Druglawed

Last updated
Druglawed
Directed byArik Reiss
Produced byArik Reiss and Barry Toms
Written byYuki Sato
Starring Ethan Nadelmann
David Nutt
Nándor Tánczos
Metiria Turei
Abe Gray
Narrated byEstevez Gillespie
Music byRadiate Sound
CinematographyArik Reiss
Edited byArik Reiss
Production
company
Release date
  • 24 January 2015 (2015-01-24)(Auckland)
  • 20 April 2015 (2015-04-20)(Dunedin)
Running time
100 minutes
CountriesNew Zealand
United States
LanguageEnglish

Druglawed is a 2015 documentary film directed by Arik Reiss concerning cannabis in New Zealand, the ongoing struggle for cannabis law reform in that country and how the United States led War on Drugs has impacted small nations like New Zealand. [1] The film had its 'underworld' premiere on 24 January 2015 in Auckland, New Zealand and its 'grand world premiere' was on 20 April 2015 in Dunedin. [2] The film features drug policy experts including Professor David Nutt and Ethan Nadelmann as well as New Zealand politicians John Key, Nándor Tánczos and Metiria Turei.

Contents

Film content

The film looks at the history of how 184 countries signed up to fight Richard Nixon's War On Drugs. It shows how New Zealand adopted these drug policies and for decades has maintained some of the highest arrest rates for cannabis in the world. It examines how currently some US states have decided to abandon prohibition of marijuana, but New Zealand continues to enforce it. It relays the statistic that someone is arrested in New Zealand for cannabis every thirty minutes and the fact that no one has ever died from using it. Through interviews with cannabis users and growers, police officers, economists, doctors, politicians and scientists, it examines the cause and effect nature of the underground cannabis business. It also looks at how other jurisdictions have solved the problems created by the black market through legalisation.

Premieres and release

The DVD of Druglawed was sold in limited release from February 2015. It was sold for the first time at the 'underworld premiere' in Auckland. It was released world wide on VHX in April 2015 in conjunction with its first screening in Dunedin on 20 April 2015. The official New Zealand premiere took place on 24 May 2015 at Q Theatre in Auckland under the auspices of the Documentary Edge Festival, where the film received a nomination for Best New Zealand Feature Documentary.

Film festival selection

Druglawed won the award for Best Feature at the 2016 CannaBus Culture Film Festival (New York City), and was officially selected for the Documentary Edge Festival 2015 (New Zealand), the ReFrame Film Festival 2016 (Canada), the Maine Cannabis Film Festival 2016 and the Cannabis Film Festival 2016 (California). Druglawed was selected for a special screening at MardiGrass 2016, Australia's largest cannabis law reform rally which takes place annually in Nimbin, New South Wales.

Sequel

Production of Druglawed 2 began in March 2015 in New Zealand, after which filming continued in Israel, Australia, Argentina and Uruguay. Druglawed 2 stars Israeli chemist Professor Raphael Mechoulam and former President of Uruguay José Mujica. Also featured are South American historian and anthropologist Daniel Vidart and Australian Member of Parliament Fiona Patten. Druglawed 2 is a 4-part film that was released episodically, Episode 1: Scientist and Episode 2: Specialist were released in the first half of 2017. Scientist premiered at MardiGrass 2017. Episode 3: Spokeswoman and Episode 4: Statesman were released in January 2019.

Arrest and Prosecution of Director

On 22 June 2017 the director of the films was arrested for possession of a small amount of cannabis and cultivation of one cannabis plant. [3] The Crown Prosecutor did not accept the stated defense of medical necessity, the case proceeded to trial in the Auckland District Court, which concluded in February 2019 with a Discharge Without Conviction. [4]

Crowdfunding

A small portion of the budget for Druglawed and Druglawed 2 was raised using the Patreon, PledgeMe and Kickstarter crowdfunding platforms.

