The Fight Over Medical Marijuana | Op-Docs | The New York Times

An Op-Doc profiles Chris Williams, a medical marijuana grower in Montana who now faces life in prison.

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The Fight Over Medical Marijuana | Op-Docs | The New York Times
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50 Comments

  1. evil Duck on November 22, 2020 at 9:05 pm

    Why go after dangerous criminals, sick people are much easier…



  2. skylander kid on November 22, 2020 at 9:07 pm

    Ruined that man’s life,and his kids life as well!



  3. FR-HVAC-Technican on November 22, 2020 at 9:10 pm

    Jo Freunde! beeestee Lampe ever !!endlich mal ein guter Invest! https://amzn.to/2IlzYDQ



  4. _alexiatee_ on November 22, 2020 at 9:11 pm

    The fact this man was a hard working individual, helping others, following guidelines and had a son and yet had to go to prison for 80 years? MINIMUM! My heart hurts for him.



  5. Gabe Briggs on November 22, 2020 at 9:14 pm

    This is such bullshit



  6. shoot_the_moon on November 22, 2020 at 9:15 pm

    gooberment always stepping on the peoples toes robbing through unjust/protected paid for laws from big pharma and their own greed



  7. Sarabeth on November 22, 2020 at 9:16 pm

    See, I am a Trump supporting conservative but I don’t really have strong opinios for or against legalizing marijuana, but if I had to make the ultimate decision for the country I would say legalize it. There is no way that that man deserves to be in prison for 80+ years…period. Especially when people of both legal and illegal status commit far worse crimes like torturing, murdering, and raping. States rights matter people, federal government needs to back off, but they won’t. Only voters can reduce it’s influence. Vote for small government! If you don’t like Republicans, I get it! Be a libertarian!



  8. Chris King on November 22, 2020 at 9:17 pm

    80 fkn years?yea our system works.DO THE CRIME DO THE TIME.WAY TO SPEND OUR TAX DOLLARS.WTF?OUR HEROS THE FEDS.OUR COUNTRY IS SO MUCH SAFER NOW.ANYBODY WHO THINKS THIS MAN SHOULD GO TO JAIL IS SICK.I WILL PRAY FOR YOU



  9. skylander kid on November 22, 2020 at 9:18 pm

    My dream would be to legally grow canabis,but it will never happen becouas I’m not rich



  10. Kinder Ehre on November 22, 2020 at 9:18 pm

    The deep state is working



  11. Brian squiblace on November 22, 2020 at 9:18 pm

    this is.sickening. legalize it already and keep government out of the way !



  12. mikebgood on November 22, 2020 at 9:25 pm

    In any case, the true "supreme" are the citizens of the US in that they are the sovereign bodies forming the union (with the states as a means to that end) and most of whom can understand plain language.



  13. trangenusa on November 22, 2020 at 9:26 pm

    It’s crooked politicians, who are all bought out by Banksters, who back the Pharmaceuticals they funded. They want to get you addicted to your pharmceutical drug program. They are not in business and it is not profitable to cure you. And there is no money in Medical Marijuana because you can’t patent it and monopolize it.



  14. Aimee Seek on November 22, 2020 at 9:26 pm

    People have often tried using conventional medicines with no help to them, due to bad side effects. Can you really blame them when they resort to different medicines like marijuana?



  15. aricars6263 on November 22, 2020 at 9:29 pm

    Your just a fucken pothead tryin to justify your lazy habit, so just go light up another one and play your grand theft auto you imature punk.



  16. Lady G on November 22, 2020 at 9:29 pm

    There is no reason medical marijuana should be illegal. ADHD medication has meth in it it doctors give that to any kid with a problem. And giving it to kids without ADHD causes anxiety and insomnia pretty much for life. and they wont give a dying kid cannabis oil.



