Original subtitles

Male narrator: I WAS RAISED TO BELIEVE THAT THE AMERICAN DREAM

WAS ABOUT PURSUING HAPPINESS.

AS MUCH AS I HATE TO ADMIT IT, MY HAPPINESS

OCCASIONALLY COUNTED ON THE FREEDOM TO CONSUME VARIOUS SUBSTANCES.

BUT IT WAS THE LEGAL SUBSTANCES THAT CHANGED MY LIFE FOREVER.

NOW I QUESTION THE MOTIVES THAT GO INTO CREATING OUR MODERN DRUG LAWS,

AND THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN ELECTED TO PROTECT US

HAVE BECOME SOME OF THE PEOPLE I FEAR THE MOST.

Nancy Reagan: AND WHEN IT COMES TO DRUGS AND ALCOHOL,

JUST SAY NO.

Man: WE HAVE ALLOWED THE GOVERNMENT TO DECLARE A WAR ON DRUGS

BECAUSE THE MAJORITY OF AMERICANS HAVEN'T KNOWN ANY BETTER,

AND THEY HAVEN'T REALLY UNDERSTOOD

THAT ALL OF THIS IS A MASSIVE DECEPTION.

IT'S A MASSIVE PROFIT SCHEME.

WE MUST WAGE WHAT I HAVE CALLED TOTAL WAR

AGAINST PUBLIC ENEMY NUMBER-ONE IN THE UNITED STATES:

THE PROBLEM OF DANGEROUS DRUGS.

Man: THEY CAN'T EVEN KEEP DRUGS OUT OF THE PRISON SYSTEM.

THEY HAVE GUYS IN PRISON THAT O.D. AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.

EVEN IN THE HOLE.

Man: WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE IN AMERICA IS THAT OUR GOVERNMENT

IS INADVERTENTLY SUPPLYING THE HARD DRUGS

TO THE PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY,

THEN THEY'RE PUTTING THE PEOPLE WHO USE THEM

IN THIS COUNTRY IN JAIL.

Narrator: FIXATED ON TERROR, MOST AMERICANS HAVE FORGOTTEN

THEY ARE FIGHTING ANOTHER WAR.

WATCH THE NIGGER SAY SEW HER EYEBALL BACK TO YOUR MAMA'S SUNNY DAY--

BUT FROM ITS INCEPTION, THE DRUG WAR HAS BECOME THE LONGEST,

MOST COSTLY AND DESTRUCTIVE WAR IN AMERICAN HISTORY.

THE DRUG WAR IS A PERFECT CONTINUING EXAMPLE

OF WHY WE WILL NEVER WIN THE WAR ON TERRORISM.

BECAUSE IT CAPTURES THE INEFFECTIVENESS OF THE U.S. GOVERNMENT

AND IT CAPTURES THE FACT THAT

IT'S BEING USED AGAINST POOR PEOPLE

AND NOT AGAINST THE PEOPLE WHO BENEFIT MOST FROM DRUGS,

WHICH ARE THE BANKERS THAT LAUNDER THE MONEY.

WE DON'T SEND NICOTINE ADDICTS TO JAIL,

AND WE DON'T SEND ALCOHOLICS TO JAIL.

WE SHOULDN'T SEND DRUG ADDICTS TO JAIL.

OH, MY GOD! DO YOU MEAN THEY'LL LEGALIZE MARIJUANA,

AND YOU CAN BUY HEROIN AT 7-ELEVEN?

PEOPLE HAVE TO REALIZE THAT MOST OF OUR HISTORY,

WE DIDN'T HAVE FEDERAL LAWS AGAINST THE USE OF DRUGS.

FIFTY BILLION DOLLARS A YEAR AT THE LOCAL,

STATE, AND NATIONAL LEVEL,

CLOGGING OUR COURTS YEAR AFTER YEAR.

PEOPLE FIGHTING THE DRUG WAR NEED TO ARTICULATE THAT WHAT WE'RE AFTER

IS NOT BLANKET LEGALIZATION BUT DECRIMINALIZATION.

WHY IN THE WORLD DO WE HAVE MILLIONS

OF INNOCENT YOUNG PEOPLE

WASTING AWAY IN PRISON

WHEN THE BIG PEOPLE WHO ARE COMMITTING

THESE HUGE, ATROCIOUS CRIMES

ARE GETTING AWAY EVERY DAY?

MY OWN PERSONAL OPINION-- I THINK THE JAIL CELL

IS BETTER THAN THE REHAB.

THIS YEAR IS THE 30th ANNIVERSARY

OF THE DRUG ENFORCEMENT AGENCY.

WAS CREATED BY RICHARD NIXON IN 1973,

AND RICHARD NIXON IS REALLY THE CREATOR

OF THIS DRUG WAR FROM 1971.

Narrator: WITH EVERY PASSING DAY OF THIS DRUG WAR,

THE BATTLE LINE SEEMS TO BE GETTING HARDER AND HARDER TO SEE.

AND YET IT'S ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO BELIEVE THAT THE SAME RULES APPLY TO EVERYONE.

WHOO!

WELL, A LOT OF US ARE VERY UNCOMFORTABLE

WITH THIS NOTION OF A WAR ON DRUGS.

SO WHAT WE ATTEMPTED TO DO WAS ARTICULATE A VERY DIFFERENT CONCEPT,

WHICH WAS VIEWING THE DRUG ISSUE

AS A CANCER AFFECTING AMERICAN COMMUNITIES.

YOU USED THE WRONG WORD.

YOU SAID "WAR."

IF THIS IS A WAR,

WE WOULD HAVE SOLVED THE WAR AND WON THE WAR.

THIS IS THE GREATEST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD.

WHEN WE GO TO WIN A WAR, WE WIN IT.

Man: WE GOT MORE DRUGS TODAY THAN WE DID 10 YEARS AGO,

AND THAT'S GOT TO TELL YOU THAT

THERE IS SOMETHING BIGGER THAT'S NOT BEING SHOWN.

IN 1972, WHEN RICHARD NIXON STARTED THE WAR ON DRUGS,

THE FEDERAL BUDGET ALLOCATION WAS $101 MILLION.

GOING INTO FISCAL YEAR 2000, THE FEDERAL BUDGET ALLOCATION WAS $20 BILLION,

YET THERE WERE MORE DRUGS IN THE COUNTRY IN 2000.

THEY WERE OF BETTER QUALITY, AND THEY WERE LESS EXPENSIVE THAN THEY WERE IN 1972.

WHAT'S WRONG WITH THAT PICTURE?

WE ARRESTED 14 PEOPLE

TARGETING HIGH SCHOOLS, SELLING HEROIN.

WE ALMOST TOTALLY ELIMINATED

THE PRODUCTION OF COCA.

Narrator: THE DRUG WARRIORS LOVE TO TALK ABOUT ILLEGAL DRUGS,

BUT WHAT DRIVES THE MOTIVE TO LEGALIZE CERTAIN HARMFUL

AND EQUALLY ADDICTIVE SUBSTANCES?

MONEY. MONEY CONTROLS THIS WHOLE MOVEMENT.

YOU HAVE A GROUP CALLED

"THE PARTNERSHIP FOR A DRUG-FREE AMERICA."

FIRST OF ALL, OF COURSE, WE DON'T HAVE A DRUG-FREE AMERICA.

NEVER HAVE, NEVER WILL. BUT WHO ARE THE FUNDERS?

WHO ARE THE MAIN FUNDERS, SOURCE OF FUNDING

FOR THE PARTNERSHIP FOR A DRUG-FREE AMERICA?

OF ALL THINGS, THE TOBACCO INDUSTRY

AND THE ALCOHOL INDUSTRY.

THEY ARE DRUGS. THEY ARE MIND-ALTERING, SOMETIMES ADDICTING DRUGS.

"DRUG-FREE AMERICA," INDEED. BUT WHY DO THEY DO THAT?

THEY SPEND HUGE MONEY TO REINFORCE

THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN LEGAL DRUGS ON THE ONE HAND

AND ILLEGAL DRUGS ON THE OTHER.

Narrator: I HAD LOST TWO FAMILY MEMBERS AND A BEST FRIEND

IN A VERY SHORT SPAN OF TIME TO ALCOHOL, CIGARETTES,

AND LEGAL PRESCRIPTION DRUGS.

SO FEARING THAT I COULD BE NEXT, DUE TO MY OWN STRUGGLE WITH ADDICTION,

I WANTED TO FIND OUT WHY THE DRUG WAR SEEMED TO BE SUCH A HUGE FAILURE.

WHEN NIXON STARTED THE DRUG WAR,

I WAS FAR TOO YOUNG TO UNDERSTAND ITS IMPLICATIONS.

LIVING IN WHITE TEXAS SUBURBIA,

GROWING UP IN THE '60s AND '70s,

I CONSIDER MY CHILDHOOD TO BE PRETTY AVERAGE.

AN OLDER SISTER AND BROTHER,

A STAY-AT-HOME MOM, AND A FATHER WHO ENDED UP BEING

A TOP EXECUTIVE OF A BIG CORPORATION.

FOR US, THE DRUG WAR WAS SOMETHING THAT HAD NO BEARING ON OUR LIVES.

AND EVEN THOUGH MY PARENTS WERE BOTH HEAVY DRINKERS,

THEY NEVER CRASHED A CAR, NEVER LOST A JOB,

NEVER MISSED A MORTGAGE PAYMENT.

ON THE CONTRARY: MY PARENTS WERE PILLARS OF RESPONSIBILITY,

SYMBOLS OF THE POST-WORLD WAR II GENERATION

WHO HAD EARNED THE RIGHT TO LIVE AND DRINK THE AMERICAN DREAM.

THERE HAS NEVER BEEN A SOCIETY IN THE HISTORY OF MANKIND,

AS LONG AS MANKIND HAS WALKED THE FACE OF THE EARTH,

THAT HAS NOT HAD SOME FORM OF MIND-ALTERING, SOMETIMES ADDICTING DRUG

TO USE, TO MISUSE,

TO ABUSE, OR EVEN GET ADDICTED TO.

Narrator: UNFORTUNATELY, MY BROTHER CURT DIDN'T INHERIT

MY PARENTS' ABILITY TO DRINK HARD LIQUOR,

AND WHEN COMBINED WITH SOME OF THE ILLEGAL DRUGS

THAT THE OTHER MEMBERS OF HIS ROCK BAND USED,

HE WOULD OFTEN BECOME VIOLENT.

WHEN I WAS ABOUT 6 YEARS OLD, CURT GAVE ME A HIT OF ACID,

PROMISING ME THAT I WOULD SEE GREEN MONSTERS.

YOU GET DOWN, MAN, WITH THE LSD'S, MAN,

AND THE COCAINES AND THE MARIJUANAS AND THE DIET PILLS,

AND THEY START CONTROLLING YOUR MIND.

START CONTROLLING, YOU KNOW, OTHER THINGS IN THE ATMOSPHERE

BECAUSE OF YOUR INTOXICATION, YOU KNOW?

Narrator: AS IT TURNED OUT, IT WAS ONLY AN ALLERGY PILL,

BUT SHORTLY AFTER, CURT'S BEHAVIOR LANDED HIM

IN THE STATE HOSPITAL, WHERE ALL THE DOCTORS CONVINCED MY PARENTS

THAT ACID AND MARIJUANA HAD CAUSED MY BROTHER

TO BECOME A PARANOID SCHIZOPHRENIC.

THE DRUG PROBLEM

IS DEVASTATING TO A LOT OF PEOPLE.

DRUGS DO NOT DISCRIMINATE. THEY DO EVERYBODY.

Narrator: WHEN NIXON CREATED THE DEA,

THEY STARTED THE NATIONAL DRUG SCHEDULING,

SCHEDULE 1 BEING THE MOST DANGEROUS DRUG

WITH ZERO MEDICAL VALUE, DOWN TO SCHEDULE 5

BEING THE LEAST DANGEROUS WITH MEDICAL VALUE.

WE ALL KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO NIXON-- NIXON'S HISTORY--

BUT WE ALL KNOW THAT

HE USED THE DEMONSTRATORS

TO DIVERT

ATTENTION FROM HIS ILLEGAL BOMBING OF CAMBODIA.

LOOK AT THE CONTEXT IN WHICH THESE DRUGS ERUPTED

INTO THE CULTURE IN THE '60s.