Related Research Articles

<i>Trainspotting</i> (film) 1996 film by Danny Boyle

Trainspotting is a 1996 British black comedy-drama film directed by Danny Boyle and starring Ewan McGregor, Ewen Bremner, Jonny Lee Miller, Kevin McKidd, Robert Carlyle, and Kelly Macdonald in her debut. Based on the 1993 novel of the same title by Irvine Welsh, the film was released in the United Kingdom on 23 February 1996.

Legality of cannabis Where cannabis is and is not legal

The legality of cannabis for medical and recreational use varies by country, in terms of its possession, distribution, and cultivation, and how it can be consumed and what medical conditions it can be used for. These policies in most countries are regulated by three United Nations treaties: the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, the 1971 Convention on Psychotropic Substances, and the 1988 Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances. Cannabis is classified as a Schedule I drug under the Single Convention treaty, meaning that signatories can allow medical use but that it is considered to be an addictive drug with a serious risk of abuse.

Howard Marks Welsh author and drug smuggler

Dennis Howard Marks was a Welsh drug smuggler and author who achieved notoriety as an international cannabis smuggler through high-profile court cases. At his peak he claimed to have been smuggling consignments of the drug as large as 30 tons, and was connected with groups as diverse as the CIA, the IRA, MI6, and the Mafia. He was eventually convicted by the American Drug Enforcement Administration and given a 25-year sentence to be served at Terre Haute; he was released in April 1995 after serving seven years. Though he had up to 43 aliases, he became known as "Mr. Nice" after he bought a passport from convicted murderer Donald Nice. After his release from prison, he published a best-selling autobiography, Mr. Nice, and campaigned publicly for changes in drugs legislation.

Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis Party New Zealand political party

Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis Party (ALCP), also known as the Cannabis Party, is a political party in New Zealand. It is dedicated to removing or reducing restrictions on the use of cannabis and similar substances.

Global Marijuana March

The Global Marijuana March (GMM), also referred to as the Million Marijuana March (MMM), is an annual rally held at different locations around the world on the first Saturday in May. A notable event in cannabis culture, it is associated with cannabis-themed events, which may include marches, meetings, rallies, raves, concerts, festivals, and attempts at educational outreach.

<i>Super High Me</i>

Super High Me is a 2007 documentary film about the effects of smoking cannabis for 30 days. Directed by Michael Blieden, the documentary stars comedian Doug Benson. The documentary's name and its poster are plays on the 2004 documentary Super Size Me.

Drug liberalization is the process of decriminalizing or legalizing the use or sale of drugs. Variations of drug liberalization include: drug legalization, drug relegalization and drug decriminalization.

Otago NORML

Otago University NORML is a pro cannabis law reform student club at the University of Otago, affiliated to the Otago University Students Association. It is a local chapter of the national New Zealand cannabis law reform organisation NORML New Zealand, an affiliate of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML).

Cannabis in New Zealand Use of cannabis in New Zealand

The use of cannabis in New Zealand is regulated by the Misuse of Drugs Act 1975, which makes unauthorised possession of any amount of cannabis a crime. Cannabis is the fourth-most widely used recreational drug in New Zealand, after caffeine, alcohol and tobacco, and the most widely used illicit drug. In 2001 a household survey revealed that 13.4% of New Zealanders aged 15–64 used cannabis. This ranked as the ninth-highest cannabis consumption level in the world.

Cannabis in Australia Recreational and medicinal drug use

Cannabis is a plant used in Australia for recreational, medicinal and industrial purposes. In 2019, 36% of Australians over the age of fourteen years had used cannabis in their lifetime and 11.6% had used cannabis in the last 12 months.

Cannabis political parties Political parties advocating cannabis legalization

Cannabis political parties are generally single-issue parties that exist to oppose the laws against cannabis.