  17. ashika singh on November 22, 2020 at 9:29 pm

    I thoroughly agree with your highlighted issues brought on conflicting laws and rules imposed in USA. This is a conflicting topic. One thing that annoys is difference in laws that exists in United States. I don’t see a reason for legalizing marijuana in state level like Washington, Montana, Colorado if federal laws will hinder state laws afterwards. I believe ethically principle of respect for autonomy should be followed here. In addition, marijuana has been legalized for medical purpose and I strongly believe that the ethical issues of no harm principle of John Stuart Mill applies in here. It is of this following of ethics that Chris Williams have had his medical facility of marijuana in run keeping in mind the sensitivity of society and precautions he took for their benefit of all. It is of this that he had local police and drug enforcement task people tour his medical marijuana facility to show that he was operating legally with sole purpose for benefits of medicines. Since he was following all the state laws and did everything for benefit of all with no harm principle, the sudden actions of federal laws of destroying his entire effort and work and holding him in custody was something unjustified. How are the patients supposed to get their medication if the growers have to be in constant fear of losing their hard earned living? Several scientific research and studies have underwent claiming that marijuana have benefits when treating cancer patients to people suffering from severe anxiety disorders and seizure cases. It was due to this reasons many states have legalized marijuana for medical purpose. In this condition, the abrupt decisions of government declaring ban on marijuana mentioning dangerous drugs seems monopoly and hinder the respect for autonomy. Furthermore, as mentioned by ethics of Utilitarianism what I feel is Chris was trying to do was acting his best to provide maximum benefits for the wellbeing of sick people.



  18. PeanutRider2011 on November 22, 2020 at 9:32 pm

    Whatta a fucking world… its a good point that only patients should grow not the industrial people but the punishment should never be that harsh.



  19. Fred Garcia on November 22, 2020 at 9:34 pm

    I thought it was we the people not we the government as soon as I get it all out of it. Let him the lamp big industry taking overit’s time to vote out the politicians that are doing this



  20. Chris Dino on November 22, 2020 at 9:35 pm

    does ANYBODY outside of the DEA really care if someone smokes weed?



  21. williams jerry on November 22, 2020 at 9:36 pm

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  22. Cerena Leigh on November 22, 2020 at 9:37 pm

    thanks officer.



  23. seth lewis on November 22, 2020 at 9:40 pm

    im not a bitch. but this video makes me want to cry man. this dudes child just lost his dad over something that should be legal in the first place… what a country



  24. William Johnston 1701 on November 22, 2020 at 9:40 pm

    Obama’s America



  25. laurice galletta on November 22, 2020 at 9:41 pm

    ridiculous…Sad. 80 yr sentence ? So many more sad stories….
    ENOUGH ALREADY….



  26. Kyle Walsh on November 22, 2020 at 9:42 pm

    Tell those pussies to bust a meth house. #BarackObama



  27. bearded leprechaun on November 22, 2020 at 9:43 pm

    The more they continue to harrass law abiding grows the more they are going to push growers back underground



  28. Matty L on November 22, 2020 at 9:43 pm

    Prisons & Jails = BIG $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ & Some Change.



  29. Fred Garcia on November 22, 2020 at 9:45 pm

    As soon as I take the small farmers out of it now that big industry take it over it’s time to vote the politicians out I’m give it back to the people who started this the American people we start a cannabis culture



  30. Julian Agyl on November 22, 2020 at 9:45 pm

    i got plenty of medical OGs for you guys,OG Kush,Platinum OG Kush,Charlie
    sheen OG,XXX OG, Ogre OG…… email me, agyljulian@gmail.com



  31. Tyler Murphy on November 22, 2020 at 9:47 pm

    Wow.



  32. Sharon Schofield on November 22, 2020 at 9:47 pm

    i agree!! it is now time to END PROHIBITION! Congress, WAKE UP!! this industry could reduce our deficit in no time at all! WHAT ARE Y’ALL WAITING FOR?!?!?!?



  33. QualityKush on November 22, 2020 at 9:47 pm

    What the fuck is wrong with the government…. they just be ruining lives instead of savings them



  34. Aubrey Faye on November 22, 2020 at 9:48 pm

    How is it dangerous???



  35. Terry Clayton on November 22, 2020 at 9:48 pm

    Chris Williams is trying to give Marijuana away a medicine, not as a drug.



  36. cubedude76 on November 22, 2020 at 9:49 pm

    so medical marijuana is still illegal according to federal government but not according to state government? how could such a state law be passed? didn’t the people who passed the law know that it was illegal?



  37. dimplex on November 22, 2020 at 9:49 pm

    legalize it πŸ™



  38. Nestor Padilla on November 22, 2020 at 9:52 pm

    Hey guys need 10 more views on my brothers grow . Help me out and subscribe thanks tips and trick would be helpful https://youtu.be/zr6CUbhFetY



  39. Mauros95 on November 22, 2020 at 9:53 pm

    Legalisation works perfectly fine here in the netherlands. No one even smokes it here, except for ill and foreign people. And some people who just want to have fun, occassionally.



