The Union: The Business Behind Getting High
Ever wonder what British Columbia’s most profitable industries are? Logging? Fishing? Tourism? Ever think to include marijuana? If you haven’t, think again. No longer a hobby for the stereotypical hippie culture of the ’60s, BC’s illegal marijuana trade industry has evolved into a seemingly unstoppable business giant, dubbed by those involved as ‘The Union’.
Commanding upwards of $7 billion Canadian annually, The Union’s roots stretch far and wide, directly and indirectly affecting all areas of our society. With 65% to 85% of all ‘BC Bud’ being exported to the United States, it’s clear that the BC marijuana trade has become an international issue with consequences that extend far beyond our borders. When there are record profits to be made, who are the players, and when do their motives become questionable?
Why is marijuana illegal? What health risks do we really face? Does prohabition work? What would happen if we taxed it? Medicine, paper, fuel, textiles, food, etc. Are we missing something here?
Follow filmmaker Adam Scorgie as he dives head first into Canada’s most socially acceptable illegal activity. Along the way, Adam demsytifies the underground market and brings to light how such a large industry can function while remaining illegal. By interviewing experts from around the globe, including growers, clippers, police officers, criminalogists, economists, psychologists, medical doctors, politicians and pop culture icons, Scorgie explores the cause and effect nature of the business behind getting high.
Nobody’s innocent in this exploration of an industry that may be profiting more by being illegal. Join Adam Scorgie as he unravels the mystery of The Union. (Excerpt from theunionmovie.com)
Watch the full documentary now
Very interesting documentary abotu marijuana… looking into myths about it.. pot industry.. government ignorance etc…
Enjoyed this great movie very much ! I am sure all will enjoy it ! very recommend !
after watching this and being an ex smoker myself i see the positives and negatives but the positives far out weigh the negatives of marijuana use!there is the negative that it can advance phcyzophrenia or depression but thats pretty much it and is usually due to smoking to much now ingesting the oils totally different again and if dosed properly it cancels the phczophrenia! the total picture tho and the amazing uses it has are totally worth it and to me it seems every opposed government deserve to be shot for the pain they cause needlessly to the millions of sufferers just for profit!
Vlat sorry to bother you again. Could you fix this doc. Doesn’t seem to load up. Thanks again.
Done Del.
awesome documentary, really clarify a lot of doubts….and gave me reason to tell my parents if they catch me again!
I’m crying this was so good.
Great movie! Cleared up many myths!
Great movie with great knowledge. Everyone should watch this!
I feel you Taylor. I shed a tear as well lol.
All plants are created equal !!!
Im going to put this video in my school aula. I want everyone to see it.
Seeing all the amounts of nonviolent pot smokers getting into trouble and put in jail is saddening. Although change may be happening soon I saw on the cover of a popular magazine (can’t remember the name) the debate about medicinal marijuana so hopefully we’re in the time when the world will start seeing that pot prohibition is not doing us many favors.
I love this documentary. I don’t smoke nor do I condone or condemn it but It’s great someone cares enough about the truth and make it available to the masses.
this documentary is absolutely AMAZING!! i think all of America needs to see this and maybe we wouldnt be in so much debt!
So this is the best potumentary I’ve ever seen! hands down, everyone in the world needs to watch this before they say anything about mary jane. People are so ignorant now a days, they must watch television and need media to tell them how to live.. pfft. go smoke some bud and live your own life!
This Doc is one of the best in its class. Its becuase the government is so unwilling to admit its past mistakes that our nations will never be able to benifit from pot. Instead we let drug dealers and individual growers (Out of Country) make a killing. Thinking about the problems that pot could solve for our nations and the fact that it will never happen makes me sick.
this s great!. why don’t schools show this huh lol
I wake one morning and found ”The Union” on tv. I watched the last half, after it finished I tough wow why is this playing at 2 in the morning and not at 5 or 6 o’clock at night so more pepole can see it????
In the documentary I can see plenty of financial incentives to keep marijuana illegal. However, I also get the feeling that some very powerful people outside of government see it as a threat for another reason… maybe if people can use it freely they would be less easy to control and would be more able to think for themselves. I don’t think alcohol, nicotine, cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin, etc., have this effect. Maybe that’s what makes marijuana so dangerous to the powers that be. It’s a threat to their power over our minds, which allows them to manipulate us to their benefit, and against our own.
