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WEED THE PEOPLE takes an unflinching look at the underground world of cannabis medicine, where patients become experts on their own conditions and spend thousands of dollars on federally illegal medicines.
Nowhere is this phenomenon more compelling than in the treatment of children, who are ignorant of the stigma of medical marijuana and whose parents will stop at nothing to help them.
Weed The People looks beyond the propaganda and politics on both sides of the issue to reveal the legitimate science behind cannabis medicine and the compelling stories of ordinary people whose lives are inescapably caught up in the controversy.
We are so proud of them!
In July 2013 new parents Tracy and Josh Ryan received the devastating news that their 7-month-old baby Sophie had an inoperable brain tumor. The doctors prescribed chemotherapy as the only course of treatment, but could not guarantee it would work. Tracy Ryan felt intuitively that western medicine alone would not be enough to save her daughter. After intensive research, the Ryans began Sophie on a regimen of medicinal cannabis oils, hoping for a miracle.
Look what happened to her tumor in just 8 months
Sophie has an optic pathway giloma brain tumor which traditionally results in minimal to no shrinkage with chemo alone, and the tumors never go away. What you are seeing are identical brain slices of Sophie's tumor. The scan on the left is from 10/2013 and the scan on the right is from 6/2014! Sophie is taking high doses of both THC and CBD, along with Chemo and both her tumor and cyst are almost gone!!!
When Chico's mum Angela first brought cannabis oil into his hospital room and started administering it through his G-tube, the doctors
thought it was a waste of time and advised her to "throw that stuff
away." But after seeing Chico's remarkable progress in beating a rare
and aggressive cancer, his oncologists are now committed to doing
a clinical trial with cannabis oil at the hospital. Our film will
follow this trial and Chico's plan to lobby the Obama administration to
re-schedule cannabis so that more trials can begin.
Mara founded Aunt Zelda’s Oil after experiencing firsthand the medicinal benefits of cannabis. Now there is so much demand for her cannabis oils that she often cannot find enough CBD strains to supply all her diverse patients. Among other challenges, she cannot legally ship her medicines anywhere so must find creative ways to get them to desperate patients. The film follows Mara as she tries to provide the highest quality medicine to patients of all ages.
With your help we plan to:
-Document
groundbreaking clinical trials that are happening all over the world
and some in our own backyard, along with a pharmaceutical company who is
close to getting their cannabis medicines approved by the FDA.
-Take a look at the history of marijuana prohibition and shed light on
how a medicinal plant became criminalized and what it will take to
reverse course.
-Reveal true stories of patients who were
literally sent home to die and then experienced complete remission after
treatment with cannabis.
-Follow several subjects who are
breaking the law or becoming medical refugees in order to access this
plant.
Ricki Lake is a producer. Why do you need my money? Why isn’t she spending her own money?
Ricki has been the sole backer of this film, spending over $75K on production costs as well as covering travel and medical expenses for some of the film’s subjects. Unfortunately, Ricki’s talk show days are well behind her now. Mangu.tv has come on board to help produce WTP and create a more diversified and community-driven approach.
How did Ricki’s Reefer Madness begin?
“As a parent of Two Teenage Boys I have always been wary of marijuana and considered it to be a drug with high potential for abuse, just like alcohol or pharmaceuticals. Yet two years ago my husband’s search for alternative therapies to help his beloved grandfather opened my eyes to the healing potential of this plant. As I became more informed about the medicinal benefits of cannabis, I was outraged by the fact that our country is actually holding up clinical research because of outdated policies. Any one of us, or our loved ones, could one day benefit form this research, so we need to fight for it”
...and that is how this film came to be!
How could a movie like WTP really make a difference?
This movie could be the game changer that pushes medical marijuana into the mainstream. Once the public sees the true power of cannabis to fight cancer and other diseases, the demand for reclassification and clinical trials will reach a tipping point. We saw this happen with our last film The Business of Being Born as midwifery continues to enjoy a resurgence.
In what stage of production is the movie?
The movie began shooting a year ago, and the filming itself is about 30% completed. There are additional amazing stories we want to include to film. But in order to do that we need to secure the funding to complete the film. That’s why we are are here.
When will the movie be released?
We hope to have a finished cut of the film by next spring, so the release will likely happen in late 2015 or early 2016.
What EXACTLY will my money be used for?
Your money will go to pay the film crew to continue to document these incredible stories and for the film editing, music, graphics and post production needed to finish the film.
Here’s a look at the budget to broken down into categories.
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LIKE OUR FACEBOOK PAGE AND INVITE YOUR FRIENDS. This is the best way to stay the most up to date with our campaign and film. FB also makes it easy to help share!
PAYPAL DISCLAIMER (because they require we write this): Delivery of rewards or perks are subject to best efforts and not guaranteed.
Spend the day bouncing around behind the scenes at the O.penVape grow facilities, retail dispensaries, extraction laboratories in Denver, CO. Cap the day off with a "session" in the dreamer room at O.penVAPE's corporate headquarters. Complete with O.penVAPE goodie bag! 21+ only. Transportation not included.
4 out of 5 of claimed
Show the People
$1 USD
Show your support for the film and MEDICINAL CANNABIS! You receive our LOVE and undying GRATITUDE!
10 claimed
Shout Out to the People
$10 USD
You receive our love and undying gratitude. We'll give you a shout out thanks on Facebook + Twitter and also you'll receive exclusive project updates!
34 claimed
REPRESENT the People
$15 USD
Upon your contribution, we'll immediately send you a sign that says "I, ___________, support medical cannabis. I support Weed the People on Indiegogo." You sign it, snap a photo holding it up, then post on our WTP FB page. We'll use it in a photo mosaic of all Represent the People supporters! Let's Represent!