  40. Iqbal Mtg on November 22, 2020 at 9:55 pm

    πŸ‘from aceh



  41. samantha nicholson on November 22, 2020 at 9:56 pm

    i bet many dont know jfk smoked cannibus in the white house for severe pain. other many uses lol



  42. Katie Franczak on November 22, 2020 at 9:56 pm

    Medical marijuana is legal statewide in Montana but it is still not federally legal. So while Chris Williams had local police and drug enforcement task people tour his medical marijuana facility to show that he was operating legally, he had no rights in the eyes of the federal enforcers. In 2009 the Department of Justice issued a document that said that federal enforcers should not focus on medical marijuana establishments that were in compliance with the state law. Since Chris was following all the state laws and was up to code, I do not understand why the feds decide to do this. Then the government released a document that said that only patients are protected not the growers. How are the patients supposed to get their medication if the growers have to be in constant fear of losing their hard earned living? The government also deemed marijuana a dangerous drugs despite the numerous, vast amounts of scientific studies showing its benefits when treating anywhere from cancer patients to people who suffer from severe anxiety to children with grand mal seizures. I think that the government should have at least gave him a warning so that he could give his patients a warning instead of just ruining everything and giving his patients no where to go. This man is now in jail for following the law and doing things legally statewide, just not federally. I do not understand why the federal government chose to focus on that medical marijuana establishment in Montana, when much harder and dangerous drugs run ramped on the streets everywhere else. I feel like that time and money could have gone to something way more effective and beneficial, rather than taking that mans life away. I am in full support for making medical marijuana legal on a federal level so that people like this man do not have to sit in jail for simply doing his job to provide care to sick people.



  43. repawnd on November 22, 2020 at 9:57 pm

    He serving 5 years now, still too long πŸ™



  44. rexkid123 on November 22, 2020 at 9:59 pm

    Thumbs up for legalization



  45. sebastian gonzales on November 22, 2020 at 10:00 pm

    supremacy clause- when push comes to shove. federal Gov’ shoves harder."congress declared weed as dangerous drug"? how bout meth labs,in my opinion. the feds need to stop this and go raid labs instead of legal weed growers…twisted



  46. Broderick Flynn on November 22, 2020 at 10:00 pm

    Marijuana is being used widely today as a treatment for many aches, pains, and sicknesses. The problem is that there hasn’t been enough research done to prove whether or not it is effective. So far studies have shown that people who use medical marijuana have experienced pain relief. Marijuana has also not been proven to be harmful to the body. There are no reported deaths from marijuana use. From the reports of deaths that have been issued it has been from people who have used marijuana that was laced with other drugs that people have had bad reactions to. There is certainly no reason why not to allow people to use marijuana as a medicinal product if they believe it works. There is no reason, however, to send someone to prison over this predicament.



  47. Miner Spongebob 23 on November 22, 2020 at 10:01 pm

    80 years for a non violent crime that isn’t a crime in his state yet some murders only get 20 years that’s insane



  48. Andrea P. on November 22, 2020 at 10:01 pm

    In response to the moron below who lives under a rock, marijuana DOES have medicinal purpose. It is a scientific fact that it slows the growth of cancer. why would you legalize something that keeps people from dying? populationcontrol, money, power. Lets keep the prisons full..its 60,000$ a year per person to be in prison for one year…. they make more money locking you up than letting you earn on your own being free….
    marijuana is a plant… pharamacutical companies are the ones who are killing people… marijuana has other properties and calming effects as well as stress relief.

    There are millions of. marijuana smokers who live and work and smoke. why are drug charges carrying extreme stints into the prison system …
    80 years in prison for marijuana but you get 5 years for murder and six months for rape…..



  49. CogniVision on November 22, 2020 at 10:01 pm

    This guy was contributing to the community in a legal business operation, and the fuckin feds come in and ruin his life. They throw him in jail for 80+ years? War on drugs is a joke. Nothing but a fuckin scam and the government is a piece of shit filled with shits.
    Sometimes is just astounds me how much of a shitstain this planet is. Its like a big giant turd floating in space. That’s what its become with these dumb fucks ruling it.



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