Drug info - BBC Panorama Programme

[Bladerunner]

Hi All,

Don't know if this belongs in this forum so here goes anyway.

Last Monday evening there was a programme on BBC1 in the UK where Alex James (formerly of Blur) visited Colombia to see what the effects of the drug trade was having on the country. I think the purpose of it all was to show all those who use cocaine recreationally where their product comes from, how it's made and who are the winners and losers of it all.

Anyway here's some post-programme comments and a synopsis of it all for all those of you who are interested...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programme...ma/7215098.stm

Enjoy!

[Aar0n]

SWIM watched this using BBC's iPlayer (Streamed it for free, UK only). Can be seen here or downloaded via the usual methods.

Although interesting, SWIM thought it was a little bit short, and it looked like Alex James was struggling not having any looking at that pure cocaine, that the dealer was snorting.

Worth watching, but it wasn't really an eye-opener for SWIM. SWIM knows how it's made, how it's taken over to SWIM's country and how many people die in the process of getting it from plant to product in SWIM's country, yet still takes it every now and again.

SWIM would be interested in other's thoughts.

[Benga]

Originally Posted by Aar0n

Worth watching, but it wasn't really an eye-opener for SWIM. SWIM knows how it's made, how it's taken over to SWIM's country and how many people die in the process of getting it from plant to product in SWIM's country, yet still takes it every now and again.

SWIM would be interested in other's thoughts.

which is why in ISO something has to be done which would kill the market value of cocaine, hence the financial and political power given to those in this illegal drug trade. For some reason, the coffee trade doesn't generate massive revenues or violence on the same scale as illegal cocaine...but it would if coffee was illegal.
maybe it's time to reassess the positive and negative aspects of the current political stance on substance use, and to actually face the associated issues as the medical and social ones that they induce, face them responsably through governmental control and regulation, for instance.
Instead of causing havoc in countries which produce by giving tremendous financial power to the criminal underworld.

this violence is linked to the current market value of illegal cocaine, and this market value is linked to the official prohibitionist stance.

b

[MrG]

Alex James?!!! That's a bit like having Keith Richards telling people not to do heroin.

We can't Keith, because *you* did it all.

Reputation Comments on this post:

very amusing

[Zaprenz]

Alex James was also recently on question time (after filming documentary). SWIM can't remember the exact question but it was essentially "what do you think should be done to help the situation"

He momentarily said "tax drugs" *long pause* "no only joking"

SWIM didn't know if that's possibly what he was thinking (and didn't want to be seen publicly saying that) or whether he did think the idea was bad.

Anyway the answer then faded but it would have been interesting for someone to stand up and say that on question time & there to have been a real discussion on it.