TV Review: PBS/NOVA's 'The Cannabis Question'

September 30, 2021

Cannabis documentaries on TV often look and sound alike. The latest, The Cannabis Question, on PBS, fits that mold.

But since it's a NOVA production, the focus on cannabis science is pretty deep and the photography and animation top-notch. Vets with PTSD and children with epilepsy are featured, once again proving the effiicacy of cannabis for many conditions.

However, any mainstream canna-doc can't help but try to be balanced for fear of looking too favorably on the natural drug that has been federally appoved for medical use by the FDA - GW Pharmaceuticals' Epidiolex. We're reminded 9% of users get addicted and withdrawal is a real concern for people looking to quit.

The hour-long program takes a welcome detour to show how criminal justice fits into the the picture, interviewing Drug Policy Foundation executive director Kassandra Frederique and telling the story of Sean Worsley, a vet and medical patient who was arrested along with his wife Eboni, in Alabama with medicine he transported from Arizona. The arrest led to jail time and homelessness for the Worsleys.

Indeed, the program notes, "Criminalization destroys lives at the same time the cannabis wellness industry is thriving."

NOVA leaves the cannabis business to other documentaries like Green Mile on CNBC. This is closer to what Dr. Sanjay Gupta has done with his five-part Weed series on CNN, dating back to 2013.

Watch The Cannabis Question above.