Marcelo D2 talks to Sechat about the past and future of cannabis in Brazil
In an exclusive interview, the musician says that the repercussions of the arrest of the band Planet Hemp contributed to us being here today talking openly about the plant
By João R. Negromonte
In September, another edition of Cannabis Thinking took place in São Paulo, an event that fostered the debate on the uses of cannabis and brought important names to the discussion such as lawyer Pedro Abramovay, digital influencer, marketing specialist, and founder of SuperWeb Inc., AD Júnior, the minister of the 4th panel of the Superior Court of Justice, Rogerio Schietti, and singer-songwriter Marcelo D2.
D2, who along with the members of the band Planet Hemp, was arrested in 1997 by federal police for drug advocacy and forming a gang, now reveals that we still need to evolve a lot on social issues related to the topic, but being part of this process of demystifying the agenda, even in the worst way, is gratifying.
“It didn't have to be this way, we had several psychological problems with the arrest at the time. However, the fact strengthened us. I remember that many articles came out at the time about the case and, talking to friends later, they revealed to me that they had gained the courage to talk about marijuana with their family at the dinner table,” highlights Marcelo, who partnered with Koba, the first Paraguayan CBD oil brand to enter Brazil.
Check out the full interview:
(Images: Carolina Collet)
Created by entrepreneurs Diego Barros and André Kochem, the company's great differential, according to Barros, is the social aspect. “The product made in partnership with D2 is manufactured in Paraguay, with the seal of the social project ‘Hemp Guarani’, where more than 4,500 people and seven indigenous colonies are directly impacted,” explains the entrepreneur referring to the company's project to remove indigenous cannabis producers from illegality in the South American country. “Before, these producers were controlled by organized crime and now have the opportunity to legally produce hemp in Paraguay.”
When asked if it is possible for the social agenda to walk alongside medicinal and adult use, Diego says:
“Definitely, we need to think about the millions of people unjustly and enslaved daily by organized crime, as well as the flawed fight of our system's war on drugs, which uses brute force to maintain an 'invisible' control over the low-income population.”
Diego concludes that without education and information, we will not be able to demystify the different uses of the plant, whether therapeutic, medicinal, or adult, after all, just as the Koba campaign slogan says: "Every user is also a patient!"