A new documentary is asking audiences to look past the 4/20 celebrations. It wants them to confront some uncomfortable truths about the modern marijuana industry.

THC, INC premiered on the Documentary+ streaming platform on 20 April. Its makers describe it as “a hard look at youth targeting, high-potency products, and the public health impact of legalisation.” The timing is deliberate. Releasing the film on 4/20 is designed to spark debate precisely when cannabis dominates public attention.

How the Cannabis Industry Changed After Legalisation

Directed by Eric Burton and Jesse Russell, THC, INC focuses on what happened after legalisation swept across the United States. The film features commentary from Dr Kevin A. Sabet, a drug policy scholar and former White House adviser. Laura Bianchi, a widely respected cannabis law attorney, also contributes.

“At a moment when cannabis has transformed into a multi-billion-dollar industry, the film takes a critical look at rising potency levels and shifting regulations,” reads a statement from the team. “Increasingly sophisticated marketing tactics, particularly those impacting younger audiences, are also examined.”

One major concern is THC potency. Concentrations in commercial products can now approach 80 to 90 per cent. That is a significant leap from traditional plant-derived marijuana. As one contributor puts it, today’s products bear about as much resemblance to a marijuana plant as “strawberry Kool-Aid has to strawberries.”

Personal Stories Expose the Real Cost of Cannabis Use

Beyond policy, THC, INC draws much of its impact from personal testimony. Viewers hear from young people who describe how cannabis use slowly dismantled their ambitions and relationships.

One contributor had dreams of performing on Broadway. Daily use eroded that dream. “I remember thinking, what’s even the point?” they say. Another recalls smoking from the moment they woke up to the moment they went to bed.

Parents also speak openly. One family watched their son Randy change after he began using marijuana. At first, they dismissed it as a phase. After a few years, a medical assessment confirmed a cannabis use disorder. “If our son would have known what we know now, I do believe he would have had a different outcome,” his parents say.

The statistics behind these stories are stark. Research shows addiction rates among young cannabis users are roughly double those seen with alcohol. They are also significantly higher than rates linked to tobacco or prescription drugs. The National Institute on Drug Abuse estimates that around 9 per cent of people who use marijuana will become dependent. That figure rises to 17 per cent for those who start in their teens.

Cannabis Industry Marketing Tactics Under the Microscope

THC, INC does not stop at the product itself. It examines the marketing strategies used by what critics call “Big Marijuana.” The film looks at how legal cannabis companies have worked to attract new and younger consumers.

Dr Sabet also served as a producer on the film. He wrote on X that it will “expose Big Marijuana and shed light on the damage the industry has done to families all over the country.”

The documentary draws a clear comparison to the opioid crisis. “We were here with opioids. We had data and lawmakers at the time took no action,” one contributor warns. “It will get worse before it gets better.”

Another voice in the film puts it bluntly. “It’s the commercialisation of THC products designed to get you as high as possible so that the profit can be as high as possible.”

A Streaming Platform Takes a Stand on Cannabis Legalisation

Geoff Clark, Chief Executive of Documentary+, said the 4/20 release date was entirely intentional. “It invites audiences to look beyond the celebration and engage with the deeper realities shaping the cannabis industry today,” he said. “This is a conversation that feels both urgent and necessary.”

THC, INC is a Doc+ Original. It is available to stream across all Documentary+ platforms, including FAST channels. Wayfarer Studios produced the film. The company has a strong track record, including Will and Harper, which was shortlisted for the Academy Awards.

Legalisation continues to spread and the marijuana market shows no sign of slowing. THC, INC arrives as a timely challenge to the dominant narrative. Whether audiences are ready to hear it remains to be seen.

Source: deadline