17 claimed
See The People
$25 USD
You'll own this remarkable film via Digital Download upon release! + A shout out thanks on Twitter and Facebook + Exclusive project updates!
115 claimed
VAPE the People
$42 USD
A super sleek, easy to use O.penVAPE go.pen vaporizer (at 50% OFF retail price!) + digital download of the film! The go.pen uses your own wax or extracts, has a lock feature and a LIFETIME battery warranty. The PERFECT PUFF every time! Kit includes the go.pen, charger, dibber dabber, and (2) atomizers. Legally ships anywhere.
118 out of 1000 of claimed
Grow The People
$50 USD
A DVD of the film + a Vine video recording from the film's own BABY SOPHIE!
(International orders please add $10 for shipping)
34 claimed
Poster for the People
$50 USD
Our own budding artist Sophie and other WTP kids will personally "sign" an official Weed the People movie poster just for you!
7 claimed
Hangout with the People
$75 USD
Get a virtual FRONT ROW SEAT when Ricki and Abby host a Google Hangout where you'll meet the families and experts featured in Weed The People + A Digital Download of the film + Gift Link you can send 2 your friends so they can watch the film online!
9 out of 100 of claimed
Thank The People
$100 USD
A DVD of the film + Weed the People T-shirt + Gift link you can send 5 your friends so they can watch the film online!
(International orders please add $12 for shipping)
50 claimed
Hairspray the People
$150 USD
Ricki will autograph an original full-size movie poster of Hairspray (the 1988 version starring Ricki and directed by John Waters). This is a truly unique perk and only available HERE- a collector's item for any Ricki Lake fan.
3 out of 10 of claimed
ART FOR THE PEOPLE
$200 USD
A personalized ARTWORK from a CHILD featured in the film + DVD of the film + Weed The People T-shirt + Gift link you can send 5 your friends so they can watch the film online!
(International orders please add $12 for shipping)
8 claimed
Call the People
$250 USD
Ricki will record up a 10 second outgoing voicemail message for you. You can decide what the message will say (within reason, of course!) + a digital download of the film. You’ll be sent your greeting as an mp3 file.
3 out of 10 of claimed
Ask The People
$300 USD
30 minute CALL (telephone, Skype or Google Hangout) WITH CANNABIS EXPERT FROM THE FILM. Have your questions about cannabis answered in real time! + DVD + T-shirt + Gift link you can send for 10 of your friends to watch the film online!
(International orders please add $12 for shipping)
4 out of 30 of claimed
Premiere for The People
$500 USD
TWO tickets to attend the PREMIERE of the film (New York or Los Angeles) + A personalized tweet and Facebook post by Ricki Lake + A Thank You in the film's credits + Signed DVD + Gift link for 20 of your friends to see the film online!
(Travel & accommodations not included)
21 claimed
Film The People
$1,000 USD
JOIN THE FILMMAKERS ON A SHOOT at The Werc Shop Laboratory in Pasadena! See how documentaries are made while learning how the lab ensures the safety and quality of medical cannabis + 2 tickets to PREMIERE + Thank You in film credits + signed DVD + T-shirt + Gift link for 20 of your friends to see the film online!
(Travel + Accommodations not included, must sign Lab's non-disclosure agreement)
4 out of 20 of claimed
Party and Tweet The People
$2,500 USD
TWO TICKETS TO THE PREMIERE (NYC or LA) + Invite to PRIVATE AFTER PARTY with Ricki and Abby + Ricki Lake takes over your Twitter account for one day + Thank You in film credits + 2 SIGNED DVDs + 2 T-shirts + Gift link for 20 of your friends to see the film online!
(Travel & Accommodations not included)
0 out of 10 of claimed
Wine + Dine the People
$5,000 USD
INVITE TO DINNER PARTY WITH RICKI & ABBY before the Premiere Red Carpet! Plus all the perks in Party & Tweet the People: TWO tickets to the Premiere + Invite to PRIVATE AFTER PARTY with Ricki and Abby + Ricki takes over your Twitter account for one day + THANK YOU in credits + 2 SIGNED DVDs + 2 T-shirts + Film gift link for 20 of your friends to see the film online!
(Travel & Accommodations not included)
2 out of 10 of claimed
Associate Produce The People
$10,000 USD
ASSOCIATE PRODUCER credit on the film + 4 TICKETS to the Premiere in NYC or LA + invite to EXCLUSIVE dinner with Ricki and Abby before the red carpet + invite to premiere AFTER PARTY + 4 signed DVDs + 4 Tshirts + Film gift link for 50 of your friends to see the film online!
(Travel & Accommodations not included)
3 out of 5 of claimed
Co-Produce the People
$25,000 USD
CO-PRODUCER credit on the film + PRIVATE one-on-one dinner with Ricki and Abby! + All perks in ASSOCIATE PRODUCE THE PEOPLE: 4 TICKETS to the Premiere + Premiere dinner & private after party with Ricki and Abby + 4 signed DVDs + 4 Tshirts + Gift link for 50 of your friends to watch the film online!
(Travel & Accommodations not included)
0 claimed
Sponsor the People
$50,000 USD
SPONSOR ONE OF THE KIDS from the film for 1 YEAR of CANNABIS TREATMENT! + All perks in Co-Produce the People: CO-PRODUCER credit on the film + PRIVATE one-on-one dinner with Ricki and Abby + 4 TICKETS to the Premiere + Premiere dinner & private after party with Ricki and Abby + 4 signed DVDs + 4 Tshirts + Gift link you can send 50 of your friends so they can watch the film online!
(Travel & Accommodations not included)