The Five Best Documentaries About Cannabis

The Best Films to Help Educate Yourself About Cannabis

The first documentary about cannabis was a complete disaster. Called “Reefer Madness,” it hit screens in 1936, and melodramatically warned audiences that weed would lead young people to peril and violence.

Almost a whole century later, we’re lucky to have a catalogue of excellent documentaries about cannabis. These range from informative to funny, visually stimulating to narrative-based, and historical to forward-thinking.

Check out our recommendations below.

SUPER HIGH ME (2007)

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You’ve probably heard of Supersize Me, a documentary that followed filmmaker Morgan Spurlock as ate nothing but McDonald’s for one month. You can imagine what a film titled “Super High Me” would show you.

Similar to Spurlock’s adventures in fast food, Comedian Doug Benson documents 60 days of his life: 30 days clean and 30 days under the influence of an absurd amount of pot. Though the film is mad funny, it also offers insight about the human body and habit-making.

THE CULTURE HIGH (2015)

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The Culture High is a must-watch if you want to learn about the legal aspects of cannabis prohibition and legalization. This film looks at the war on drugs through multiple perspectives and features interviews from doctors, sheriffs, dealers, and a slew of celebrities like Snoop Dogg, Joe Rogan, and Wiz Khalifa, to name a few.

As a description on the film’s website explains, “The Culture High is the riveting story that tears into the very fibre of modern-day marijuana prohibition to reveal the truth behind the arguments and motives governing both those who support and those who oppose the existing pot laws.”

THE FUTURE OF WEED: HIGH COUNTRY (2013)

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This full-length Vice documentary documents the beginning of the “green rush.” Cameras visit Denver, Colorado, where footage contrasts the booming marijuana market to the 1970s, when governments claimed that the plant had “zero medical value and a high potential for abuse.” Though the documentary is a few years old, it offers a glowing view of the future of marijuana.

A NORML LIFE (2011)

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The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, or NORML, has been pushing for marijuana legalization since 1965. The organization released this documentary as an educational piece about the plant’s medical benefits, also raising points about the tax revenue that would generate from legal sales. Clearly, NORML’s efforts are paying off, as many states have begun to open up to the idea of a marijuana market.

GRASS IS GREENER (2019)

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This Netflix exclusive follows hip-hop legend Fab 5 Freddy as he explores America’s history with cannabis as it pertains to Black users. From the racist comments coming from leaders during the Nixon presidency to popularity of pot among jazz musicians and the plant’s influence on modern music, this documentary isn’t afraid to unpack important pockets of history.