Russell Brand talks to Johann Hari author of a revolutionary book called “Chasing the Scream The First and Last Days of the War on Drugs.” If you’re experiencing deja vu’ you may have seen Hari’s appearance on Bill Maher last week.
In this interview Hari delves into the origins of the war on drugs, and shows evidence that proves drug laws don’t work. Most controversial of all, he cites a (genuine) study by Dr. Bruce Alexander which gives us insight into the nature of addiction, and talks about the evidence that full-scale legalization is the only effective, humane and cost-effective way to fight addiction.
I promised the Fox side of things. Here we see Bill O’Reilly shouting down Jacob Sullum the author of “Say Yes.”
In part,Sullum says that Americans consider Pot a ‘soft drug’ because so many have tried it. Very much like Dr. Alexander, he seeks to disprove that drugs have power to hijack people saying only a small percentage of illegal-drug users become addicts, whereas the vast majority of people who use illegal drugs live normal, productive, loving lives. Sullum deconstructs government statistics about drugs and drug use. It is certainly food for thought, if only he could get a thought out. O’Reilly interrupted him and went into high tantrum mode! As you will see, we may not know much about Jacob Sullum’s thoughts from his appearance on Fox, but O’Reilly shows typical intolerance by barking out a warning for all “irresponsible libertines” to stay away from his family! So much for enlightenment on Fox “news.”
Judgement and hatred is exactly what keeps our crime rate and drug abuse rates high. The Iroquois Indians from whom we copied our form of democracy believed in love and compassion, not hatred and violence. They surrounded those who suffered with any kind of problem, be it stealing from their neighbors or a personal demon with which they struggled, with love and acceptance.
This is exactly how our student in drug war for so long, changed their approach to drugs and addiction. Many discount it, but Portugal looked at our high incarceration rate – we jail more of our citizens than any other country in the world. They legalized all drugs and chaos did not ensue. Crime is down. Addiction is down. The government now has the money to help those who want it. Furthermore, those who have been incarcerated for drugs, are offered back to work assistance, with the government paying half their salary for a time. This is one of the things which keeps Americans isolated, and ‘in the solitary rat cage’ if you will.
There is no question that in Portugal, they are far ahead of us in tangible improvement and in the intangibles that make us human. What do we have to gain by continuing a ‘war’ that costs billions of dollars and ruins untold numbers of lives?