Clashes around cannabis legalization in Morocco and the USA | Us & Them | DW Documentary

Clashes around cannabis legalization in Morocco and the USA | Us & Them | DW Documentary

It’s not my choice when it comes to cannabis because I am not a cannabis Person I smoke because I want to no we are not doing that my mom sees drugs specifically um in one hand and then handcuffs in the other We the new Young Generation want to change our region legalization should be the first step we don’t understand it where will they be grown who will benefit who will buy our crops older generation who rejected legalization and lived excluded in poverty in the reef Mountains since 1956 you were asleep and we’re paying for it now we weren’t asleep y’all betrayed me can I say and nonstop that is why y’all should have stayed with my perimeter inste why we smok weed is what I’m trying to tell you thank you Kids cannabis and parents of course there’s going to be conflict young and old our realities and dreams can be so different seriously it seems like there’s a huge gap between the generations sometimes we just don’t get each other the question is can we fix it The government is trying to prohibit the illegal use of legalized marijuana under the new legislation license holders will be required to submit a monthly cannabis report to the agency the state is officially starting its cannabis legalization project it’s difficult to implement now especially since people still don’t understand why they legalized it what

Are the objectives its consequences and the fears it hasn’t been easy to get here but we have to keep going don’t forget we were criticized in the beginning people didn’t accept the idea at all legalization is here but we don’t know how it’ll be implemented we don’t understand

It it wasn’t easy my friend people criticize us they still don’t agree they see us as troublemakers like we don’t belong if legalization had been proposed back then the older generation wouldn’t have even considered it for that generation the plant is sacred and no kind of legalization is acceptable it should all remain

Illegal my father like the rest of his generation was against legalization they’re a mistrustful generation will the state itself Supply the seeds with local or foreign seeds where will they be grown who will benefit who will buy our crops do we send them to the laboratory the factory

The co-op or the regulatory agency we still don’t know these things I’ve discussed the issue with him several times but sometimes I choose not to discuss it because we have different views and it only makes things worse why are people against legalization because they’re afraid this law will not guarantee them a dignified

Life or pay a livable wage that’s why they’re scared so rather stay illegal hold on a sec marijuana is being legalized in Morocco yes but just for industrial cosmetic and medicinal uses at least at first the Moroccan interior Ministry is expecting that by 2028 annual revenues from the European market

Alone will reach up to $630 million the law passed by the Moroccan government in May 2021 is aiming to limit illegal trade and help improve farmers in in comes farming communities are worried that they’re being left behind and are afraid of competition from powerful investors this has led to

Serious tension between Muhammad’s and his father’s Generations perhaps pressure on those evading the law will increase I’m not against that just fewer regions it’s important we wanted to limit the amount of regions okay we could agree with those three regions but what were our demands and benih were chosen because those are

The Cannabis regions but unfortunately alosa shaan and tet were added to the list my name is mon schz I’m 26 years old my beautiful daughter Mone my name is Stasia Jacobs Canter I love her so much I grew up in Georgetown Guyana which is a beautiful country I am um a

Migrant and I live in Far Rock Away Queens New York I really love living in farway even though there were a few devastating things that happened in farway that it tore a part of me with this smok ins sign outside of the house I left it there because that’s

Me of myself talking to my children one day I just looked at it and I was like Mom like should we take this down and she was like no absolutely not this is going to stay right here because this is what my rules are you all just break

Them so I like to smoke on my balcony but I just you know I stay out of the common areas and sometimes the smell does seep into her uh quarters and she does like say her comments oh you’re going to be lazy you’re going to be this

If you keep smoking ah here she goes with this stuff again and and then she make me have a heart attack I’m going to fall down she’s going to stress me out and I’m just like this is so dramatic when it comes to Maran cannabis within

Your loved ones and your kids you want to keep them away from prison that’s number one prison yeah marijuana still isn’t legal in all of the US around half of the 50 states have legalized recreational cannabis use in March 2021 New York also joined the legalization club with the hopes of

Bringing Justice and equality to African-Americans and other minorities whose communities were torn apart by the old system in just a couple of years the yearly tax revenues of legalized marijuana are expected to be around $95 million us and in a few more years four times even that but legalization does

Nothing to change change station’s worries however then they will not be able to have the kind of life that they’re supposed to being someone coming out of prison because of that you’re being looked at differently the other fear is that they develop mental illness I was still worried when we

