Weed Wars: Medical Marijuana Hits Reality TV

"Most of our patients and our staff were really skeptical about doing a reality TV show because they were watching Jersey Shore and The Kardashians," says Andrew DeAngelo, general manager of Oakland, California's Harborside Health Center, the largest medical marijuana dispensary in the world. Andrew and his brother, Harborside's Executive Director Steve DeAngleo, are co-stars of Weed Wars, a new show by the Discovery Channel that looks into lives of those who run Harborside, the patients that seek out their services, and the politicians looking to shut them down.

"There are a lot of stigmas about medical cannabis patients, that we don't work hard, that we're a bunch of stoners, that we are lazy, that we are really criminals or drug traffickers," explains Andrew DeAngleo. "All that is a lie that has been perpetrated by the feds and the media." By opening up their work and lives to cameras, the DeAngelo brothers hope to present a side of the medical marijuana debate that is rarely seen on American television. "This is our chance - and our patients and our staff's chance - to shine."

Reason.tv sat down with the DeAngleo brothers to discuss the show, the multi-agency crackdown on medical marijuana dispensaries and how the Obama Administration's recent reversal of policy is creating an opening for Republicans this election cycle.

About 8.20 minutes.? Produced and edited by Meredith Bragg. Interview and camera by Anthony Fisher.

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Comments

[Fist of Etiquette]

RAID THE DISCOVERY CHANNEL! Sanction them. No more access to law enforcement for any of their reality shows. Shut. Them. Down.

Also, these guys should wear pharmacist lab coats at their business. It would seem less hippie.

[Anonymous]

This is a pretty good show. The dispensary is shown to be well run and professional for the most part. I mean, the producers take the occasional jab at the hippie-ish part of it all, but you can tell they seem to care about the cause. Dude does need to cut his braids though.

[Fist of Etiquette]

"We are really furious and feel betrayed by the Obama Administration's reversal of policy on this issue. Myself, my brother, all of our friends, all of our patience, not only did we vote for the President, but we also contributed heavily to his campaign. And I can tell you, his reversal of policy is costing him millions of votes."

Live and learn, my earnest hippie friends.

"Not only that, the Democrats are creating an opening for Conservative Republicans. We are ready to support anyone who supports our issue..."

There's only one or two of the current Republican candidates that I would trust to follow through on their support of states' rights on this or any issue.

[Almanian]

Live and learn, my earnest hippie friends.

I'm always surprised when I find that there are people less cynical than I. Then I recall that I, too, was once innocent and hopeful...

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Good times, good times!

*back to reality*

PS we also contributed heavily to his campaign SUCKERS!

[Episiarch]

Well, the real question is, will they end up voting for him anyway?

[Fist of Etiquette]

They indicate they are now single issue voters and Obama is wrong on this single issue.

[Colonel_Angus]

Ernest the hippie?

[Fist of Etiquette]

Vern's not here, man.

[R C Dean]

And I can tell you, his reversal of policy is costing him millions of votes.

If only.

Confident prediction: Barack's pot policy will not move a single vote one way or the other.

[Pips]

Creating an opening for Republicans?

What?

[Fist of Etiquette]

He goes on to note that half the Republican candidates reportedly favor the issue of medical marijuana being decided by states rather than the feds.

[Pips]

Government shouldn't have it's hand in it at any level. Deferring to "states rights!" is a cowardly way of waving off the issue without taking a stand.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Are you outraged at the candidates or the DeAngleos? Because this pair is just trying to survive in a regulatory environment that ain't going away anytime soon.

[Pips]

Both. They are both looking short term.

States rights will only last until those rights don't align with someone elses view of rights.

[Almanian Channels Towelie]

Anyone wanna get high?

[Colonel_Angus]

I want some of those little glasses.

[BoscoH]

This will all be wonderful until one brother fires the other, then the other one sues the one brother for profits due to him while the one brother tries to enforce a non-compete while the other brother is hawking his own hemp designs with his new hottie wife until the non-compete runs out. Then Cheech Marin shows up for a three way Weed Off, which the other brother wins handily because he is far more likeable than the one brother, who makes an inverted snow-mobile shaped bong instead of anything directly weed related.

Sadly, we will all watch.

[ryan]

I haven't watched TV in years.

[first]

When we met Gloria we knew right away that she is made for the world of nude modelling.

She is moving on from her successes with beauty contests in her native Ukraine. She has the superb legs and a firm petite ass. And she knows exactly how to show them off.

Those long, long legs will take her far. We're sure you'll want to follow behind her.

Gloria loves the finer finer things in life. Fast cars, jewellery and high-end fashion. She is aiming for the Monte Carlo lifestyle. She is all-out to please - and to win the rewards for her terrific assets.

Nothing is off-limits for Gloria whether she is on-camera or relaxing.

[shamalamadingdong]

Where can I meet this, "Gloria"? I have millions sitting idle and need a deserving waif to spend it on.

[first]

http://www.hegre-art.com/models#action=show&id=198

[adidas survetement]

where

[Keith]

50 acres in Chatsworth, calif. perfect for filming
very private and sacred

[Mark]

Really, I gotta be the asshole to say it? Ron Paul 2012 and God Bless these guys for what they are doing. It would be hard for us to imagine the sacrifices and social stigma they've fought to get where they are now. Hold your heads up brothers, soon you will be free from this federal reign of tyranny...