Grass

Woody Harrelson continues his pro-hemp crusade as narrator of this entertaining, informative documentary about the social history of marijuana as related to 20th century America. The film first ties early cannabis control to the institutionalized racism toward Mexican laborers in early 1900s Texas. It then trots out clips from such hysteric propaganda films as Reefer Madness (1936), profiles first drug czar Harry Anslinger, chats about celebrity users and covers the “shocking” opinions of New York Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia and President Jimmy Carter. Director Ron Mann (Twist) keeps the pacing, pop art graphics and humor humming as he charts the strategies and failure (in terms of both dollars and lives) of our national war on drugs.