WE WERE CONDUCTING A VICIOUS WAR IN SOUTHEAST ASIA.

WHERE DID THIS POLICY COME FROM?

UNFORTUNATELY, I HAVE CONDUCTED AN INQUIRY INTO THIS,

AND I HAVE DETERMINED THAT DRUG PROHIBITION LAWS

CAME FOR REASONS OF RACISM,

EMPIRE BUILDING, AND IGNORANCE.

IN NIXON'S MIND, I THINK DRUGS WERE ASSOCIATED

WITH NOT LIKING NIXON.

Narrator: NIXON'S NEW DRUG SCHEDULING PUT MARIJUANA

IN THE MOST DANGEROUS CATEGORY,

SIDE BY SIDE WITH DRUGS LIKE PCP,

CRYSTAL METH AND HEROIN.

Man: PEOPLE IN THE UNITED STATES DIDN'T HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT MARIJUANA WAS.

BUT IT BEGAN TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH "THOSE MEXICANS."

Narrator: IN AN ATTEMPT TO KEEP ME AWAY FROM DRUGS

AND MY SICK, ADDICTED BROTHER,

MY FATHER ENROLLED ME INTO THE BOY SCOUTS.

IT WAS AT THE ACCLAIMED PHILMONT SCOUT RANCH

THAT I HAD MY FIRST EXPOSURE TO GETTING HIGH.

CLEARLY, GOING BACK TO HIGH SCHOOL, FOR ME,

WE WERE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO LOCK UP 80 MILLION AMERICANS

FOR HAVING TRIED ILLEGAL DRUGS.

IF THE DEA DECIDED TO CRACK DOWN ON ALL POT SMOKERS

AND FORCED EVERYONE TO TAKE A PISS TEST,

ENFORCING THIS LAW WOULD REQUIRE BUILDING PRISON WALLS

AROUND ALMOST EVERY CITY IN AMERICA.

Man: I JUST SEE SUCH A COROLLARY

BETWEEN THE WAR ON DRUGS

AND THE PROHIBITION OF ALCOHOL.

WE TRIED THE PROHIBITION OF ALCOHOL, AND I DON'T THINK

ANYBODY IN THIS COUNTRY WANTS TO RETURN TO THAT,

AND YET ALCOHOL IS UNBELIEVABLY DESTRUCTIVE

FOR A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF PEOPLE WHO IMBIBE.

Man: PROHIBITION WAS AN ATTEMPT BY IDEOLOGUES

SIMILAR TO THE IDEOLOGUES THAT WE HAVE TODAY

TO IMPOSE THEIR MORAL VALUES ON THE REST OF THE COUNTRY.

AND WHAT THEY DISCOVERED WAS THAT IT CREATES CRIME WAVES.

MY NAME IS T. RODGERS.

I AM THE C.E.O. OF SIDEWALK UNIVERSITY

AND THE FOUNDER OF S.E.L.F.--

"SURVIVAL EDUCATION FOR LIFE AND FAMILY."

I ALSO HELPED START THE BLOODS ON THE WEST COAST.

( rapping, indistinct )

GET THAT BITCH UP OUT OF MY FACE, HOMIE.

NO CAMERA? YOU DON'T WANT NO CAMERA?

NO CAMERA TIME?

"BLOOD" USED TO MEAN "MY BROTHER."

EXACTLY. FROM THE VIETNAM WAR.

YEAH, FROM THE VIETNAM WAR.

BEING A DRUG DEALER DOESN'T MEAN YOU ARE A GANG MEMBER,

AND BEING A GANG MEMBER DOESN'T MEAN YOU'RE A DRUG DEALER.

BUT THE WAR ON DRUGS IN ITSELF, IN ESSENCE,

IT GIVES YOU THE POWER

TO SELL DRUGS IN A PARTICULAR NEIGHBORHOOD.

Man: DRUGS COME FROM POVERTY,

WHICH INSPIRES CRIME,

WHICH INSPIRES A LOSS OF CONFIDENCE,

A LOSS OF PRIDE.

INSTEAD OF A WAR ON POVERTY, YOU'VE GOT A WAR ON DRUGS,

SO THE POLICE CAN BOTHER ME.

Man: THE ADMINISTRATION HAD A WAR ON POVERTY,

AND THAT SEEMED TO DISSIPATE, IT SEEMS TO DISAPPEAR AT ALL.

I MEAN, IT WAS GONE. AND ALL OF A SUDDEN,

UP POPPED THIS THING CALLED "WAR ON DRUGS."

Narrator: AFTER GETTING OUT OF THE MENTAL HOSPITAL,

MY BROTHER WAS MOVED TO A HALFWAY HOUSE DEEP IN THE GHETTO.

HERE, CURT WAS INTRODUCED TO CRACK COCAINE.

THE PEOPLE RUNNING THE HALFWAY HOUSE DROVE CURT TO THE PAWN SHOP,

WHERE HE PAWNED HIS GUITARS WORTH OVER $2,000

IN TRADE FOR $100 WORTH OF CRACK.

I WAS ALWAYS TOLD THAT CRACK WAS A BLACK MAN'S DRUG,

BUT NOW MY OWN BROTHER WAS HOOKED.

DRUG PROHIBITION FOR COCAINE

WAS BASICALLY PASSED IN ORDER TO PROTECT WHITE WOMEN

FROM BLACK MALES, AND HISTORY WILL DOCUMENT THIS.

Narrator: TALKING TO PEOPLE IN THE GHETTO,

ONE DEALER'S NAME ALWAYS CAME UP

WHEN TALKING ABOUT CRACK'S POPULARITY.

FREEWAY RICKY ROSS BECAME KNOWN AS THE WALMART OF CRACK.

RICKY'S STORY HAS BECOME AS LEGENDARY AS TONY MONTANA IN SCARFACE,

BUT WITH AN EVEN MORE BIZARRE TWIST.

RICKY, WHO IS CURRENTLY SERVING TIME IN THE TEXARKANA FEDERAL PRISON,

IS SCHEDULED FOR RELEASE IN 2013.

THE PRISON DENIED ME ACCESS WITH A CAMERA,

SO I STARTED INTERVIEWING RICKY OVER THE PRISON PAY PHONE.

( chuckles ) I WOULD SAY.

THERE'S A NEW EPIDEMIC: SMOKEABLE COCAINE,

OTHERWISE KNOW AS "CRACK."

Narrator: I REMEMBER CLEARLY ONE DAY IN THE LATE '80s,

EVERY SINGLE NEWS NETWORK SIMULTANEOUSLY RUNNING

AN IDENTICAL NEWS ALERT ABOUT THE NEW INCREDIBLE,

POWERFUL, UNBELIEVABLY CHEAP DRUG

THAT WAS TO SWEEP THE NATION.

THIS IS CRACK COCAINE.

SOON, EVERY SINGLE BLACK PERSON

LIVING IN THE GHETTO WOULD SELL HIS OWN MOTHER FOR ANOTHER HIT OF CRACK COCAINE.

IT WAS LIKE WATCHING A STRATEGICALLY ENGINEERED AD CAMPAIGN.

TALK ABOUT PERFECT PRODUCT PLACEMENT.

DID WE MENTION IT'S CHEAP AND STRONG AND VERY ADDICTIVE?

ONLY $5, NOW, SO STAY AWAY FROM IT.

LET THERE BE NO MISTAKE: THIS STUFF IS POISON.

CRACK COCAINE EPIDEMIC.

CRACK-CRACK-CRACK-CRACK COCAINE EPIDEMIC.

Narrator: FEW STREET-LEVEL DEALERS HAVE EVER REACHED

THE LEGENDARY STATUS OF FREEWAY RICK,

WITH DISTRIBUTION THAT RIVALED MANY FORTUNE 500 COMPANIES.

FREEWAY RICKY ROSS WAS A YOUNG,

AGGRESSIVE, SAVVY, STREETWISE MARKETER

WHO STARTED SELLING COCAINE, AND THEN SUDDENLY

SOME MAJOR SOURCES OPENED UP FOR HIM.

Narrator: AT THE HEIGHT OF RICK'S OPERATION, HE HAD OVER

40 FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES IN LOS ANGELES ALONE.

HE HAD COOK HOUSES, CASH-COUNTING HOUSES,

ROCK HOUSES, DECOY HOUSES,

AND EVEN A HOUSE HE LIVED IN.

RICK SHARES SOME GOOD DOWN-HOME COOKING TIPS ABOUT ROCKING IT UP.

Narrator: I KNOW THIS IS NOTHING TO JOKE ABOUT,

BUT RICK IS YOUR ALL-AMERICAN OPPORTUNIST.

AND AS THE MEDIA TOLD US, CRACK WAS NOW THE BIG, NEW OPPORTUNITY.

Man: THE GANGS EVOLVED, AND THE GANGS

WERE A GREAT BUSINESS VENTURE.

THEY WERE BASICALLY MARKETING TOOLS.

THAT'S REALLY WHAT THEY WERE.

AND THEY WERE QUIETLY PROMOTED BEHIND THE SCENES.

THEY GOT A LOT OF MONEY, THEY GOT A LOT OF POWER, THEY FOUGHT FOR DRUG TURF.

Narrator: IN ORDER TO FILM PEOPLE SELLING AND USING DRUGS,

WE WOULD HAVE TO GO UNDERCOVER.

SO WE MET UP WITH AN OLD FRIEND OF MINE WHO WAS LIVING

VERY CLOSE TO THE MOST INFAMOUS SPOT IN ALL OF LOS ANGELES.

PUT THAT ONE BACK IN YOUR FUNNY LITTLE CASE I MADE YOU.

THIS IS SAN JULIAN RIGHT HERE.

THIS IS FUCKING, LIKE-- THIS IS THE SPOT, DUDE.

I WALK DOWN SAN JULIAN, WE WILL GET ALL THAT.

THIS IS TENT CITY RIGHT HERE.

THIS IS SAN PEDRO RIGHT HERE.

SAN PEDRO, GRAND, ALL THIS SHIT,

THIS IS JUST NOTHING BUT DRUGS.

THIS IS CONSIDERED A NEUTRAL TERRITORY TO GANGS.

LIKE, ALL DIFFERENT GANGS-- BLOODS, CRIPS.

SHOULD WE JUST LOOK FOR A PLACE TO PARK?

YEAH, BUT YOU SHOULD PUT THAT CAMERA DOWN, DUDE.

Narrator: MY FRIEND MACK LINDSAY AGREED TO POSE AS A HOMELESS GUY

AND FILM PEOPLE SMOKING CRACK ON SKID ROW.

DUDE, IF THESE PEOPLE KNEW WHAT WE WERE DOING, WE WOULD BE FUCKING DEAD.

I MEAN, DEAD. NOT EVEN, LIKE, BEAT UP-- WE'D BE DEAD.

Narrator: ONE THANKSGIVING, MY BROTHER CAME HOME FROM A HALFWAY HOUSE.

MY AUNTS, MY UNCLES,

MY YOUNG, RICH COUSINS WERE ALL THERE.

NO ONE COULD HAVE BEEN PREPARED FOR THE MOMENT

CURT PULLED OUT A CRACK PIPE AT THE DINNER TABLE

AND STARTED SMOKING ROCK DURING THE PRE-MEAL PRAYER.

THERE'S A THING CALLED A BELL. YOU GET YOUR BELL RUNG.

THAT'S WHEN YOU HIT THE PIPE

AND YOU HOLD IT,

AND YOU HOLD IT FOR SO LONG

THAT SOMETHING INSIDE OF YOUR HEAD, IT RINGS.

AFTER THAT FIRST HIT, YOU'RE GOING ON A--

THAT'S THE HIGHEST YOU'RE GONNA REALLY GET.

THAT IS THE HIGHEST YOU'RE GOING TO GET.

Narrator: IS THAT WHAT THEY CALL "RINGING THE BELL"?

AFTER THAT, YOU HAVE

AN INCREASED APPETITE FOR COCAINE,

AND YOU WANT MORE AND YOU WANT MORE AND YOU WANT MORE.

AND YOU TELL YOURSELF, "I'LL JUST TAKE $10 OR $5

AND BUY ME A LITTLE HIT TO SUSTAIN MYSELF, TO HOLD MYSELF OFF."

BUT AFTER YOU GET THAT LITTLE HIT,

YOU WANT MORE AND YOU WANT MORE AND YOU WANT MORE.