@Leon
Maybe more than the high is that canabis is a symbol of free thought of anti-war, of anti-control and symbols have more effect on us then THC.
Great doc. Tons of information, some i didn’t know and lots i can related to being and smoker for now 40 years. At 61 i smoke daily and I feel great, almost never sick and considered healthier than most men my age. I also have a nervous stomach issue and when I worried over something I would get very painful cramps. I smoke a joint and the cramps are gone. I consider my use is “Medicinal Purposes” but but not to the law makers. I also consider it useful to control other illnesses like “Anger Management”lol
“And there you have it, after 2 years of research, our quest for answers has only left us with more questions. And the only thing that really seems to make sense, is that none of it makes any sense.”
this documenary was 10/10. awesome. the ridiculousness of the entire marijuana situation is so frustrating :(
Every weed-smoker should see this film and light one up everyday @ 4:20p.m.
Marijuana is not kept illegal because it would “free our minds”. It is kept illegal mainly because it is such a big and risky political move. No political “party” would do such a great leap, take such risk as to be THE one to change the laws, unless they were forced to do it. You want legal marijuana? Make enough of a fuss, a stir, a bang that there is no other way, for the government and it’s allies, to return to the status quo (or relative order/control) than legalizing (OR at least make it an easier alternative to upping the repression). That is how you achieve any small or great socio-economic changes, that is how all great social advances were brought about.
joe is a troll trying to get a rise outa people. This film is great and it taught me Carl Sagan smoked weed.
im speechless…. they said it all.
Thats ******. around 1:31:20 there is the statement about doctors being skeptical about a natural product such as cannabis. This is ridiculous when you think about the fact that penicillin came from a fungus.
It does cause phcyzophrenia. Thats only if you start before puberty and still in rare occations.
Great movie!!! It cleared up so many weed myths once people find out all the leis an understand weed is nothing like some people make it out to be it will get legalized. Its so f***** up how someone can go to jail for just wanting to chill and relax. Hope legalization happens soon.
Amazing… if this is true another part of my old belief system withers away. WOW. I do however disagree that ‘you cannot sustain a lie forever.’ The way religious totalitarianism has lasted for 2000 years is a good example. Indeed there are many questions raised in this film – and I think this proves by itself that some conspiracies are real some obvious and in the open – afflict us everyday.
The part about how hemp could be a carbon neutral fuel… amazes me. The building of prisons, the charade global warming and carbon trading has become… The faking of 9/11. The Military industrial complex… The centralization and complete polarization of society. Maybe a dictator is rising, and he doesn’t care if it is pretty – so long as he has intrusive power into everyone lives.
The conspiracies live on. To pretend that they don’t exist is foolish. To actively fight them is foolish. The best option is to be open about the truth, build numbers, and move on with your life.
This was so good it really did make me want to cry. VERY inspiring documentary!
After watching this amazing documentary, it makes me hate the government even more,other than the green party ofcourse. I really hope it is decriminalized in my life time……Man made alcohol, God made Green.U decide!!
@Afghan Goat. no not at all does cannabis CAUSE schizophrenia. it may bring out schizophrenia in someone who already has it but doesnt know yet. in no way will it cause schizophrenia in a healthy person.
Best movie ever. Everyone should watch the movie of educational perposes.
non-medical cannabis actually is decriminalized in north carolina, where i live.
My professor played part of this movie in class, and I went home and watched the rest of it! What a great documentary. I loved it; it’s very informative, interesting, and funny. It’s definitely a good way to show people that so much about marijuana is just not true, and that there are so many more harmful things out there that people are doing(and not just drugs, either). Props to the filmmakers!
there are alot of potentionally harmful substances,that are used and consumed everyday. And money is made from. one needs evaluate the harmfulness that something causes and the evidence that it indicates and it that has proven. not good for recreational use.
The first Prophet on the planet held a hemp seed in his hand to give to the world. (what does this tell you?)
Mary-Jane is a medicine, a healing herb, a cure-all. Drug companies pay the governments to ban it, otherwise they would lose billions of dollars on revenue from the pharmaceuticals forced upon us by Doctors and media.