Started to migrate to this country and I always try to talk to my kids have them understand the ifs and the buts I think coming from Guyana to the United States and seeing the way historically like the police has interacted with black communities I think she saw

Cannabis as like one of those factors that would surely lead us into the hands of you know either the crack house or the jail system you know right into to prison a the city of tetan is on the Moroccan Spanish border and the stereotype is that it’s a Smuggler City especially for

Food and Drugs it’s the heart of our region because it’s where the young people from isan study I worked as a journalist and founded the journalism Institute where I also work as a lecturer it’s the only Institute of its kind in the north my goal was to change the

Stereotype of Northern towns being known as Smuggler towns where does this cliche actually come from well Moroccan authorities seized more than 250 metric tons of hash in 2020 and in the same year Spanish authorities seized about 450 metric tons in spite of the strict ban on growing weed for recreational consumption in

Morocco demand in National Regional and European markets is crazy high in 2003 70% of all hash in the EU came from Morocco luxm J is my baby the MJ stands for marijuana Justice um and Lux MJ is an Inc silary business which deals with uh Grinders and trays and holders and they’re also equipped with uh a know your rights facts sheet so folks are not being re criminalized under the legalization of marijuana

And then the other piece is the equity and advocacy and that comes through the collective about the effect of the War on Drugs you cannot forget the impact um on the families of those incarcerated particularly what happened with women in those households not only were they also

Incarcerated but they were also the ones left to pick up the pieces when uh the men and their family were targeted specifically for um cannabis use After graduating high school I studied law and F there I met other young students from my region and we formed our own group we discussed local issues lack of development the marginalization and out of University created an association the association of Youth foran’s future I told him not to confront the

Big men of the region if you want to do something don’t do it here otherwise you’ll find yourself in a lot of trouble powerful people say what the younger ones are doing is going to ruin Us from the beginning it was obvious to our organization that cannabis is a big problem for our region that’s why we all agreed that legalization was the [Applause] Solution okay mom pick up the phone she she’s going no she’s there K has other people to talk to she’s a very popular old lady all right now I have to call her in her cell stay don’t move come on Mom now you see how it

Feels when I call you and you don’t answer I don’t know I told I’m going to call hello good morning good morning Mother how are you oh girl just come out the bathroom yes all right mom um the stigma about the Cannabis is it different from then to now how do you

Feel about a stigma oh [ __ ] my cousin used to sell weed and was smoke weed and they were like the rapper environment so I always thought it was like so cool how people can come together and laugh and smoke and just like it felt very positive in those

Environments like it was not tense it was so relaxed I loved him dearly I literally fight with him every day about it granny has always been opinionated has always been very outwardly disapproving of weed and cannabis and marijuana when quincon was alive like that was that was the only

Thing you could really say that was you know what they didn’t like about him yeah because I think that’s why um Quinton had um did not responded in the way because we did disapprove everybody was on him and because he was the only person exact everybody was on him very

Harsh and judgmental it was very hard and there are times that you know I had to to you know perform copper punishment on him because I wanted him to to continue doing the best um he could not have understand your other cousin could not have understand you you none of you

Could not have understand why we were doing it it was very heartful and can’t talk I was angry at my you know Community for a little bit because you know I wish that never happen never I just felt like you know he didn’t have to he

Didn’t have to go that way and it didn’t have to be that way the way he they did it God knows it was not right when I got to that spot and I saw they were there and they told me you can’t go I said no I I would have to go

And see my nephew let me go let me go just for one time just let me hold him I also kind of felt connected to him when I would smoke and like be back in cannabis because like those are the memories that I had of him of him being

Happy and with his friends and listening to music and smoking and you know even though my family didn’t really like that about him that was where he found the most Joy but it’s okay it’s still okay because that’s what I live that keeps me going and every time

I pass the area in the Far Rock Way I said this is my nephew’s this is where his last Soul lie and that’s his part of me I spent my childhood in the mountains it was Beautiful what’s interesting here in a Sean is that all the families in this part of the reef mountains live from growing cannabis where did the Cannabis come from I don’t know I haven’t known anything else my parents always grew cannabis at that time there was just a barter economy currency wasn’t necessary

People just exchange cannabis for things like potatoes or goods from other markets the farmers used to sell their bushels of marijuana at the market my father grew up in the 70s and ‘ 80s during the hippie era there were also plenty of tourists who came to discover cannabis for

Themselves the wave of hippies had a big influence on my father’s generation it changed their lives they didn’t influence us back then but there were lots of things we learned from them my father’s look at that time I had long hair and bell bottoms that was trendy back