THAT'S CALLED "CHASING THE ROCK."

Narrator: DRUGS CAN OBVIOUSLY CAUSE HORRIBLE ADDICTIONS,

BUT THE DRUG WAR CREATES BLACK MARKETS,

CREATING AN EVEN MORE DANGEROUS ADDICTION FOR MONEY.

BIG NAMES LIKE FREEWAY RICK GOING DOWN.

PEOPLE ACTUALLY WANT TO BE LIKE HIM

BECAUSE THEY DON'T THINK ABOUT DRUGS.

THEY JUST THINK ABOUT THE MONEY.

Narrator: BUT WHAT ABOUT THOSE PEOPLE WHOSE LIVES ARE STILL AFFECTED

BY THE LOS ANGELES CRACK EPIDEMIC?

SOMEONE THAT WANTS TO GET IN A PROGRAM,

SOMEONE THAT WANTS TO GET AWAY FROM THIS LIFESTYLE,

EASILY CAN DO IT, EASILY CAN DO IT,

IF THEY CAN JUST OVERCOME THE ADDICTION.

Narrator: MANY PEOPLE IN WASHINGTON WILL TELL YOU

THAT THE CRACK EPIDEMIC ENDED IN THE LATE '90s,

BUT ACCORDING TO SERGEANT LOU DAIGLE OF THE LOS ANGELES POLICE DEPARTMENT,

CRACK SALES ARE STRONGER THAN EVER.

Man: BASICALLY, EVERY GANG-BANGER COMES DOWN HERE TO MAKE MONEY.

THEY COME DOWN FROM THE INNER CITY,

THEY COME DOWN FROM EAST L.A., THEY COME DOWN FROM EVERYWHERE,

ALL THE DIFFERENT RIVAL GANGS, AND VERY RARELY, ACTUALLY,

ALL THE DIFFERENT RIVAL GANGS, AND VERY RARELY, ACTUALLY, IS THERE A SHOOTING BETWEEN GANG MEMBERS.

IS THERE A SHOOTING BETWEEN GANG MEMBERS.

Narrator: ALTHOUGH FREEWAY RICK REMAINS LOCKED UP,

MANY PEOPLE STILL BLAME HIM FOR CRACK'S EASY AVAILABILITY.

Man: I THINK THE DRUG WAR IS GOING TO BE LOST.

YOU CAN'T WIN A DRUG WAR

BY PROHIBITING THINGS THAT CAN BE MADE IN YOUR BATHROOM

WITH STUFF BOUGHT FROM A GROCERY STORE.

Narrator: BACK WHEN I WAS IN COLLEGE, WE USED TO CROSS THE MEXICAN BORDER

TO BUY PHARMACEUTICAL SPEED.

WE THOUGHT IT WAS STRONG, BUT IT WAS NOTHING COMPARED TO THE CRYSTAL METH OF TODAY.

SERGEANT DAIGLE SPOTS A MAN

SMOKING METH OUT IN PLAIN SIGHT.

HE MAY HAVE BEEN TWEAKING A LITTLE TOO HARD TO REALIZE

THAT HE WAS USING DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF THE POLICE HEADQUARTERS.

WHAT ABOUT THE METHAMPHETAMINES?

YES, YES, YES. BLACKOUTS,

PSYCHOSIS, DELUSIONS,

CUTTING MY WRISTS, THINGS LIKE THAT. REALLY?

YEAH. WOW.

SEEING THINGS-- DEMONS AND STUFF.

PRETTY REALISTIC? VERY REALISTIC.

Narrator: TODAY, THE DEA CLAIMS THAT CRYSTAL METH,

OR ICE, IS THE NEW EPIDEMIC, REPLACING CRACK

BECAUSE OF HOW LONG IT LASTS AND HOW CHEAP IT IS.

OH, METH IS MUCH BETTER.

YOU GET MORE ENERGY, YOU CAN DO MORE THINGS.

IT LASTS LONGER.

Narrator: FLYING OVER THE MOJAVE DESERT,

IT'S HARD TO IMAGINE THAT A MODERN-DAY DRUG EPIDEMIC

IS TAKING PLACE IN RURAL, WHITE AMERICA.

WHAT ARE YOU IN HERE FOR? WHAT AM I IN HERE FOR?

I'M IN HERE FOR POSSESSION OF DANGEROUS DRUGS.

WHICH WAS? WHICH WAS METHAMPHETAMINES.

METHAMPHETAMINES? WERE YOU SELLING OR JUST USING?

NO, I'M JUST A DRUG ADDICT. JUST A DRUG ADDICT?

YEAH.

DO YOU THINK BEING IN HERE IS HELPING YOUR ADDICTION?

Marching cadence: LEFT, LEFT, LEFT, RIGHT, RIGHT.

LEFT, LEFT, LEFT, RIGHT, RIGHT.

I HAD A REAL BAD COKE HABIT,

AND I FELT LIKE METHAMPHETAMINES SAVED MY LIFE, MAN,

BECAUSE I DIDN'T HAVE TO USE COKE ANYMORE.

I FELL ASLEEP AT THE WHEEL PULLING OUT OF MY PARKING LOT AT MY HOUSE,

AND I WOKE UP TO THE POLICE BEING THERE,

AND UNDERNEATH THE SEAT OF MY CAR

WAS 11 CENTS' WORTH OF METHAMPHETAMINES.

AND THEY CONVICTED ME OF THAT.

Narrator: IN PHOENIX, ARIZONA, A SINGLE MAN HAS CREATED

A KINGDOM FOR FIGHTING METH AND OTHER ILLEGAL DRUGS.

WITH FOUR LANDSIDE VICTORIES UNDER HIS BELT,

VERY FEW SHERIFFS HAVE ENJOYED THE JOB SECURITY OF SHERIFF JOE ARPAIO.

WHAT IS THIS, A DOCUMENTARY ON DRUGS?

YOU EITHER LOVE HIM OR HATE HIM.

AND IN PHOENIX, IF YOU HATE HIM, YOU KEEP IT TO YOURSELF.

Arpaio: DON'T TOUCH THAT. IT'S ELECTRIC. YOU'LL DIE.

WE DON'T SCREW AROUND HERE. THIS ISN'T TEXAS.

( chuckling )

HI. HOW ARE YOU DOING, SIR?

THE REASON I'M THE TOUGHEST-- BECAUSE SEE THESE GUYS, RIGHT?

WHERE'S YOUR PINK UNDERWEAR?

I GOT 'EM. LET'S SEE 'EM.

HOW COME THEY'RE FADING?

THEY DON'T GOT NO NEW ONES FOR ME.

I ASKED. THEY JUST DON'T GOT 'EM.

CAN WE START WITH YOU

TELLING ME YOUR NAME AND WHO YOU ARE?

I GOT TO TELL YOU IN FRONT OF THESE GUYS?

THEY DON'T KNOW WHO I AM.

( chuckling )

JOE ARPAIO, MARICOPA COUNTY, ARIZONA, SHERIFF.

THIS IS THE LARGEST TENT CITY IN THE UNITED STATES,

PROBABLY IN THE WORLD.

I WOULD ALMOST BET HALF OF THESE GUYS ARE HERE FOR DRUGS.

YOU SEE THIS?

THEY CAN ONLY MAIL POSTCARDS. DID AWAY WITH THEIR ENVELOPES.

AND ON THE POSTCARD, THAT'S ME.

WE PUT THE INMATES--

I MEAN, THE DOGS IN THE AIR-CONDITIONED JAIL,

AND THESE GUYS ARE IN THE HOT TENTS.

IT SAYS, "WHILE INMATES LIVE IN A HOT DESERT TENT CITY,

RESCUE DOGS LIVE IN AIR-CONDITIONING COMFORT."

RIGHT?

YOU WANT ME TO SIGN THIS? YES, SIR, PLEASE.

EVERYWHERE I GO, I SIGN THESE THINGS FOR THESE GUYS.

I SPENT 32 YEARS FIGHTING DRUGS AROUND THE WORLD.

I WAS A DIRECTOR IN MEXICO, SOUTH AMERICA,

HAD OFFICES IN PANAMA.

WORKED WITH GENERAL NORIEGA.

HAD OFFICES IN ARGENTINA.

I WAS THE ONLY FEDERAL AGENT IN THE MIDDLE EAST.

NOW WE HAVE ARMIES OUT THERE.

MY JOB IN TURKEY-- I'VE LIVED IN TURKEY--

WAS TO STOP THE FRENCH CONNECTION.

AND WE DID STOP THE FRENCH CONNECTION

WHEN I WAS THE DIRECTOR IN MEXICO.

WE ARRESTED THE TOP GUY IN ASCENSION.

Narrator: ALTHOUGH HE AND HIS MEN STILL ARREST PEOPLE FOR CRACK.

A NEWER DRUG HAS LONG SINCE TAKEN THE LEAD.

WE HAVE A BIG METHAMPHETAMINE PROBLEM RIGHT HERE.

YOU CAN'T BLAME MEXICO FOR METHAMPHETAMINE

WHEN WE SEIZE 50 LABORATORIES RIGHT HERE IN THIS COUNTY.

WHAT IS IT ABOUT CRYSTAL METH? METHAMPHETAMINE IS EASILY MADE.

YOU CAN MAKE IT ANYWHERE-- IN A MOTEL ROOM, IN A CAR--

THAT'S ONE REASON.

METHAMPHETAMINE-- IT'S ALL CHEMICALS.

IT'S THE EPIDEMIC OF ARIZONA.

I KNOW THAT FOR SURE. PHOENIX, MESA, TEMPE, CHANDLER,

ALL THE SURROUNDING AREAS.

I KNOW IT'S AN EPIDEMIC HERE.

Narrator: IS IT A SIGN OF THE TIMES THAT THE NEWEST DRUG CAN BE COOKED UP

FROM COMMON SUBSTANCES FOUND AT HARDWARE STORES AND PHARMACIES?

DURING THE 1920s PROHIBITION OF ALCOHOL,

BOOTLEGGERS PROFITED BY COOKING MOONSHINE,

A VERY DANGEROUS HOMEMADE ALCOHOL.

IN PROHIBITION, THE GOVERNMENT

FORBADE LEGAL BOOZE.

PEOPLE CREATED MOONSHINE.

Narrator: IS CRYSTAL METH A MODERN-DAY MOONSHINE?

Man: WHAT WE OUGHT TO BE DOING WITH REGARD TO METHAMPHETAMINE

IS WE OUGHT TO BE ENGAGED IN A REAL EDUCATIONAL CAMPAIGN

TO TELL PEOPLE JUST HOW DANGEROUS METHAMPHETAMINE IS.

TO TELL PEOPLE JUST HOW DANGEROUS METHAMPHETAMINE IS.

NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO.

THESE GUYS WILL USE ANY DRUG THEY CAN GET.

THAT HAS NO BEARING ON IT.

CAN I ASK THEM?

TWEEK. SPEED.

SPEED. METH.

YOU GUYS DO SPEED?

WHY DO I THINK IT'S BECOME SO POPULAR?

IT KEEPS YOU GOING. YOU CAN WORK A LONG TIME.

YOU CAN STAY AWAKE. HAVE GREAT SEX.

WHAT'S THE COME-DOWN LIKE? WHAT'S THE COME-DOWN LIKE?

I DON'T KNOW. I NEVER CAME DOWN.

( coughing )

HEROIN MAKES YOU NOD AND GET INTO TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS,

MARIJUANA MAKES YOU SIT ON YOUR COUCH,

AND SPEED PUTS YOU IN THE FAST LANE.

THAT'S YOUR OPINION.

AS GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO,

HALF OF WHAT WE SPEND ON LAW ENFORCEMENT,

HALF OF WHAT WE SPEND IN THE COURTS,

AND HALF OF WHAT WE SPEND IN THE PRISONS

IS DRUG-RELATED.

Narrator: SELF-MADE MILLIONAIRE GARY JOHNSON

SHOCKED THE CITIZENS OF NEW MEXICO WHEN,

AFTER BEING RE-ELECTED TO A SECOND TERM,

DENOUNCED THE DRUG WAR AND TRIED TIRELESSLY TO INTRODUCE

HARM-REDUCTION STRATEGIES.

FORMER GOVERNOR GARY JOHNSON IS IN THIS FILM.

WHO'S HE?