The legal system sends you to the joint…busted by a joint Its not the pot they are worried about… Its your money in their pocket…that is the real addiction. Harmonized Taxes aren’t enough it seems?
Did you know that George Washington smoked the stuff and there was once acres of it grown in the States before cotton became a more viable crop. (Miles of Rope was made from hemp for sailing ships as well as for paper and clothing and lubrication) You can see why? this harmless little seed is so practical.
I’ve met several BC growers in my travels. They are wonderful folk…realists, putting dollars back into the system. But hey? Stick to the booze…pay more TAXES $$$ Mom and Dad don’t want their children to become non-aggressive pot smokers… and have their kids have second-thoughts about not joining the military, to go fight someone else’s profiteering war.
PS: without marijuana…the jails in good old USA would be half-empty. Then there would be a surplus of smiley happy people out on the street…heaven forbid! (They might over-throw government and become PEACE-NIKS!)
PSS: Don’t forget the tons of cash pocketed state-side from cocaine that gets shipped into Canada. Guess who’s pockets get filled in the process? CHING CHING (gotta curb that trillion dollar deficit $ remember?) FREE TRADE EH? We should all become FARMERS…. and make the world a better place.
Now pass it over… and stop bogarting that….
OOPS!
Guess? I better back up a bit.
I wrote the former comments (ABOVE) before viewing the documentary. An unbiased opinion from my own research on marijuana, after having read the other comments. (I confess…I am an infrequent pot smoker of 40-years)
I seemed to have had some success hitting several targets with my own thoughts and my own personal beliefs on the subject. I didn’t realize how gravely high the statistics were in the States for the incarcerations of innocent marijuana users, which all seems quite absurd. I wasn’t aware of Tommy Chong getting busted either. BONG!
I sure am a happy Canadian however, and will never travel below the 49th parallel. It seems too obvious that American politicians are seeking New World Order and the big corporations want to run the world…but can’t if the citizens revolt because they aren’t docile enough sitting in front of their televisions being fed propaganda ********! And told what is right and what is wrong. (And mostly misinformed) Government obfuscating the real and important issues.
Perhaps? it will be the proud Canadian pot smokers who will rise up and free these people who want to be our neighbors. And tell the American power mongers to politely go F%#*K Themselves! (Canada’s Adopt a Yankee pot smoker policy) Leave your weapons at home…bring along your BONG SIX-SHOOTER. I think of the thousands of American draft dodgers who came to Canada during the Vietnam war to escape tyranny and death. (a lot of them stayed) What a politically tainted so-called democracy.
One thing we will hopefully never lose: Is OUR FREEDOM!
THINK GREEN EVERYBODY… Make every day Earth Day… in many wonderful ways…. Boycott American *****-ideology
PS: I hope Obama smokes dope. Otherwise? He should be encouraged to. Hmmm? The G8 summit is coming up…..
Keep in mind that pot has been decriminalized in Ohio; I was also cited for simple possession with a fraternity brother last semester. My life still could potentially be derailed, as it will remain on public records. Also, my drivers license has been revoked for 6 months, and it clearly states that it is a drug suspension, also on court records. Additionally, I potentially will lose on any financial aid from the government for the rest of my years in college (I am a sophomore, looking at likely 5 years of undergrad). All of this over a simple citation.
My fraternity brother had to drop one of his majors (he was double majoring) because he realized that he had no chance of it benefitting him after the citation. He also is also transferring away from my University next year, as we were both put on University probation for getting caught. All of this over a HALF OF A GRAM of weed that was in my car during a routine traffic stop.
Because of that day, our lives are forever going to be altered, and not for the better. The careers of 20 year olds are not going to be the same ever again, because we indulged in a harmless plant. This is the worst travesty that can happen in the “greatest country in the World,” built on the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
Great documentary!!!! Well investigated and researched. Very informative and funny. Well worth the watch. Its so sad to see how society has made it the norm to reject something so natural, so pure, so special and so harmless. Guess we have governments to thank for that…
The best of the anti-drugs docs. A good discussion of the deeper reasons of which most people are ignorant. In my opinion (AND THIS DOC SUPPORTS THESE REASONS) the major reasons for prohibition are economic. The social effects of weed are important as well, but the economic reasons are the driving force. If weed were freely available for commercial, industrial, medicinal, and recreational use then this would be a huge boon to the ECONOMIC GROWTH for SMALL BUSINESS. HOWEVER, the existing LARGE ECONOMIC players WOULD LOSE PROFIT. Their profit margins would begin shrink, in some cases said businesses would, thankfully and beneficially for virtually everyone, go out of business, e.g. Wood based paper pulp, and possibly petro-chemical producers, for instance plastics which are not biodegradable. And that is something THEY WILL NOT TOLERATE.
