Code of the West (2012)

At a time when the country is rethinking its drug policies large and small, one state raises to the forefront of national attention. Once a pioneer in legalizing medical marijuana, the ... See full summary »

Director:

Rebecca Richman Cohen

Writers:

Francisco Bello, Rebecca Richman Cohen

Storyline

At a time when the country is rethinking its drug policies large and small, one state raises to the forefront of national attention. Once a pioneer in legalizing medical marijuana, the state of Montana is poised to become the first in the nation to repeal its medical marijuana law. Set against the sweeping vistas of the Rockies, the steamy lamplight of marijuana grow houses, and the bustling halls of the State Capitol, CODE OF THE WEST follows the 2011 Montana State Legislature as it debates the fate of medical marijuana. This is the story of the many lives and fraught emotions tied to one of the most heated policy questions facing the country today.

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Plot Keywords:

marijuana

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Genres:

Documentary | Western

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Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

12 March 2012 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Montana, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Naked Edge Films, Racing Horse Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

75 min

Color:

Color

User Reviews

An Important and Highly Informative film on the Medical Marijuana debate

Code of the West was well-received at its world premiere at the Austin's SXSW Film Festival. It is an excellent film that sheds quite a bit of light on the complex debate over medical marijuana in one small state, Montana. The film demonstrates the complex and emotional debate that has emerged over its medical use and points to a variety of complex issues around the War on Drugs and the conflict that occurs when Federal and State laws contradict. This issue is slowing bubbling up through the American political system so that some point there will undoubtedly be a full-fledged debate over both the medical and eventually the recreational use of marijuana. I think this film could be particularly useful for classroom use to engage high school and college age students in discussions specifically about this issue and more broadly about the functioning of the American political system.