Con’s Score: 2.5 Magic drops of oil
Luke Conroy and Nicholas Morley are two mavericks, in that they work outside the legal medicinal marijuana system. The problem is that the legal system hasn’t been set up yet, so what they’re doing is very illegal but not immoral, and they’re scared they’re going to be caught one day. This documentary seems to be a summary of their defence.
The fear is very obvious. They don’t say where they’re operating, although I’m guessing it’s Northern NSW. They don’t say where they source or manufacture their oils. Some of their patients don’t want to be on screen and they talk about their families, although they’re mostly off screen. And I think the names are faked.
It may not be not fearless film making, but it is very earnest and this is such a maddeningly worthy issue. The CBD strand of marijuana has had some amazing effects on cancer sufferers. The THC strands can ease seizures, nausea and pain for many others.
The results they show from some of the patients willing to go on screen are amazing. One guy had a hole in his neck from a tumour I couldn’t look at. Surgeons suggested surgery. A few months of CBD later it had healed over. One guy was given months to live. A few months of their treatment saw almost all the tumours disappear. A child’s tumour waxed during chemo and waned with medicinal marijuana. They often waive the $280 fee and they are affected by their clients. They have thousands of people they dispense to, purely by word of mouth. How long before authorities realise how incredibly effective this plant is?
This documentary is very low budget and didn’t have the humour of ‘Breaking Habits’ which focussed on maverick producers in nun’s habits. A previous documentary by Helen Kapelos was done with more polish and also focussed on the patients. Yet this doco, written and directed by Ned Donohoe, is just as important.
Here are two guys with non-medical backgrounds who have their own demons and simply want to rebalance their karmic debt. Imagine if there were guys like this in every country town or suburb? Pharmaceutical companies would lose billions in profits and millions of people will survive their debilitating health issues, particularly cancer. Who are the criminals here?
If this helps advance the medicinal marijuana argument and crack the broken medical system it will be worthwhile. I can’t say it’s a pleasant cinematic experience but it’s a very important one.
Con Nats – On The Screen
