Weedmaps opens its cannabis museum in Los Angeles

Weedmaps will soon open its Weed Museum in Los Angeles early 2019. It will trace the «long, complex, and intriguing history of cannabis,» from its use over thousands of years to its prohibition and its rediscovery today as part of a multibillion-dollar industry and an integral part of popular culture. According to UN figures, cannabis is the most widely used illegal drug in the world, and its use is on the rise.

A turbulent history

Visitors will be able to immerse themselves in a series of exhibits that trace the history of the world’s most controversial plant and the people who championed it at the risk of their freedom. The exhibition will pay tribute to the activists, growers, smokers, and patients who have preserved and expanded knowledge about the plant despite government prohibition and who have contributed to the gradual recognition of cannabis that we are witnessing today.

Today, many countries around the world have legalized medical cannabis, and two of them have legalized recreational cannabis. Luxembourg and Mexico are, in fact, set to join Uruguay and Canada soon by legalizing recreational cannabis. In the United States, about ten states have now done the same, with California surely being the most iconic among them. Against this new international political backdrop, the museum sheds light on the clandestine and underground history of cannabis—often overlooked and silenced—through archives, video footage, rare artifacts, and interactive exhibits.

The exhibition will be divided into seven sections covering specific time periods: pre-prohibition, Reefer Madness (a reference to the iconic Prohibition-era film), the counterculture (including the hippie movement and underground movements), “Just Say No” (referencing the U.S. government’s prevention campaign of the 1980s and 1990s), “A Dose of Compassion” (on medical cannabis), “Legalization” (the present day), and “The Plant.”.

Weedmaps has witnessed «cannabis’s journey toward acceptance,» and that is what she seeks to convey in this exhibition. «In the ten years since our company was founded, education and advocacy have always been at the core of our mission,» says Doug Francis, co-founder of Weedmaps. The organization has been cataloging cannabis venues and stakeholders for 10 years now, with the goal of building a community around the plant and spreading information to rid cannabis of the stigmas and prejudices attached to it.

“We invite the public to step through the doors of our museum to better understand the history of cannabis, how it is used, how it has been regulated, how prohibition has perpetuated social injustices, and how the public can contribute to this emerging and important movement. »Our hope is that visitors will gain an understanding of the history of cannabis and learn more about its future, which promises to be exciting,” adds Doug Francis.