The Daktory was a warehouse catering for the sale and consumption of cannabis in New Lynn, Auckland, New Zealand. The Daktory operated in open defiance of New Zealand drug legislation prohibiting the cultivation, possession, sale and consumption of cannabis; its founder Dakta Green was jailed for 23 months for the operation of the warehouse. Members were called 'Daktas' and are registered under a pseudonym of their choice. They paid a monthly fee to join which allowed them access to The Daktory or they paid a $5 general entry charge. Patrons had to be 18 years of age or older. Once inside, members would openly smoke cannabis using any of the many paraphernalia provided. At various times cannabis was also openly grown in and sold from the Daktory. Nationwide branches of the Daktory were planned for all major New Zealand cities and other areas of strong demand for cannabis.

Dakta Green, formerly Kenneth Morgan is a former New Zealand cannabis law reform activist and political candidate. He changed his name by public poll in 2008. He is the Activism co-ordinator for NORML New Zealand, the driver of Mary Jane the Cannabus, and founder of The Daktory. He was a candidate for the Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis Party in the 2009 Mount Albert by-election.

Whakamana Cannabis Museum

Whakamana, or The New Zealand Institute for Cannabis Education, Research and Development is New Zealand's first museum dedicated to the history of cannabis use and culture. It was first opened in October 2013 in Dunedin as part of a project spearheaded by Abe Gray, former deputy leader of the Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis Party (ALCP), and Julian Crawford, former ALCP regional spokesperson.

Effects of legalized cannabis

The use of cannabis as a recreational drug has been outlawed in many countries for several decades. As a result of long-fought legalization efforts, several countries such as Uruguay and Canada, as well as several states in the US, have legalized the production, sale, possession, and recreational and/or medical usage of cannabis. The broad legalization of cannabis in this fashion can have numerous effects on the economy and society in which it is legalised.

Chlöe Swarbrick New Zealand politician and entrepreneur

Chlöe Charlotte Swarbrick is a New Zealand politician and entrepreneur. Following a high-profile but unsuccessful run for the 2016 Auckland mayoral election, she became a parliamentary candidate for the Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand, standing in the 2017 New Zealand general election and was elected as a member of the New Zealand Parliament at the age of 23. In the 2020 election, Swarbrick was elected as the Member of Parliament for Auckland Central, becoming the second Green Party MP to win an electorate seat in the history of the party, and the first minor party MP since the inception of MMP to win a general electorate seat without a tacit endorsement from a major party leader.

The 2020 New Zealand cannabis referendum was a non-binding referendum held on 17 October 2020 in conjunction with the 2020 general election and a euthanasia referendum, on the question of whether to legalise the sale, use, possession and production of cannabis. It was narrowly rejected by New Zealand voters. The form of the referendum was a vote for or against the proposed "Cannabis Legalisation and Control Bill". Official results were released by the Electoral Commission on 6 November 2020 with 50.7% of voters opposing the legalisation and 48.4% in support.

Mika Haka

Mika X or Mika Haka is a New Zealand Māori singer, performance artist, actor, filmmaker, TV producer and comedian.

Abe Gray Cannabis activist from New Zealand

Abraham Gabriel Gray is an American-born New Zealand cannabis activist, politician and founder of the Whakamana Cannabis Museum, New Zealand's first and only cannabis museum. Gray was a University of Otago lecturer and tutor for over a decade before founding the museum.

References

  1. ↑ Michael Sergel (23 May 2015). "Doco claims NZ falls behind with cannabis laws". Newstalk ZB. Retrieved 8 April 2021.
  2. ↑ Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis Party (25 February 2015). "Druglawed documentary accepted into festival circuit" (Press release). Scoop.co.nz.CS1 maint: discouraged parameter (link)
  3. ↑ Sam Hurley (18 October 2017). "Film director who helped Rose Renton faces cannabis charges". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 8 April 2021.
  4. ↑ Sam Hurley (15 November 2018). "Film director who helped Rose Renton guilty of drugs charges". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 8 April 2021.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.