HE WAS THE GOVERNOR OF NEW MEXICO,

TRYING TO LEGALIZE DRUGS FOR 8 YEARS.

OH, YEAH. THAT'S WHY HE'S NOT THE GOVERNOR ANYMORE.

WELL, HE WAS 8 YEARS. BUT WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT HIM?

WHAT WOULD HAPPEN TO AMERICA IF DRUGS WERE LEGALIZED?

WELL, YOU KNOW THAT GUY?

IN FACT, IF I KNEW HE WAS GOING TO BE ON YOUR CAMERA,

I PROBABLY WOULDN'T EVEN BE TALKING TO YOU.

BECAUSE THAT'S A DEFEATIST ATTITUDE, THIS GUY.

THAT'S RIGHT. NEW MEXICO?

YOU SHOULD NEVER HAVE A DEFEATIST ATTITUDE AND GIVE UP

BECAUSE YOU SAY YOU CAN'T SOLVE A PROBLEM.

SO LET'S GIVE UP ON BANK ROBBERIES--

LET'S MAKE EVERYTHING LEGAL!

Johnson: THE WAY I LOOK AT IT, BASICALLY, IS THAT

WE HAVE GOTTEN TO WHERE WE'VE GOTTEN TODAY,

AND I THINK IT'S BECAUSE OF POLITICIANS,

AND DRUGS HAVE BECOME THE EASY BOOGEYMAN

TO PUT ALL BLAME ON.

I'M THE ONLY POLITICIAN, IF YOU WANT TO CALL ME THAT,

THAT WILL TELL IT LIKE IT IS.

THE JUDGE ORDERED ME TO GO TO TREATMENT,

AND I'M NOT ABLE TO GO TO TREATMENT SO THIS IS WHAT I'M GETTING INSTEAD:

CHAIN GANG AND COUNTY JAIL.

ARE YOU AFRAID YOU'RE GOING TO FALL BACK INTO IT WHEN YOU GET OUT?

I'M AFRAID I MAY, IF I DON'T GET INTO A DRUG REHAB RIGHT AWAY,

LIKE WITHIN THE FIRST 12 HOURS OF MY RELEASE.

ARE WE GOING TO EVER ELIMINATE METHAMPHETAMINE USE?

NO! BUT CAN WE REDUCE IT?

YES! AND WE CAN DO THAT THROUGH EDUCATION.

BUT THAT DOESN'T HAVE TO INCLUDE

LOCKING PEOPLE UP FOR ITS USE.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT 2 MILLION PEOPLE IN PRISONS

AND JAILS ACROSS THE NATION,

ABOUT 60% ARE IN THERE FOR DRUGS OR DRUG-RELATED CRIME.

FORWARD MARCH.

AND WHEN IT COMES TO FEDERAL PRISONS,

I KNOW THAT THAT NUMBER IS MUCH HIGHER

BECAUSE OF FEDERAL MANDATORY SENTENCING.

THIS ISN'T A PRISON. THIS IS A JAIL.

THE PRISONS ARE THE COUNTRY CLUBS.

THAT'S WHERE SOME OF THESE GUYS COULD END UP.

ANYBODY BEEN TO THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS?

WHICH ONE YOU LIKE BETTER-- HERE, THE JAILS,

OR THE STATE PRISON? All: STATE PRISON!

WHAT? PRISON!

YOU SEE? THESE GUYS PLEAD GUILTY QUICK SO THEY CAN GET TO PRISON.

Narrator: I WAS RAISED BELIEVING THAT INCARCERATION

WAS EXPENSIVE TO THE TAXPAYER.

IT WAS NOT IN ANYONE'S BEST INTEREST TO LOCK SOMEONE IN A CAGE

UNLESS IT WAS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY.

IN THE MID-1980s, A LAW WAS PASSED THAT ALLOWED

PRIVATELY OWNED CORPORATIONS TO BUILD AND OPERATE PRISONS.

Johnson: I'M A REAL ADVOCATE OF PRIVATE PRISONS,

HAVING PRIVATIZED HALF THE PRISONS IN NEW MEXICO.

AND THE REASON FOR DOING THAT IS THE SAME GOODS,

SAME SERVICES AT A THIRD LESS THE PRICE.

Narrator: HAVE WE REACHED A POINT OF BUILDING SO MANY PRISONS

THAT THE PURVEYORS ARE NOW LOOKING FOR WAYS TO KEEP THEM ALL FULL?

HERE'S THE WAY A PRIVATE PRISON WORKS, OKAY?

YOU PAY SOMEBODY TO BUILD A FANCY CAGE,

THEN YOU FILL IT UP AS FAR AS YOU CAN GET IT,

WHICH IS PRETTY FULL,

FULL OF PEOPLE THAT THE PEOPLE THAT BUILT THE CAGE

GET PAID $40,000 OR $50,000 A YEAR TO JUST KEEP IN THE CAGE.

YOU HAVE CORPORATIONS LIKE WACKENHUT--

THEY JUST CHANGED THEIR NAME: CORRECTIONS CORPORATIONS OF AMERICA--

THAT HOUSE PRISONERS, NONVIOLENT DRUG OFFENDERS--

AS A MATTER OF FACT, I THINK 60%

OF THE INCREASE IN PRISON POPULATION UNDER BILL CLINTON--

WHICH WAS LIKE A MILLION PEOPLE--

60% OF THAT NEW PRISON POPULATION ARE NONVIOLENT DRUG OFFENDERS.

NOW, IF YOU'VE GOT 5,000 PEOPLE IN YOUR CAGE

AND YOU'RE BEING PAID $30,000 $40,000 A YEAR FOR THEM,

THAT'S A LOT OF MONEY.

AND IF YOU CAN, ON TOP OF THAT,

USE THEM AS YOUR PRIVATE PROPERTY,

AS CHATTEL PROPERTY, THAT YOU CAN THEN

MAKE DO WORK

OR PRODUCE THINGS

THAT YOU GET PAID FOR ON TOP OF THAT, WHAT A GREAT DEAL!

NOW, WHERE I COME FROM,

WHEN YOU TRANSFORM A PERSON INTO A PIECE OF PROPERTY,

THAT'S CALLED SLAVERY.

Narrator: NOT FAR FROM BAKERSFIELD, CALIFORNIA IS THE SMALL TOWN OF TAFT,

ONCE HOME TO A THRIVING OIL INDUSTRY.

BUT LIKE SO MANY OIL TOWNS ACROSS AMERICA,

THE OIL FINALLY DRIED UP.

LIKE MANY BANKRUPT TOWNS, A PRIVATE PRISON STEPPED IN TO SAVE THE DAY.

THE TAFT CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION IS OWNED BY THE GEO GROUP,

FORMERLY KNOWN AS WACKENHUT.

WACKENHUT CHANGED ITS NAME AFTER A STORM OF BAD PUBLICITY.

THEY TRADE THEIR STOCK ON WALL STREET

BASED UPON THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT ARE IN JAIL.

IF THAT ISN'T SICK, IF THAT ISN'T THE BEST DEFINITION OF SICKNESS

IN A SOCIETY, IN A CULTURE, IN A CIVILIZATION,

I CAN'T TELL YOU WHAT IS.

Narrator: SERVING TIME IN THE TAFT FEDERAL PRISON

IS ACTOR/COMEDIAN TOMMY CHONG, OF CHEECH AND CHONG.

TRYING TO GET INTO THE PRIVATELY-OWNED PRISON TO INTERVIEW TOMMY

WAS NOT UNLIKE DEALING WITH ANY OTHER MAJOR CORPORATION.

MONTHS WENT BY, AS THEY KEPT ASKING ME TO JUMP THROUGH ENDLESS HOOPS.

AND IF I DIDN'T KNOW ANY BETTER, I COULD SWEAR THEY WERE DOING

EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO GET RID OF ME.

BUT TOMMY WASN'T JUST AN ICON OF DRUGS.

SITTING IN PRISON, HE WAS NOW A SYMBOL OF THINGS TO COME

WITH THE NEW CONSERVATIVE FEVER SWEEPING THE NATION FOLLOWING 9-11.

THE "TRANSMITTER ON THE GROUND" TRICK.

YOU GUYS ARE FROM TEXAS? YES, AUSTIN, TEXAS.

AUSTIN! OH, NO WONDER.

OL' WILLIE TOWN, HUH?

"TOMMY CHONG, ARRESTED FOR POT," RIGHT? NO.

TOMMY WAS TARGETED BY FORMER ATTORNEY GENERAL JOHN ASHCROFT,

WHOSE "OPERATION PIPE DREAMS" ENTRAPPED THE 65-YEAR-OLD ACTOR.

TOMMY'S SON WAS USING HIS DAD'S FACE TO SELL BONGS ON THE INTERNET

AND WAS BAITED INTO SHIPPING A GLASS PIPE TO A COUNTY THAT PROHIBITS THEM.

IN HIS ATTEMPT TO SHUT DOWN THE PARAPHERNALIA INDUSTRY

AND SEND A MESSAGE TO HOLLYWOOD,

JOHN ASHCROFT MADE AN EXAMPLE OUT OF TOMMY,

PROVING THAT EVEN A RICH MOVIE STAR IS NOT UNTOUCHABLE FOR THE DEA

I'M TOMMY CHONG OF CHEECH AND CHONG.

THAT'S LIKE A ROYAL TITLE.

THE PRIVATIZED PRISON BUSINESS IS BIG.

IT'S A SLAVE LABOR MARKET.

WE GET THESE LITTLE JOBS,

AND WE GET LIKE $15 A MONTH, LOW-END.

AND IT PROVIDES EMPLOYMENT FOR DEPRESSED RURAL AREAS.

SO YOU GET A PLACE LIKE TAFT, YOU KNOW--

IF IT WASN'T FOR THE PRISON, THERE WOULD BE NO INDUSTRY HERE.

THE OIL INDUSTRY IS LONG GONE.

THERE'S NOTHING ELSE HERE,

EXCEPT MAYBE THE GROUND-SQUIRREL INDUSTRY.

THE CONVICTION RATE IS ALMOST 100%.

AND PEOPLE THAT ARE DOING THE LONGEST TIME HERE

ARE THE ONES THAT HAD A STRATEGY, THAT WENT TO COURT,

AND FOUGHT IT, AND LOST.

YOU KNOW WHAT IT DID? I'LL TELL YOU WHAT IT DID.

IT MADE ME FEEL LIKE A BLACK GUY.

TULIA WAS,

FOR A LONG TIME, JUST ANOTHER CRUMMY LITTLE TOWN IN WEST TEXAS,

AND IT'S TREATED BLACK PEOPLE AND HISPANIC PEOPLE

IN A REAL CRUMMY WAY FOR A LONG TIME.

IT'S NOT ANY DIFFERENT THAN TOWNS THROUGHOUT THE SOUTH

AND PROBABLY IN THE MIDWEST.

IT'S GOT A LARGE CHURCH-GOING POPULATION,

IT'S GOT A VERY TIGHT-KNIT COMMUNITY OF WHITE PEOPLE,

AND IT'S GOT A SMALL OUTSIDE COMMUNITY--

THAT'S NOT REALLY EVEN A COMMUNITY--

OF MARGINALIZED BLACK AND BROWN PEOPLE.

I'M KIND OF THE CHIEF REDNECK OUT HERE,

BECAUSE I AM KIND OF PREJUDICED,

AND I ADMIT IT, AND EVERYBODY IS.

YOU KNOW, I'M NOT UNIQUE.

I AM UNIQUE IN THAT I UNDERSTAND WHO I AM

AND ATTEMPT TO CONTROL THAT,

WHICH CHRISTIANS ARE SUPPOSED TO DO.

BUT ANY GUY THAT PUTS HIS PANTS ON ONE LEG AT A TIME

AND SAYS HE'S NOT PREJUDICED, I SAY, "COME WITH ME

AND I'LL TAKE YOU SOMEPLACE AND SHOW YOU SOME PEOPLE

THAT YOU WILL BE SCARED ON YOUR FIRST IMPRESSION."

Narrator: CIVIL RIGHTS ATTORNEY JEFF BLACKBURN WITNESSED

HOW THE LURE OF LUCRATIVE DRUG-WAR FUNDING

ENTICED AN ENTIRE POLICE FORCE TO MAKE ILLEGAL ARRESTS.

