Mary Janes: The Women of Weed

Reefer madness is over! Well, at least in most civilized states anyway. And for those places that have accepted “the marijuana,” they have opened up a whole new economy and industry! But, with their new found wealth, they still have to deal with decades of government propaganda and bullying, along with special interest interference!

This isn’t a surprise to most people who are familiar with the battle for marijuana. What is a surprise (at least to me) is, that women have been leading the charge in this area for years!

Mary Janes is a documentary from filmmaker Windy Borman’s journey into the world of Marijuana and the culture that faithfully embraces it. As an avid weed advocate myself, the film brought an insightful and informational look at women’s role in the new cannabis market.

For years, nay, decades (yes I said nay) no other plant on the planet has been targeted and singled out by the government and law enforcement as much as marijuana. Ever since the prohibition against alcohol ended back in 1933, the propaganda against weed began… and never stopped. And it only got worse when Richard Nixon made marijuana a “Schedule 1” drug.

“…an insightful and informational look at women’s role in the new cannabis market.”

For those who are unfamiliar with this term, Schedule 1, or Class 1 drug means–Drugs that have high abuse potential, no medical use, and severe safety concerns.

Windy Borman, contrary to her making this documentary, had never smoked or ingested marijuana. Like many of us Gen X’ers who grew up during the height of the drug war in the 80’s. We were programmed with the images and horror stories of weed addiction from programs such as D.A.R.E (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) and countless PSAs during Saturday morning cartoons.

Not only that, Windy confesses that her family has struggled with other drug addictions, which was also a factor in why she never experimented with weed. But the reason she chose this particular topic of all things to focus on, is because she heard how many professional women were involved in the cannabis industry.

Contrary to popular belief, the marijuana business is not the “boys club” everyone thought it was. Women have a very dominant role in this new economy.

She tackles this subject from the point of view of powerful women from every end. The politics behind its prohibition. The propaganda from the “Big Pharma” to keep people addicted to their pills. The medical benefits sick people have gained from it. The criminalization of the plant, and especially the people of color law enforcement targets. And, the thriving business owners who are benefiting from the states where it’s legal.

“…still walked away with so much information that I didn’t know.”

Windy interviews everyone from weed criminalization advocates like Karen O’ Keefe and her fight to get those convicted of unfair sentences released, to rock legend Melissa Etheridge and the medical benefits marijuana provided in her battle with breast cancer.

Ultimately ending her research with a changed opinion about weed, Windy even decided to finally partake for her first time in smoking a vape and eating an edible with all of the women she interviewed along the way.

Even if you’re not a fan of cannabis, and are convinced you have your mind made up, Mary Janes is a very eye-opening and educational documentary about the subject. I’ve always considered myself pretty knowledgeable about the industry before I saw this documentary, and I still walked away with so much information that I didn’t know.

It really is an equal playing field for both sexes. And even if you don’t change your mind about the plant itself as Windy did, you will at least open up to the endless business opportunities that it provides!

Mary Janes: The Women of Weed (2018) Directed by Windy Borman. Starring Windy Borman and Melissa Etheridge.

8 OUT OF 10

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QlZBvfQgHC4