I love this site! Vlat, Have you considered adding the year of production to your info when possible? Thanks again for your great work here.
one day it will be legal
and also jon m. arent the rich alread so wealth that they could live 30 lifetimes without working maybee its time for the little guy to earn some money
This documentary is absolutely breathtaking. I cannot believe how incredibly informative and real this is. This is an absolute must-see.
WOW truly inspiring movie. i cannot belive people can continue to let the government fool them into beliving marijuana use is a crime. fellow smokers keep toking and beliving it will one day be leagalized. -_- all day!
decleration of independence was written on lamb skin.. sorry
@dematt
The first draft of the Declaration of Independence (June 28, 1776) was written on Dutch (hemp) paper, as was the second draft completed on July 2, 1776. This was the document actually agreed to on that day and announced and released on July 4, 1776. …On July 19, 1776, Congress ordered the Declaration be copied and engrossed on parchment (a prepared animal skin) and this was the document actually signed by the delegates on August 2, 1776.
I put my seedlings next to my speakers to watch this doc. They all turned to the speakers, as if it were the sun… kinda dancing and swaying to the vibes. I’m so proud of my stinky little girls. They’ll grow up to be sticky, stinky big girls who will make many people happy. Love ya girls! XD
hahahahah…good one anthony!!!
most unreal video ever.
watched the whole 2 hours
i dont smoke often
but it just shows how many uses there are
plus all the positiives
i am a straight a student by the way:)
this vid is insane i cant even believe that its really harmless like i always study better when i smoke and like it just makes everything better and apparently there arent any bad side effects so whoo hoo ima keep smokin the great ganja
@ Kevin
Time to move to BC Cannabis Canada Procure a travel study grant. Lots of educated farmers there.
Sounds like you can get away with murder state-side with only a slap on the wrist! But don’t get caught with a roach in the ashtray Heaven Forbid! That’s CRIMINAL.
Inevitably they (USA Government) will need to de-criminalise pot and sell it $$$$ to make some cash to pay for the wars they started and the 200-billion BP clean up costs in the Gulf of Mexico (BP will receive a 100-Billion kick-back) Tragedy is always a WIN WIN scenario.
@ Anthony
Hope the girls are doing well! And are keeping up with the dance moves. If they are a little sluggish Put on some Bob Marley Rasta-Mon Gyrate and Boogey! TWIST and SHOUT! (cough cough)
This is absolutely amazing, the amount of information the points to government oppression purely for the greens(the other type)is insane. The government is basically repressing one of the most useful thing to mankind right now-with our current situation, just to make some $$$ and to stuff wallets. This i can say, is the real tragedy in america-scratch that, the world
This documentary is sooooo good. I am a senior in high school and my Government teacher showed this in class. I don’t know how he gets away with it but i am so glad i was able to watch this.
@Andre Carr Sr
Speaking of 420…pause the movie right at 25:06. It says 420 right below the barrel on the left before they are busted open. I caught that and that it was pretty funny ^_^
great doc. Its sad to see how the governement lies to the people like that. Isnt the point of a governement to provide the people with wat they want? and if we all want cannabis and other related spieces to be legalised, isnt it in a way illegal for the governement NOT to legalise it? Its a shame and it sort of makes you feel used by the way the Gov. just lies to you for profit…… #1 faourite film.
This is a very inspiring Documentary, It shows how America Really is.. ALl Corrupt in Politics and to be honest it still really is, things like this Makes me wanna puke and spit and Just hate the world. Theres more disgusting things in this world then whats good left in this world, I hope that the Goverment and everything would change for the better by the next Decade, or even sooner if possible.
Whats the name of the song where it tells you the name of the video?? help?
this is a great documentary but its ashame its not publicised:( i only found out about this from youtube. but this is great