ALL OF A SUDDEN OVERNIGHT THERE WAS THIS MASSIVE ROUNDUP,

WELL-PUBLICIZED, PUT ALL OVER THE TV STATIONS,

WHERE ONE TENTH OF THE TOWN'S BLACK POPULATION

WAS ESCORTED IN HANDCUFFS TO JAIL.

WE WERE TOLD THAT THIS WAS THE MOST MASSIVE

RURAL DRUG CONSPIRACY EVER UNCOVERED

IN WEST TEXAS, THAT IT WAS DUE TO THE STERLING POLICE WORK

OF AN INDIVIDUAL COP NAMED TOM COLEMAN, WHO IS A HERO.

THE TULIA NEWSPAPER RAN-- NOT AN EDITORIAL-- I'M SORRY--

IT WAS A "NEWS STORY" THAT WAS HEADLINED,

"TULIA'S STREETS CLEARED OF GARBAGE."

Narrator: WHEN ALL OF THE MAJOR MEDIA SOURCES, INCLUDING 60 MINUTES,

COVERED THE TULIA STORY, THEY TOLD OF A LONE REDNECK COP

BY THE NAME OF TOM COLEMAN WHO HATED BLACK PEOPLE.

BUT WHO WAS TOM COLEMAN WORKING FOR?

WHEN YOU FOLLOW THE TRAIL OF MONEY, HE WAS MERELY A PAWN

OF A LAW ENFORCEMENT POLICY THAT PROFITS FROM MAKING LARGE ARRESTS.

SO THERE WAS THIS THUNDERCLAP ARREST

AND SWEEP OF THE BLACK COMMUNITY.

IT LANDED 46 PEOPLE IN JAIL, NEARLY ALL OF WHOM WERE BLACK.

THEN, OF COURSE, THEY QUICKLY STARTED GETTING PROCESSED THROUGH THE SYSTEM

WITH COURT-APPOINTED LAWYERS,

WITH ALL-WHITE JURORS.

AND WE BEGAN TO GET SENTENCES LIKE 99,

75, 320 YEARS.

OUT OF CONTROL, OVER-THE-TOP TEXAS

TYPICAL SMALL-TOWN SENTENCES FOR DRUG DEALERS.

YEAH, I SAT IN JAIL FOR 5 MONTHS

BEFORE MY LAWYER CAME TO SEE ME.

HE SAID, THE ONLY THING HE CAN DO FOR ME,

GIVE ME 25 TO 99.

IN THE OLDEN DAYS, YOU HAD LEGAL LYNCHING.

THIS WAS...

THIS WAS LEGAL LYNCHING ON A WHOLE NEW LEVEL.

THIS WAS ETHNIC CLEANSING

COMBINED WITH THE NEED TO GET GRANT MONEY.

THE PROBLEM IN TULIA AND THE PROBLEM WITH MOST OF

THE TASK FORCES IN THE STATE OF TEXAS--

THEY'RE CREATED AS AN ENTITY,

AS A CORPORATION THAT MORE OR LESS STANDS ALONE.

IT'S NOT IN THE CHAIN OF COMMAND OF D.P.S.

OR ANY STATE AGENCY.

Blackburn: IT'S TEMPTING TO THINK OF TULIA AS JUST SOME RURAL,

WEIRD REMNANT OF

THE DISTANT DEEP-SOUTH PAST.

THE TRUTH IS, TULIA IS

THE CUTTING EDGE OF MODERN DRUG-LAW ENFORCEMENT.

AND YOU'VE GOT THIS TASK FORCE OUT HERE OPERATING

LIKE A PIT BULLDOG OR A ROTTWEILER

THAT'S SUPPOSED TO BE ON KIND OF A LEASH,

BUT IT'S RUNNING ALL OVER TOWN TRYING TO FIND ANY KID IT CAN TO BITE.

I KNOW I WAS SINGLED OUT 'CAUSE I WAS BLACK,

AN OLD BLACK GUY.

THE SPANISH AND THE BLACKS,

WE IN BIG, BIG TROUBLE.

Narrator: SERGEANT LOU DAIGLE RECEIVES A CALL ABOUT A NAKED GUY

WALKING INTO A RESTAURANT AND PUTTING ICE UP HIS BUTT.

( radio chatter )

WE HAVE A MAN--

A MAN WITH NO CLOTHES ON, EXPOSING HIMSELF.

HE WAS ON PCP. PRETTY BAD. PCP?

Narrator: THE NAME "SHERM" COMES FROM PEOPLE DIPPING SHERMAN CIGARETTES

INTO VIALS OF PCP.

IT BOTHERS ME TO NO END

THAT SO MANY YOUNG PEOPLE ARE ON SHERM NOW.

YEAH, SHERM IS ONE OF THE WORST DRUGS THAT I'VE EVER SEEN IN MY LIFE.

SEEING SOMEBODY--

SEEING SOMEBODY THAT USE SHERM-- WHOA!

MONEY WILL EAT MONEY. I'LL SUE YOUR SHOE...

I'VE SEEN GUYS GET BUCK-NAKED AND RUN DOWN THE STREET.

BUCK-NAKED AND WALLOW IN THE DIRT AND THE MUD.

I'VE SEEN A GUY GET ASS-OUT NAKED--

I'VE SEEN A GUY GET ASS-OUT NAKED IN THE RAIN

AND HUMP ON THE GROUND LIKE HE WAS WITH A WOMAN OFF OF PCP.

AIN'T THAT 'BOUT A BITCH?

HEY, BROTHER...

WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND PICK YOU UP,

AND WE'RE GOING TO PUT YOU ON OUR GURNEY, OKAY?

SO I'M GOING TO PUT YOU ON MY GURNEY, ALL RIGHT?

JUST CHILL OUT.

HE'S IN CUSTODY RIGHT NOW.

FOR CERTAINLY UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF PCP,

CERTAINLY FOR THE VANDALISM.

HE'S ALSO PROBABLY FOR A.D.W. AGAINST A POLICE OFFICER,

'CAUSE HE WAS THROWING GLASS AT THE POLICE OFFICERS.

ONCE AGAIN, COMPLETELY INCOHERENT

AS A DRUG-INDUCED CRIME, REALLY.

RIGHT.

WHEN WE CAME IN. HIS BACK WAS...

HE WAS TRYING TO COOL HIMSELF OFF. OH, HE WAS?

YEAH, HE WAS HERE NAKED.

I HEARD HE WAS PUTTING ICE UP HIS BUTT.

YEAH, HE STARTED THROWING EVERYTHING AROUND.

Narrator: NO SANE PERSON WILL TELL YOU

THAT DRUGS LIKE PCP OR CRYSTAL METH

SHOULD BE MADE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC.

BUT HOW DO YOU STOP THINGS THAT PEOPLE CAN COOK UP ON THEIR OWN?

PEOPLE HAVE LEARNED THAT THEY CAN COOK UP DRUGS.

AND SO THEY ARE EXPERIMENTING NOW, MORE.

AND I BELIEVE WE WILL HAVE A WHOLE MENU OF NEW DRUGS,

AND THESE DRUGS WILL NOT BE REGULATED

BECAUSE THE GOVERNMENT HAS DRIVEN DRUGS UNDERGROUND.

WE'VE TOLD KIDS THAT MARIJUANA IS JUST AS DANGEROUS AS METHAMPHETAMINE,

AND KIDS HAVE TRIED MARIJUANA,

AND THEY RECOGNIZE THAT IT'S NOT A DANGEROUS DRUG.

AND THEN THEY GO AND TRY METHAMPHETAMINE,

AND NOW WE'RE BACK TO KIDS AND THEIR UNDERSTANDING OF THESE THINGS,

AND, YOU KNOW, SO MANY OF THEM PUT METHAMPHETAMINE THEN IN THE SAME CATEGORY.

"GEE, IF THE GOVERNMENT'S LYING TO ME ABOUT MARIJUANA,

THEY MUST BE LYING TO ME ABOUT METHAMPHETAMINE ALSO."

IT'S A PLOY. WHAT?

THIS "DRUG MONEY FUNDS TERROR"-- IT'S A PLOY.

"A PLOY"?

A MANIPULATION.

PLOY.

"DRUG MONEY FUNDS TERROR." WHY SHOULD I BELIEVE THAT?

BECAUSE IT'S A FACT. A FACT?

F-A-C-T. FACT.

SO YOU'RE SAYING THAT I SHOULD BELIEVE IT BECAUSE IT'S TRUE?

THAT'S YOUR ARGUMENT?

IT IS TRUE.

SINCE 9-11, THE ONLY THING THAT'S REALLY CHANGED

AROUND HERE IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD ARE THE ATTITUDES OF THE POLICE.

YOU KNOW, THE GANGS ARE NOW THE NEW TERRORISTS.

I MEAN, HOW TOUGH SECURITY'S GOTTEN SINCE 9-11,

IT'S LIKE, REALLY LIKE, YOU KNOW,

HOW ARE DRUGS COMING INTO THE UNITED STATES NOW?

HOW? YOU KNOW, I DON'T HAVE AN AIRPLANE.

I DON'T HAVE A CAR THAT'S GOING TO MAKE IT WITH CALIFORNIA PLATES

TO MEXICO AND BACK TO COLUMBIA.

I CAN'T EVEN DRIVE IN COLUMBIA.

I DON'T HAVE A BOAT.

IT GOT TO BE FLOWN OR SHIPPED.

THERE'S A GREAT LINE IN THE MOVIE BOYZ N THE HOOD

WHERE LARRY FISHBURNE IS SAYING,

"HEY, MAN, WE DON'T GROW IT,

"WE DON'T OWN ANY AIRPLANES. WE DON'T HAVE ANY LABORATORIES.

HOW DOES IT GET HERE? WHY DOES IT GET HERE?"

AND THAT'S A VERY GOOD COMMON-SENSE APPROACH

THAT INTUITIVELY THE PEOPLE IN SOUTH-CENTRAL UNDERSTOOD:

THAT THERE WAS SOMETHING MUCH BIGGER THAN THEM

THAT WAS MOVING THE WHOLE DRUG ISSUE AND THE DRUG WAR.

Narrator: MY PARENTS WERE STAUNCH REPUBLICANS.

BACK IN THE '80s, THE BIG CONCERN WAS NOT TERRORISM,

IT WAS COMMUNISM.

THE IRAN-CONTRA AFFAIR WAS ONE OF THE BIGGEST POLITICAL SCANDALS IN U.S. HISTORY.

MEMBERS OF THE REAGAN ADMINISTRATION,

HEADED BY OLIVER NORTH, ENGAGED IN THE SALE OF ARMS TO IRAN.

THE PROCEEDS FROM THESE ILLEGAL DEALS WERE BEING USED TO FUND THE CONTRAS,

A RIGHT-WING GUERILLA GROUP THAT REAGAN REFERRED TO AS HIS "FREEDOM FIGHTERS."

THE CONTRAS WERE FIGHTING THE SOVIET-BACKED SANDINISTAS

FOR THE DOMINATION OF NICARAGUA.

THE IRAN-CONTRA IS VERY IMPORTANT IN HISTORY.

WE HAVE TO REMEMBER THE FACT THAT IRAN-CONTRA--

ITS MANDATE WAS TO INVESTIGATE

THE SALES OF MISSILES TO IRAN.

Narrator: FORMER DEA AGENT CELERINO CASTILLO

NOT ONLY FOUGHT IN THE INTERNATIONAL EFFORT OF THE AMERICAN DRUG WAR,

HE ALSO HAD THE RARE OPPORTUNITY OF CARRYING A CAMERA

AND RECORDING SOME OF THE REGRETTABLE ACTIONS OF THE DEA AND CIA

WHILE THEY SUPPORTED PRESIDENT REAGAN AND OLIVER NORTH'S CONTRA MOVEMENT.

GEORGE BUSH SR. CAME TO GUATEMALA

ON JANUARY 13, 1986,

AND HE APPROACHED ME AND ASKED ME WHAT I DID

THERE AT THE U.S. EMBASSY, WHAT MY JOB DESCRIPTION WAS.

AND I TOLD HIM I WAS A DEA AGENT WORKING

INTERNATIONAL NARCOTICS INVESTIGATIONS AND I TOLD HIM,

"LOOK, WE HAVE GATHERED INTELLIGENCE

"THAT THE CONTRAS ARE INVOLVED IN DRUG TRAFFICKING

DOWN IN EL SALVADOR."

