Drugs - Canada's War on Weed

In the wake of legalization of marijuana in Washington and Colorado, VICE went to Canadas pot capital to get a glimpse of the current state of the industry in this country. If you like to get high, theres a good chance youve heard of BC Bud. Back in the 70s, draft dodgers brought their seeds to British Columbia, which happened to have a perfect climate for cultivation. The development of stronger strains higher in THC, an unprotected border with the US, and lax Canadian laws enabled the industry to generate revenues today estimated at close to $7 billion a year in British Columbia alone. This is a province with a population of only 4.5 million accounting for over 40% of Canadas marijuana industry. Everything is set to change since Prime Minister Stephen Harper instated Bill C-10, the new tough on crime legislation. Now the government is armed with mandatory minimum sentences and super-prisons to fill, helping to ramp up Canadas war on drugs. VICE went west to talk to the people directly affected by these recent events: from the legalization activists and the large and small scale growers, to the illegal traffickers and law enforcement.