This was a horribly effective way of showing how having simple solutions to complex problems NEVER work. The mantra of a ‘war on drugs’ and being ‘tough’, followed by all parties and politicians is something that is still sadly prevalent today and instead of there being a considered look at why the problem is there, the old ideas are, largely, being used and re-cycled and re-phrased - although whether the problem with opioids is making some moves towards a different approach is something that would be worth investigating - is the reason for use being addressed (ie addiction and help for that) or are the users simply being criminalised?
As ever, money plays a central part - from throwing vast amounts of it at the militarisation of the police and the vast expansion of the prison system, to (very probably) using the profits of illegal arms dealings to fund pro-American guerillas in Nicaragua, to focusing on the smaller users rather than the big king-pins and root sources. As was said early on, the whole situation - of this specifically re crack and, tbh, all drug/illegal substance dealing - is the purest capitalism.
The two most interesting/grimmest aspecs of this study was the impact that the ‘epidemic’ (and the langauge used to describe this whole situation is worth a study in itself)cts of this documentary had on racial and gender groups - particulary non-White and women and mothers. They were the ones most harmed and who needed the help that needed to be given. But recognising and helping to deal with addiction was not on the agenda; instead it was ‘wrongdoing’ and ‘punishment’. And this was helped/fuelled by the media with their catchpahrases which simplified the whole situation into lurid and easily digestible headlines on capital letters. Legal responses too were incredibly rigid in terms of fixed-term/minimum penalty prison sentences.
A fine and salutary documentary.