AND THEN HE JUST SMILED, SHOOK MY HAND, AND WALKED AWAY FROM ME.

AND IT WAS THEN AND THERE THAT I KNEW THAT MY GOVERNMENT KNEW

THAT THESE ATROCITIES WERE OCCURRING.

THEY WERE SO CONCERNED ABOUT

GIVING THE GUNS TO IRAN AND ALL THAT STUFF.

THE QUESTION SHOULD HAVE BEEN ASKED ABOUT

ALL THAT COCAINE FLYING BACK OVER HERE.

Narrator: IN 1986, ON AMERICAN TV, WE WERE ALL BEING FED

A STEADY DIET OF...

WE'RE TAKING DOWN THE SURRENDER FLAG

THAT HAS FLOWN OVER SO MANY DRUG EFFORTS.

WE'RE RUNNING UP A BATTLE FLAG.

THIS SCOURGE WILL STOP!

Narrator: BUT REGRETTABLY,

BACK IN CENTRAL AMERICA AND IN THE JUNGLE...

I REMEMBER DOWN IN CENTRAL AMERICA,

WE WERE REFUELING PLANES FULL OF COCAINE COMING IN TO THE U.S.,

AND IT WAS A CIA OPERATION BEING RUN BY THE WHITE HOUSE.

Narrator: AT THE SAME TIME ALL OF THE COCAINE FROM NICARAGUA

WAS FLOWING INTO THE U.S.,

FREEWAY RICKY ROSS WAS AT HIS HEYDAY.

Narrator: AFTER FREEWAY RICK WAS ARRESTED,

AN INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALIST BY THE NAME OF GARY WEBB UNCOVERED A LINK

THAT CONNECTED HIM BACK TO THE NICARAGUAN CONTRA MOVEMENT.

RICKY ROSS WAS JUST LUCKY.

HE JUST HAPPENED TO GET A SOURCE

WHO WAS CONNECTED TO THE CIA

FOR A LONG TIME IN SOUTH CENTRAL, THE BUZZ WORD WAS

THAT THE CIA WAS SELLING CRACK.

I SAID, "NO, THE CIA WASN'T SELLING CRACK,

THE CIA WAS IMPORTING COCAINE."

RICKY ROSS GOT IT, TURNED IT INTO CRACK, AND HE SOLD IT.

Narrator: ACCORDING TO GARY WEBB'S DARK ALLIANCE,

WHEN DANILO BLANDON WAS DISPLACED FROM HIS HOME COUNTRY OF NICARAGUA,

HE SET OFF TO AMERICA TO RAISE MONEY TO AID THE CONTRAS

IN RIDDING HIS HOME FROM THE INVADING SANDINISTAS.

WHEN RICKY ROSS WAS INTRODUCED TO BLANDON,

BLANDON WAS IN A POSITION TO CREATE A PIPELINE OF COCAINE

THAT HE IN TURN GAVE TO RICKY ROSS ON CONSIGNMENT.

SUDDENLY, SOME MAJOR SOURCES OPENED UP FOR HIM--

DANILO BLANDON, NORWIN MENECES--

BOTH OF WHOM WERE TIED TO THE CIA AND THE CONTRAS.

AND GARY WEBB DID A MASTERFUL JOB

OF BREAKING THOSE STORIES AND PROVING WITH DOCUMENTS THAT THAT WAS THE CASE.

THERE'S LEDGERS OF OLIVER NORTH AND THEM

ACTUALLY TRANSPORTING THE COCAINE INTO OUR COUNTRY.

THERE'S FILM. EVERY PIECE OF DOCUMENT THAT'S POSSIBLE.

Narrator: TALK ABOUT BEING IN THE WRONG PLACE AT THE WRONG TIME,

FIRST-TIME DEALER AND FORMER CRIP

LEROY "CHICO" BROWN WAS ARRESTED WITH RICK.

CHICO WALKED INTO A DEA STING OPERATION

THAT WAS SET UP TO CAPTURE AND IMPRISON RICK

IN TRADE FOR RICK'S OLD PARTNER, DANILA BLANDON.

"HOW COULD THIS BE POSSIBLE?" AND THEN WE WERE READING THROUGH THE DOCUMENTS,

AND THAT'S WHEN GARY WEBB STARTED EXPLAINING IT TO US.

AND WE WAS LIKE-- EVERYTHING CAME TOGETHER NOW.

Narrator: ONE OF THE MOST PARAMOUNT MOMENTS

PERHAPS CAUSED BY GARY WEBB'S DARK ALLIANCE

TOOK PLACE IN NOVEMBER OF 1996.

IT WAS A MONUMENTAL, HISTORIC EVENT.

THE DIRECTOR OF THE CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY

WAS COMING TO WATTS TO FACE THE PEOPLE.

Man: NOW, WE ALL KNOW

THAT THE U.S. GOVERNMENT AND THE CIA SUPPORTED

THE CONTRAS IN THEIR EFFORTS TO OVERTHROW

THE SANDINISTA GOVERNMENT IN NICARAGUA IN THE MIDDLE '80s.

NOW IT IS ALLEGED THAT THE CIA ALSO HELPED THE CONTRAS

RAISE MONEY FOR ARMS

BY INTRODUCING CRACK COCAINE INTO CALIFORNIA.

DEUTSCH FELT HE HAD TO DO SOMETHING TO TRY TO

DEAL WITH THE OUTRAGE THAT WAS FORMING ALL OVER THE COUNTRY AT THE TIME.

AND OF COURSE, IT JUST BLEW UP IN HIS FACE.

THE CIA FIGHTS DRUGS,

THE CIA DOES NOT ENCOURAGE DRUGS.

IT WAS ACTUALLY ONE OF THE MOST

MONUMENTAL BLUNDERS OF ALL TIME, IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT.

WE HAVE NO EVIDENCE OF A CONSPIRACY BY THE CIA

TO ENGAGE IN ENCOURAGING DRUG TRAFFICKERS

IN NICARAGUA OR ELSEWHERE IN LATIN AMERICA.

DEUTSCH WAS THERE BECAUSE OF THE GARY WEBB STORIES.

THE GARY WEBB STORIES HAD SPARKED A NATIONAL FUROR.

I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE RICKY ROSS'S BROTHER TO SPEAK, PLEASE.

THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT TURNED THEIR HEAD

AND LET THIS COCAINE COME INTO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

ALLOW GARY WEBB TO HAVE FULL ACCESS!

THIS WHOLE THING WAS ORCHESTRATED!

IT WAS NEAR PANDEMONIUM. IT WAS ABOUT, I GUESS,

1,200 PEOPLE, STANDING ROOM ONLY IN THE AUDITORIUM,

2,000 PEOPLE OUTSIDE LISTENING ON LOUDSPEAKERS,

AND IT WAS VERY HARD TO KEEP CONTROL.

I GOT CALLED ON, FINALLY, AND I SAID TO HER, VERY CLEARLY,

I WAS LOOKING RIGHT AT DEUTSCH--

"I AM A FORMER LOS ANGELES POLICE NARCOTICS DETECTIVE,

AND I WORKED SOUTH-CENTRAL LOS ANGELES, AND I WILL TELL YOU, DIRECTOR DEUTSCH,

THAT THE AGENCY HAS DEALT DRUGS THROUGHOUT THIS COUNTRY FOR A LONG TIME."

( cheering )

AND I WAS ABLE TO NAME OPERATIONS.

DIRECTOR DEUTSCH, I WILL REFER YOU TO THREE SPECIFIC AGENCY OPERATIONS

KNOWN AS AMADEUS, PEGASUS, AND WATCHTOWER.

I HAVE WATCHTOWER DOCUMENTS HEAVILY REDACTED BY THE AGENCY.

I WAS PERSONALLY EXPOSED TO CIA OPERATIONS

AND RECRUITED BY CIA PERSONNEL WHO ATTEMPTED TO RECRUIT ME

IN THE LATE '70s TO BECOME INVOLVED IN PROTECTING

AGENCY DRUG OPERATIONS IN THIS COUNTRY.

HE STUMBLED AND STAMMERED AND WRUNG HIS HANDS.

( imitating stammering )

IF YOU HAVE INFORMATION ABOUT

CIA ILLEGAL ACTIVITY IN DRUGS,

YOU SHOULD IMMEDIATELY BRING THAT INFORMATION

TO WHEREVER YOU WANT, BUT LET ME SUGGEST THREE PLACES:

THE LOS ANGELES POLICE DEPARTMENT....

( derisive laughter )

AND OF COURSE, MY RESPONSE WAS, "I STARTED THERE

18 YEARS AGO, SIR, AND THEY TRIED TO KILL ME. NOW WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO?"

IF THIS INFORMATION

TURNS UP WRONGDOING.

WE WILL BRING THE PEOPLE TO JUSTICE AND MAKE THEM ACCOUNTABLE.

( crowd chanting )

THE CROWD STARTED CHANTING, "WE TOLD YOU! WE TOLD YOU!

WE TOLD YOU! WE TOLD YOU!"

AND IT WAS A GREAT MOMENT OF UNITY.

AND IT WAS A HEALING MOMENT FOR ME,

'CAUSE I HAD BEEN OUT ALONE FOR 18 YEARS

AND DIDN'T REALLY KNOW THAT THAT SUPPORT WAS THERE FOR ME EITHER.

THE AVERAGE PERSON IN SOUTH-CENTRAL LOS ANGELES DID NOT KNOW

ANYTHING ABOUT REALLY HOW THE CIA WORKED.

THEY HAD AN INTUITIVE SENSE.

THAT YOU HAVE A PRIVATE NETWORK RUN BY GEORGE BUSH AND OLLIE NORTH.

NOT THE CIA. YOU WON'T FIND THE RECORDS IN THE CIA. THEY'RE NOT THERE.

THEY'RE IN THESE PRIVATE-- PRIVATIZED INTELLIGENCE AGENCIES.

WILL YOU PURSUE THAT? WILL YOU PURSUE OLLIE NORTH

AND GEORGE BUSH AND THE MASSIVE DOCUMENTATION--

LIKE THIS GENTLEMAN HERE, THE CO-DEFENDANT OF RICKY ROSS--

THEY NEEDED THE MONEY TO FINANCE THE WAR IN NICARAGUA.

THEY HAD THE LINK. WE KNOW THAT

FROM RECORDS NOW THAT THE SENT BLANDON

WHO WAS A CIA OPERATIVE, TO SCHOOL FOR MARKETING--

MARKETING A PRODUCT WHICH WE NOW KNOW WAS COCAINE.

ME AND RICKY ROSS IS WAITING TO GET SENTENCED TUESDAY.

AND WHAT'S THE JUDGE GONNA SAY TO US COME TUESDAY?

MAY I JUST SAY THAT THE QUESTION WHICH WAS ASKED OF US BY THE JUDGE WAS,

"WAS RICKY ROSS EVER

A AGENT OR A CONTRACT EMPLOYEE--"

Narrator: RICKY HAD ALREADY SERVED A 5 1/2 YEAR SENTENCE FOR DEALING CRACK,

BUT WAS NOW GIVEN A SECOND 20-YEAR SENTENCE

AFTER BEING SET UP BY HIS PARTNER, BLANDON,

WHILE OLIVER NORTH WALKED AWAY AS A HERO,

WEALTHY AND FREE TO TRY HIS HAND AT POLITICS.

OLIVER NORTH WAS BEING PROMOTED BY THE CHRISTIAN COALITION.

AND TO THEM HE WAS THE LAST WHITE HOPE

THAT THEY WERE GOING TO HAVE

FOR A RIGHT-WING CHRISTIAN

TO RUN FOR U.S. SENATE IN VIRGINIA.

Narrator: DURING THE 1986 KERRY COMMISSION,

OLIVER NORTH'S CRIMES WERE EXPOSED TO THE AMERICAN PUBLIC.

AND YET TODAY, OLIVER NORTH IS NOT ONLY A FREE MAN,

HE HAS HIS OWN SHOW ON THE FOX NEWS NETWORK.

HOW DOES A FEDERAL AGENCY LIKE THE CIA

EXERT CONTROL OVER LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES?