Then things were different back then both the product and the seeds were original from the region but now they’ve introduced Pakistani varieties Amnesia and so many others the introduction of genetically modified plants has had a 100% negative effect on the region causing environmental and economic crises smoking this new variety is kind

Of like taking hard drugs the kinds we used to fear like heroin or LSD people on LSD go crazy you don’t want to get too close to them but it’s not like that with local cannabis it calms you way down if you need to do something you do

It and if not you just sit there so calmly all you want is Peace hello father how are you good and you I’ll be there in a moment where are you mam I’ll be there in minutes okay see you then who was that Muhammad is a local the family lived abroad and he and his brother would come here in the

Summer at that time I was about 10 and they were 18 or 20 years old they’re from this area he’s one of us soon get like of color even more importantly like black women election lawyers I think think when it comes to me being you know a petite seemingly non-threatening individual and me

Revealing that I smoke for most people it’s like okay that that’s very cute that’s very dainty you know she speaks well she’s smart she graduated she has Intelligence all these things whereas for my brother he’s like 6 foot dark skinn male tattoos so he fits a description for people to be

Afraid of him he fits a description for the police he has to have a different level of responsibility and heightened awareness when he’s in that world versus myself because you know I’m just like I’m the cool chick that you want to like you want to smoke with me you want to

Hang out with me but for him it can come off a lot more threatening there’s a huge mistrust in government in black and brown communities for very very good reason for our community it looks like you know fear fear and mistrust especially when we’re talking about marijuana even though studies show that

White and black people in the US consume in approximately equal amounts black people are four times as likely to be imprisoned for using marijuana in 2021 96% of cannabis arrests by New York police involved people of Color because they’re just so worried about all of the factors that are just already placed on them before already you know open their mouth you were in a constant state of fear as if you were a criminal and lived like you always had one foot in jail whenever you left the region you

Were branded as a KMI a drug dealer and a bandit even though Farmers had nothing to do with any of that that’s enough we’ve been suffering since 1956 your generation was asleep and now we pay the price no no to the contrary we weren’t asleep you were asleep and we’re paying

For it now we couldn’t do anything what could we have done back then giving your honest opinion and speaking the truth they’d have prosecuted you and wrongfully thrown you in prison I’m one of them I unjustly spent seven months in prison he hasn’t cultivated his land at

All not for years they burned my Forest my trees right over here they burned it all you never demanded legalization like we have that’s why we asked for an alternative an alternative or a solution an alternative and a solution there was fierce resistance people were against legalization they say stop don’t

Talk about it it’s not allowed there was fear you should trust young people more and give them a chance no one trusts or motivates the young people exactly I do agree with you on that Point this new law will be beneficial for both the state and the people I think medicinal usage is good for me freedom is better it’s incomparable why would I choose a way of life that’s forbidden and go to jail for it all your life no matter where You’ go

Being accused of being a criminal when you’re just a farmer after so much discussion and back and forth he’s now about 60 to 70% in favor of legalization When I found out that my daughter and my son were using it as a recreation drug is that I I did not know because I guess they didn’t want to hurt my feelings because they know that I’m very much against it at the end of 2018 of year how you know

Yes that’s how long I was so naive and stupid and somebody’s clearing it through because I understand that it was longer no you don’t she thought that I influenced you to start smoking in college I’ve been smoking since I’ve stage 18 years old Jesus Christ I started smoking at 16 though

Jesus so but not like regularly mhm well I don’t know it’s just like it is a lot to swallow yes it is the most I can do is swallow my saliva you guys are so are you mad now not I’m really mad but just do you feel scamed a little

Betrayed you feel betrayed yeah by the two of you guys you guys have been there mhm from the age of baby until now to know that that’s something that I disagree with can I say and no no stop let me talk why would y’all go behind my

Back knowing that I fight with everybody else as my own bringing them up from baby to now and know I feel as though I was hypocrite to my nephews that I fight to stay in order and you guys go behind my back and that’s something I would I

Wouldn’t I wouldn’t I wouldn’t take out of my mind until I die because I’m going to tell you guys about it because yall betrayed me knowing that I did not like it see see no no no see the difference between being betrayed and feeling betrayed is exactly the action nobody

Betrayed you you felt so what do you how many hours a week though you spent with us no but you know you remember you know that even though I work right I still used to look and make sure no Mom no you didn’t no you didn’t

