I saw Sunday Night's Reefer Madness on Chanel 7 (Australia) last week. I knew it was going to be bad, but it was truly terrible.

Off topic: Big fan of Joe - what he says about DMT is pretty interesting.
posted by simplesharps at 7:19 AM on March 3, 2010

Yeah, yoHighness, the movie was pretty poorly organized. I too felt that "Wait, wha?" feeling at the end of the documentary and it wasn't the brownies causing it.

I think the problem is that there's a split in focus. On one hand, there's a lot about the actual business of growing weed in BC. On the other, there's all the stuff about legalization. Pick one! (Preferably the former as the latter has been done to death)
posted by robocop is bleeding at 7:22 AM on March 3, 2010

Doug Stanhope was married to one of my best friends from college, and as such, I got to party with him and a bunch of other comedians. The guy is very personable off-stage.
posted by quin at 9:16 AM on March 3, 2010

Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence.
posted by docgonzo at 11:34 PM on March 2

Of course it is. Who invented that dumb ass phrase? Absence of evidence isn't proof of absence. But it's a perfectly decent place to start. Is there any evidence? Nope! Clearly that means nothing. Call the police! They have been ignoring millions of possible suspects in unsolved crimes on the laughable basis that there was no evidence against them! Don't they know any smug little philosophical cantrips?
posted by nanojath at 10:35 AM on March 3, 2010 [2 favorites]

Also, that's what this post was really about, the documentary. Looking at the comments it seems like everyone is focusing on either Joe or my little statement I made at the end.

Wecome to the world of posting on MeFi! Where any distracting or wayward aside in the FPP will become the complete focus of the subsequent discussion thread, leaving (perhaps) scores of brilliant links and points untouches while you cringe in horror at the complete lack of attention to the main subject.

Takeaway lesson? Don't bother with little asides. Make your post as too-the-point and direct and concise as possible. If you have other things to add, wait 20-30 comments and then contribute them to the discussion. Chances are, MeFites will bring up your side points in the comment thread, anyway.
posted by hippybear at 12:45 PM on March 3, 2010

*grrr* "untouched"

Why does my brain not SEE these things when I proofread???
posted by hippybear at 12:45 PM on March 3, 2010

Yeah, but absence of evidence after 40 years of widespread use is evidence of, at most, a marginal effect.

LOL I thought thousands of years of widespread use is evidence of something a bit more than that.

Great post. I watched this around Christmas via NetFlix. I wish I had checked to see if it was on MF - I still haven't FPPed.

Since I have only the vaguest idea who Joe Rogan, I did not find that a hindrance to enjoying the doc. My bf is taking me to see him live next month and the reactions to him in the commentary makes me feel doomed.

Does anyone know where to find BC in Phoenix?
posted by _paegan_ at 2:35 PM on March 3, 2010

Excellent film, thank you for the link.
posted by Meatbomb at 5:25 PM on March 3, 2010