THE WAY IT'S DONE,

WHICH I SAW FIRST-HAND AT LAPD,

THERE ARE NETWORKS CALLED THE NARCOTICS INTELLIGENCE NETWORK,

OR NOW IT'S CALLED CLEARINGHOUSE,

WHERE AGENCIES WHO ARE DOING A DRUG CASE

DON'T STEP ON EACH OTHER'S TOES.

EVERY TIME THE POLICE WERE GONNA RAID US,

I KNOW RICK USED TO GET CALLS AND SAY,

"MOVE OUT," YOU KNOW. THEY COMING."

Ruppert: WE ACTUALLY SAW THAT HERE IN 1986,

WITH MAJOR TASK FORCE INVESTIGATIONS OF FREEWAY RICKY ROSS.

THEY HAD SEARCH WARRANTS FOR 19 LOCATIONS

THAT WERE PREPARED ONE NIGHT,

AND BY THE TIME THEY GOT THERE THE NEXT MORNING,

ALL 16 LOCATIONS HAD BEEN CLEARED OUT.

AND THAT MEANS THAT OBVIOUSLY THERE WAS A LEAK.

THAT'S THE WAY THE CIA PROTECTS ITS SHARE OF THE DRUG TRADE.

THE UNITED STATES SENTENCING GUIDELINES

AND THE FEDERAL SENTENCING SYSTEM

REWARDS THOSE WHO GET OTHERS

INVOLVED IN CRIMINAL CONDUCT, AND THAT'S WHAT BLANDON DID.

DURING THE EXACT SAME PERIOD

THAT FREEWAY RICKY ROSS WAS AT HIS HEYDAY,

HOME VALUES IN SOUTH-CENTRAL LOS ANGELES WERE TANKING.

PEOPLE OWED $100,000 ON THEIR HOME. THE PLACE WAS A WAR ZONE.

DEAD BODIES IN THE BACKYARD, PROSTITUTES IN THE FRONT.

DRIVE-BY SHOOTING. I MEAN, IT WAS HORRIBLE.

AND PEOPLE WALKED ON THEIR MORTGAGES BECAUSE THEY COULDN'T SELL THE HOUSES.

AND TENS OF THOUSANDS OF HOMES WERE MOVED LITERALLY

FOR 10 AND 20 CENTS ON THE DOLLAR AFTER PEOPLE ABANDONED THEIR MORTGAGES.

WE CALL THAT ETHNIC CLEANSING.

THERE WAS A GREATER PLAN TO PUT CHURCHES,

TO PUT LIQUOR STORES, GUN SHOPS,

AND COCAINE, DRUGS INTO THE GHETTO,

INTO THE NEIGHBORHOODS, AND DRIVE THE PRICES DOWN.

AND THEY PRETTY MUCH DID A GOOD JOB OF THAT.

REAL ESTATE IN CALIFORNIA, WHAT WE CONSIDER COMPTON,

WATTS, EAST L.A., SOUTH-CENTRAL,

WHERE THE DRUG-INFESTED, GANG-KILLING HIGHEST RATES IN THE COUNTRY,

AND FAMILIES REALLY STARTED MOVING OUT OF THE INNER CITY

TO WAY OUT-- I'M TALKING ABOUT 70 MILES OUT OF L.A.

TO GET RID OF-- I'M TALKING ABOUT THE FOREMAN.

THEY'RE PROMISING PEOPLE THEY'RE GOING TO BUILD UP JOBS AND EVERYTHING,

ESPECIALLY IN THE '80s.

THERE WAS A BIG THING ABOUT MOVING TO MORENO VALLEY.

YOU GONNA HAVE ALL THESE BIG CORPORATIONS COME IN.

IT NEVER HAPPENED. PEOPLE ACTUALLY MOVED OUT THERE,

ENDING UP LOSING EVERYTHING BECAUSE THE BIG CORPORATIONS NEVER CAME.

AND THEN A LOT OF INVESTORS CAME BACK HERE

AND STARTED BUYING PROPERTY FOR SO CHEAP.

CHEAP PRICES. AND NOW THE PROPERTY VALUE IS SKY-HIGH.

YOU CAN'T EVEN AFFORD TO LIVE IN COMPTON AND WATTS NO MORE WITHOUT SPENDING $300,000

FOR A HOME THAT MY MOTHER AND THEM PAID $9,000 FOR.

I THINK THE PREVAILING VIEW ON WALL STREET IS

ANYONE STUPID ENOUGH TO BUY DRUGS DESERVES TO DIE.

AND IF YOU CAN MAKE MONEY FROM THEM WHILE THEY'RE DOING IT, THAT'S GREAT.

AND IF THAT'S IMPOSING A CRIME WAVE ON A COMMUNITY

AWAY FROM WALL STREET, THAT'S OKAY.

THERE'S NO DRUG CRIME ON WALL STREET.

ONE OF THE IMPORTANT FACETS

OF THE DISCUSSION SHOULD BE

WHAT I CALL "CONSPIRACY THEORIES."

THERE ARE LOTS OF FOLKS OUT THERE, AND THERE ARE BOOKS WRITTEN ON THIS

BY PEOPLE WHO ARE IN A POSITION TO KNOW:

FORMER DEA AGENTS, FORMER CIA OPERATIVES, THINGS LIKE THAT.

AND THEY TELL STORIES ABOUT HUGE AMOUNTS OF MONEY,

LARGE-SCALE CORRUPTION IN THE BIG PARTS OF GOVERNMENT, ETC.

AND ARE THESE STORIES TRUE? AND THE ANSWER IS, OF COURSE, I DON'T KNOW.

I DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO ANY PARTICULAR INFORMATION

MORE THAN ANYONE ELSE DOES.

HOWEVER, ASK YOURSELF THIS QUESTION:

IF YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A MILLION DOLLARS IN CASH,

HOW MUCH CORRUPTION CAN YOU BUY,

AT ANY LEVEL, FOR THAT MILLION DOLLARS?

AND THE ANSWER HAS TO BE, QUITE A BIT.

Narrator: ON DECEMBER 10, 2004,

INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALIST GARY WEBB WAS FOUND SHOT IN HIS APARTMENT.

Man: NO! YOU'RE LYING!

Man #2: NO. WHEN?

Man #1: SATURDAY.

Man #2: AW, MAN!

Narrator: THE INTERNET WAS SET ABLAZE WITH CONSPIRACIES

OF A CIA ASSASSINATION PLOT,

BUT OVERWHELMING EVIDENCE OF A SUICIDE SOON PUT THE THEORIES TO REST.

Man: BY THE WAY, THE HEAD OF THE DEA--

HIS NAME IS ROB BONNER, WHO'S A FRIEND OF MINE--

THROUGHOUT THE FIRST GEORGE BUSH ADMINISTRATION

SAID AND DOCUMENTED THAT, YES, THE CIA WAS INVOLVED

WITH IMPORTATION OF A FAIR AMOUNT OF COCAINE

WITH REGARD TO THE IRAN-CONTRA, ETC.,

BUT IT JUST HAS TO HAPPEN BECAUSE OF THE MONEY.

Man: LET ME UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.

A TON OF COCAINE WAS SMUGGLED

INTO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA...

IN COOPERATION WITH THE CIA?

THAT'S WHAT-- THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT APPEARS TO HAVE HAPPENED.

Man: WHEN I WAS A CLANDESTINE CASE OFFICER,

I THOUGHT I WAS DOING GOD'S WORK, THE NATION'S WORK,

BY RECRUITING TRAITORS

IN VARIED COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD,

AND WHAT I DIDN'T REALIZE WAS THAT I WAS LITERALLY THERE FOR SHOW.

I WAS JUST GOING THROUGH THE MOTIONS, BECAUSE THE TRAITORS

WEREN'T PRODUCING REALLY USEFUL INFORMATION.

WE WERE IGNORING ALL OF THE OPENLY AVAILABLE INFORMATION

THAT WOULD HAVE PRODUCED MUCH RICHER RESULTS.

LET'S JUMP OVER TO GENERAL MANUEL NORIEGA IN PANAMA.

GENERAL NORIEGA WAS TOLD BY BILL CASEY,

THEN DIRECTOR OF THE CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY,

THAT HE COULD HAVE A FREE RUN WITH DRUGS INTO AMERICA

PROVIDED THAT HE ALLOWED US TO

SUPPORT THE CONTRAS FROM PANAMA.

THAT WAS A STRAIGHT-UP DEAL.

I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THE GOVERNMENT

DIDN'T USE FREEWAY RICK THE WAY THEY USED HIM.

SET HIM UP TO BUY IT FROM THE BIG MAN AND BUST THE BIG MAN.

HE AIN'T THE BIG MAN. SOMEBODY'S BRINGING IT TO HIM.

YEAH. SO WHY DIDN'T THEY REVERSE IT?

THEY TAKE YOU ALMOST TO-- THEY MAKE IT SEEM LIKE HE'S THE MAN.

THEY NEVER FOUND THE MAN. WHO IS THE REAL DRUG LORD?

Narrator: WHAT DO YOU SAY TO THE CONSPIRACY THEORISTS, LIKE,

I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THE BOOK CALLED DARK ALLIANCE,

WRITTEN ABOUT THE CIA BRINGING IN COCAINE INTO SOUTH-CENTRAL L.A.

THE WHOLE RICKY ROSS STORY. MM-HMM.

WELL, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE CIA FOR YEARS.

I TAKE GREAT PRIDE IN WHAT THEY DO.

THEY'RE A VERY DISCIPLINED PEOPLE OF GREAT COURAGE.

THERE AREN'T MANY OF THEM. IT'S A VERY SMALL AGENCY.

THEY'RE OUT THERE IN THE GLOBAL CONTEXT TRYING TO

PROTECT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE,

SO I THINK THEY DESERVE TO BE TREATED WITH RESPECT.

BUT THE NOTION THAT THEY'RE SMUGGLING DRUGS

INTO AMERICA IS JUST ABSURD.

I THINK RICKY ROSS

SIMPLY DIDN'T INVEST ENOUGH MONEY IN BRIBING LOCAL AUTHORITIES.

HAD HE INVESTED IN A PROTECTION INSURANCE POLICY

AT THE STATE AND LOCAL LEVEL THROUGH LEGAL FRONTS--

I MEAN, THERE ARE ALL KINDS OF LAWYERS THAT ARE WILLING TO SELL THEIR SOULS

AND HAPPY TO TAKE THEIR MONEY AND THEN CHANNEL IT INTO BRIBES.

SO BASICALLY, I THINK RICKY ROSS DIDN'T REALIZE

THAT HE COULD BECOME A PAWN

IN THE WAR ON DRUGS.

ARE YOU AWARE OF WHETHER OR NOT NARCOTICS PROCEEDS

AT SOME TIME

MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE SUPPORTED CONTRA EFFORTS?

YES, SIR. NARCOTICS PROCEEDS WERE USED

TO SHORE UP THE CONTRA EFFORT.

DID YOU PERSONALLY PLAY A ROLE

IN SOME OF THE TRANSFER OF THAT MONEY? YES, I DID.

Narrator: SIX MONTHS AFTER CIA DIRECTOR JOHN DEUTSCH

CAME TO LOCKE HIGH SCHOOL, THE RESIDENTS OF WATTS WERE HARDLY SURPRISED

THAT THE CIA FOUND ITSELF INNOCENT OF ALL DRUG-DEALING CHARGES.

TODAY, RICKY ROSS REMAINS IN PRISON AS THE SOLE PERPETRATOR

OF AMERICA'S BIGGEST DRUG WAR SCANDAL.

AND DRUGS WERE USED, TOGETHER WITH SAUDI ARABIAN CONTRIBUTIONS--

ALSO OFF-THE-BOOKS-- DRUGS WERE USED BY THE CIA

TO CARRY OUT A COVERT ACTION THAT HAD BEEN FORBIDDEN BY CONGRESS.

Narrator: WHEN BUSH SENIOR LOST THE ELECTION TO BILL CLINTON,

EVERYONE FELT AS IF A NEW DAY WERE BORN IN AMERICA.

NOW THE PEACEFUL LIBERALS WOULD RULE,

AND THE TIRED, CORRUPT IRAN-CONTRA REAGAN CREW

WOULD BE GONE FOR GOOD.

NICK AND NORM ARE BROUGHT TO US

BY THE OFFICE OF NATIONAL DRUG CONTROL POLICY,

ALSO KNOWN AS THE OFFICE OF THE DRUG CZAR.