No you didn’t you know why cuz you were busy trying to make sure that we survived which we are very grateful for that’s why y that is why y’all should have stand my in that’s why we smoked weed is what I’m trying to tell you we found healing from trauma right like

Real life trauma that comes with migrating to a new place at a certain age in a new environment you know in a different type of like familial environment where you’re working not at home the way you were in Guyana so it’s a different world here the the part that

Really really really hurts is that 13 the 13 and the 16 the reason why I started smoking weed when I was 13 was cuz I was alone I always felt alone I was always the middle child and that’s always what it’s been so I used weed to

It helped me be in myself like me be comfortable being in my head cuz that’s where I was most of the time it’s not wrong that’s the problem who should say that you even if you were in my life who should say I wouldn’t have started smoking weed I would have

Still smoked weed I like smoking weed I like maybe you should try it hell no why would you think that they would try it cuz we like it a lot of people like let me say this no stop they surprised me a greatly because I never knew that really really it I felt

A in my stomach it it was like a little purse and I thought about it and I really understood because he was the only male within his sister his cousin I can understand he felt alone because his dad was not he’s there but he is not living

With us I’m praying every day that he get past it cuz I love him dearly and I know he can he’s strong enough to do it to accept it oh Wu is my youngest I chose the name AB my other kids chose his name my father was against it he had other suggestions my mother to said one ABD maid is enough for me and now there’s another one there’s a 20e difference between Miju and I and 20 years is a

Lifetime his generation is different from mine it’s another time and my relationship with him is more than that Between Brothers he’s like a son it’s important to me that my brother knows what I’ve been doing in F it’ll be useful for him tell meu what do you want to do when

You grow up I want to be a university professor and teach medicine University Professor you’ll have to study hard I’ll keep on going until I finish my dissertation the University’s Medical Faculty is in charge of of analyzing cannabis so it can be used as medication would you be interested in that kind of

Research no not really why not cannabis isn’t my thing and do you want cannabis to stay in a Sean it should stay until they find a permanent alternative we’ll be by their side all the way to the end I want people from our region to be able to show their IDs

Without fear and say proudly I am Km cannabis can be a resurrecting or restoring factor for particularly communities that are in cities inner cities that are experiencing high levels of gun violence I feel confident and comfortable that I’m getting better in life when it comes to cannabis and marijuana use if they can see honest

Engagement in cannabis industry I think that there is an opportunity to build back those communities in ways that are productive Even my grandma says things like oh okay well maybe the weed is not that bad you know before there was no maybe ifs ant or butts it was just strictly this is how I feel this is my position and there is nothing you can say or do about

It it’s not my choice when it comes to the Cannabis business because I am not a cannabis person but as time goes by I develop the comfort and as the laws change my comfort becomes moral and I’ll support her as much as I can to work

Where to go her thing is if me or my brother makes it onto like a large platform or a big thing then she will smoke with us no we will never see St she using it never St will never use that NOP One the glasses do you want me to take the glasses off my memory is giving out I couldn’t remember everything if you want me to repeat that again forget [Applause] It she let’s do that again

Permitted for recreational use in New York and medical purposes in Morocco – things are gradually shifting for cannabis. Long demonized and banned, the plant has caused a rift between parents and children for generations.

Mohamed comes from the northern region of Ketama, the cannabis farming stronghold of Morocco. Like most people who live in the area, his family relies on cannabis cultivation for its livelihood. In 2021, the government legalized the growing of cannabis for medical and cosmetic purposes. The journalist and activist has been fighting for years for this legalization and against criminality in the Rif mountains. Morocco is one of the world’s largest hashish exporters. But Mohamed’s enthusiasm for this new legislation is not shared by his mistrustful parents and the elders of his home region .

Mone’t lives in Far Rockaway, Queens, New York, a low-income neighborhood where 45 per cent of residents are African-American. The young Guyanese-American woman works as a political advisor and owns a small cannabis business. She’s been smoking weed since she was 16 years old and has experienced first-hand the illegal drugs trade and all its associated problems, among them murder and imprisonment. Mone’t’s mother Stachia rejects this aspect of her daughter’s lifestyle completely. She can’t see past the plant’s bad rap and its involvement in a family tragedy.

Will Mohamed be able to convince his father and the elders of his home region that legalization is a good thing?

Following the legalization of cannabis in New York, will Stachia be able to overcome her fears and support her daughter?

#documentary #dwdocumentary #morroco #usa #usandthem
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