Two of the industries that thrived during 2020 were the CBD and cannabis markets. Retail sales of both recreational and medical cannabis surpassed $15 billion by the end of the year, which was an increase of over 40 percent from the year before. The CBD industry is expected to enjoy a compound annual growth rate through the year 2025. As laws keep changing, this opens up the door for new and exciting ventures in the field. There are some exciting and informative documentaries on the subject for those entrepreneurs looking to join the movement.

The Profit is a documentary-style reality show. In each episode, Marcus Lemonis takes a look at a small business and offers advice or investment help. One particular episode filmed in California took a look at businesses in the midst of transitioning to fully legalized recreational storefronts and seeking advice on expansion. The outset sees Lemonis as a skeptic about the industry as a whole but viewers observe him change his mind throughout the episode. Ultimately, he sees the value in destigmatization and reaching a bigger audience. As someone seeking to enter the industry, there is much to learn and observe about making yourself stand out from the competition.

Weed the People is a documentary that takes a hard look at the laws surrounding medical marijuana, and it doesn’t hold back. Viewers witness the hardship and struggles of families who turn to medical marijuana to treat their cancer-stricken kids. The results, for some cases, are nothing short of astonishing. Taking the audience through 80 years of marijuana prohibition, this documentary also shows the denial of marijuana and the result of not having access. As laws begin to ease and science can provide concrete proof of the benefits, the movie ends on an optimistic note. 

The Union: The Business Behind Getting High provides an in-depth look at the history of black-market cannabis throughout British Columbia. Viewers get to witness the extent of propaganda that continued for generations and suppressed legitimate sales of both recreational and medical. This failed war on drugs led to illegal trade with violent outcomes. Viewers will enjoy comparing the film’s predictions about marijuana’s future and the reality of how things turned out.