Detroit-based television series will explore the world of cannabis

Detroit-based production company ASK-Y LLC is currently filming “Smokin’ Good,” a drama series set in the ‘world of cannabis.’

The series will follow August Good, portrayed by Shiek Mahmud-Bey, as he navigates his transition from the illicit cannabis market into the legal framework, notes a press release.

“The average person has no idea what this industry is really about,” says Andrew Watson, co-executive producer. “They primarily feed into the stigmas attached to cannabis, and that, in turn, affects their perception. This show will give them a taste of what the industry is, and from a very unique perspective. You rarely see a Black man’s point of view with cannabis, outside of being arrested and locked up from it.”

Watson called the show semi-autobiographical. “It details my successes, my failures and everything in between as a cannabis entrepreneur,” he says.

Mahmud-Bey called the series “a classic, from-the-streets-to-the-boardroom tale,” adding “those types of stories never get old, and the writing for this one is incredible.”

Detroit writer Ken Williams recruited Mahmud-Bey after Watson approached him with the concept. “I’ve known Andre for a long time, and the stories he shared about his experiences in cannabis were so amazing and detailed. I was so intrigued that I told him we should turn his stories into a TV show,” Williams says. “Then I told him I knew Shiek, and he could play the title role.”

Smokin’ Good is currently being filmed in Detroit and surrounding areas with a release date to be determined.

Michigan legalized adult-use recreational cannabis in 2018, with sales beginning this past December.