UNDER BILL CLINTON, THE OFFICE WAS HEADED UP

BY FOUR-STAR GENERAL DRUG CZAR, BARRY McCAFFERY.

CLINTON HAD A DRUG CZAR BY THE NAME OF BARRY McCAFFREY.

AND WHAT HE DID, HE WAS THE EVIL ONE.

NOW, CLINTON WAS THE GOOD ONE, EVERYONE LOVED CLINTON.

HE PLAYED THE SAX, AND, YOU KNOW, HE SAID HE DIDN'T INHALE,

AND HE GOT THE B.J. FROM THE BROAD AND EVERYTHING.

KISSING BLACK BABIES.

YEAH. CLINTON WAS THE MAN.

( chanting ) WE WANT BILL! WE WANT BILL!

Narrator: LESS THAN A MILE AWAY FROM T'S PLACE.

FORMER PRESIDENT CLINTON MADE AN APPEARANCE TO PROMOTE HIS NEW BOOK.

SO MANY ADORING FANS SHOWED UP THAT CLINTON WAS NOT ABLE TO SIGN EVERYONE'S COPY.

PROBLEMS TODAY WITH PRESIDENT CLINTON'S BOOK-SIGNING TOUR THROUGH THE SOUTHLAND.

HE APPEARED AT S-O-1 BOOKS IN BALDWIN VILLAGE.

I'M ALL THE WAY FROM MORENO VALLEY

JUST TO SEE PRESIDENT CLINTON.

I LOVE HIM, AND I LOVE WHAT HE STANDS FOR.

BUT IN ACTUALITY, HE HAD THIS EVIL, EVIL,

CRAZY, MANIACAL PERSON

THAT HEADED UP THE WAR ON DRUGS.

NOW, THAT'S THE GOOD GUY GETTING THE BAD GUY TO DO THE BAD WORK.

YEAH. THE SCAPEGOAT. THE SCAPEGOAT.

THAT'S ALL IT IS. THE SCAPEGOAT.

LIKE WE'RE THE SCAPEGOAT. THEY ALL GOTTA HAVE AN ESCAPE-GOAT.

Narrator: BACK IN AUSTIN, GENERAL BARRY McCAFFREY

WAS MAKING AN APPEARANCE AT A FUNDRAISING EVENT.

THE FORMER DRUG CZAR WAS NOW A REGULAR WAR CORRESPONDENT ON MSNBC,

BUT HE WOULD NEVER KNOWINGLY PARTICIPATE

IN SOME INDEPENDENT FILM WITH A QUESTIONABLE MESSAGE.

MAYBE BY ACCIDENT, I TOLD THE GENERAL SECRETARY

THAT I WAS WORKING ON AN ANTI-DRUG VIDEO,

WHICH IS KIND OF TRUE.

SO I DONNED MY REPUBLICAN DISGUISE,

CONSISTING OF A GOLF SHIRT, NAME TAG, AND SLACKS.

CAREFULLY CHOOSING THE CORRECT FORKS

AND NIBBLING ON SOME ASPARAGUS,

I WAITED FOR THE PERFECT MOMENT TO APPROACH

THE WELL-PROTECTED FORMER DRUG CZAR.

MOSTLY KNOWN AS A DRUG CZAR, AND IF I TALK TO THE MEDIA

OR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, THAT'S THE ONLY WAY THEY'D RECOGNIZE WHAT I WAS DOING.

Narrator: IN THE EARLY '90s, MY FRIENDS WERE ALL QUITTING

THE '80s HARD DRUGS AND SWITCHING TO HIGH-QUALITY MARIJUANA.

A GUY I KNEW ALWAYS HAD POUNDS OF HYDROPONIC,

THE KIND OF POT YOU SEE ON THE COVER OF HIGH TIME MAGAZINE.

IT WASN'T LONG UNTIL THE LAW CAUGHT UP WITH HIM,

AND HE WAS SENT TO A PRISON WORK CAMP.

MAMBO DIED A FEW YEARS LATER.

TURNS OUT THAT THIS WAS BECOMING A RATHER COMMON STORY,

BECAUSE DURING McCAFFREY'S REIGN UNDER BILL CLINTON,

LITERALLY MILLIONS OF NONVIOLENT POT SMOKERS

WERE ARRESTED AND SENTENCED.

AND EVEN IF YOU STILL DON'T RECOGNIZE BARRY, EVERYONE REMEMBERS

BARRY'S CLASSIC "THIS IS YOUR EGG BRAIN ON DRUGS"

ANTI-DRUG CAMPAIGN.

Gray: THE METAPHOR OF THE DRUG WAR LED TO FLAWED THINKING.

I WAS INVITED A FEW YEARS AGO

WHEN GENERAL McCAFFREY WAS THE DRUG CZAR

TO BE INVOLVED IN A DEBATE.

HE BRAGGED, WITH A SMILE ON HIS FACE,

THAT THE BUDGET FOR HIS OFFICE--

NAMELY THE OFFICE OF NATIONAL DRUG CONTROL POLICY.

WAS GETTING AN INCREASE IN FUNDING

FROM $17 BILLION PER YEAR

TO SOMETHING LIKE $18 1/2 BILLION PER YEAR.

CAN YOU IMAGINE HOW MUCH MONEY THAT IS?

YOU GO TO CHILDREN AND YOU SAY,

DO YOU REMEMBER YOUR MOM/DAD/COACH/TEACHER

SAYING, "MARIJUANA IS UNACCEPTABLE"?

IF I REMEMBER HEARING THAT,

I'M NOT USING DRUGS.

WE HAVE ACTUALLY DONE A TERRIFIC JOB

IN THE UNITED STATES REDUCING DRUG ABUSE.

IT'S DOWN FROM 14% OF THE POPULATION

PAST-MONTH TO 7%.

AND IF YOU EXPECT SOMEBODY THAT CONTROLS THAT MUCH MONEY

TO BE IN FAVOR OF CHANGE, LOOK AGAIN.

OF COURSE NOT, BECAUSE MONEY IS POWER.

OUR PROBLEM ISN'T THAT WE USE TOO MANY DRUGS.

OUR PROBLEM IS, WE'VE GOT TOO MUCH MONEY.

Narrator: MOST PEOPLE TODAY CANNOT EVEN TELL YOU THE NAME

OF OUR CURRENT DRUG CZAR, WHO WORKS UNDER THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION.

WE WANT TO EXPAND DRUG TREATMENT COURTS THAT FINE PEOPLE

WHO ARE IN TROUBLE WITH THE LAW BECAUSE OF THEIR ADDICTION.

OUR VIEWPOINT AND OUR FUNDING WAS TO

ENHANCE PREVENTION AND EDUCATION.

OF ALL THE DRUG CZARS SINCE McCAFFREY, OR SINCE BILL BENNETT--

WHO WAS THE FIRST ONE UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES--

THEY ALL DO THE SAME THING, THEY ALL TALK THE SAME WAY,

THEY ALL GIVE LIP SERVICE TO DRUG TREATMENT,

BUT WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO IT, AND THE RUBBER MEETS THE ROAD,

THE ONLY MONEY THAT IS SPENT IS FOR INCARCERATION.

THE REASON WHY WE DON'T HEAR ABOUT THE DRUG CZAR--

AND BY THE WAY, THE DRUG CZAR IS THE SON OF GENERAL VERNON WALTERS,

WHO WAS A GREAT CIA HAND DURING IRAN-CONTRA,

A GREAT CIA PLAYER, JOHN WALTERS IS HIS NAME,

WE DON'T HEAR ABOUT IT NOW BECAUSE THE DRUG BUSINESS IS DOING

EXACTLY WHAT IT'S SUPPOSED TO DO.

THE DRUG MONEY IS FLOWING, PEOPLE ARE GOING TO JAIL,

THE MONEY IS GOING THROUGH WALL STREET, PEOPLE ARE HAPPY.

IT'S NOT OUT OF CONTROL, AND EVERYBODY IS LOOKING THE OTHER WAY.

AND THAT'S EXACTLY THE WAY THEY NEED IT TO BE BECAUSE THEY CANNOT SUSTAIN

NOT ONLY THE U.S. ECONOMY, BUT THEY CANNOT SUSTAIN

THE U.S. EMPIRE, THE AMERICAN EMPIRE, WITHOUT THOSE DRUG FLOWS.

EVERYBODY IS OUT TO GRAB MONEY.

EVERYBODY'S TRYING TO MAKE MONEY

OFF THE DRUG WAR ON THE GOOD SIDE.

AND OF COURSE, UN-BESPOKEN ON THE BAD SIDE,

THE PEOPLE THAT USE DRUGS

AND SELL DRUGS, THEY'RE TRYING TO MAKE MONEY.

THE RULING CLASS HERE IN AMERICA

HAD TO COME UP WITH SOMETHING

SO THAT THEY COULD CONTROL CERTAIN SEGMENTS OF SOCIETY

SO THEY COULD STAY IN POWER.

SO THEY CREATED THE DRUG WAR FOR THE FELONIZATION OF AMERICANS.

SO THE DRUG WAR HAS ACTUALLY ESTABLISHED

A FALSE CAPITALIST ECONOMY THERE

THAT'S DRIVEN BY THE MONEY YOU THROW AT IT.

THE MORE MONEY YOU THROW AT IT,

THE WILDER IT GETS.

Narrator: BACK IN THE '70s, JOE PIETRI WAS A LARGE-SCALE

MARIJUANA AND HASHISH SMUGGLER WORKING IN NEPAL.

WHEN NIXON STARTED THE DRUG WAR,

HE GAVE OVER $50 MILLION TO THE GOVERNMENT OF NEPAL

TO OUTLAW MARIJUANA AND HASHISH.

JOE WITNESSED FIRSTHAND HOW A ONCE-PEACEFUL NEPAL

QUICKLY TRANSFORMED INTO A SOCIETY OF HEROIN ADDICTS

CONTROLLED BY A VIOLENT BLACK MARKET.

I WAS IN THE MARIJUANA AND HASHISH BUSINESS FOR 25 YEARS.

I SPENT 25 YEARS OF MY LIFE

LIVING IN SOUTHEAST AND SOUTHWEST ASIA,

WHERE I SAW THE CIA, THROUGH THEIR POLITICAL AGENDAS,

ALLOW THE PRODUCTION

OF OPIUM POPPIES AND HEROIN PRODUCTION

IN SOUTHWEST AND SOUTHEAST ASIA

THAT EVENTUALLY REACHED THESE SHORES.

Narrator: WHY DO YOU THINK HEROIN USE HAS GONE UP SO MUCH?

WELL, I DON'T THINK HEROIN USE HAS GONE UP.

HEROIN IS INCREASING. I JUST STOPPED A--

YOU GUYS GONNA KEEP QUIET, OR DO I HAVE TO GO DO THIS--

Narrator: BACK ON THE STREETS OF L.A., DEALERS USE LITTLE BALLOONS

TO SELL SMALL AMOUNTS OF HEROIN.

SERGEANT DAIGLE POINTS OUT BALLOONS ON A STREET

THAT GETS CLEANED EVERY FEW DAYS.

WHEN I LOOKED UP, I REALIZED I WAS STANDING ON LITERALLY

THOUSANDS OF EMPTY BALLOONS AS FAR AS I COULD SEE.

Daigle: YOU CAN LOOK ON THE GROUND, AND YOU CAN SEE WATER--

A LITTLE PURE WATER THAT'S GIVEN OUT.

ALL THE LITTLE BALLOONS, YOU'LL SEE THEM ALL OVER THERE.

THEY'RE AS COMMON AS CIGARETTE BUTTS.

THAT'S ALL HEROIN BALLOONS.

Narrator: MY WIFE AND I HIRED A YOUNG WOMAN TO HELP AROUND THE HOUSE.

SOON, I STARTED FINDING BURNT, BENT SPOONS

HIDDEN IN STRANGE PLACES.

JONA PLAYED IN A PUNK BAND, AND AS I LEARNED BACK IN THE '80s,

MUSIC AND DRUGS GO HAND IN HAND.

( singing punk )

WELL YOU JUST THINK, LIKE,

"OH, IGGY POP, KURT COBAIN, THEY USED HEROIN.

MAYBE I'LL BE ABLE TO WRITE BETTER SONGS."

ESPECIALLY LIKE--

PEOPLE WHO ARE INTO ART AND SHIT,

THERE'S MORE OF A DRAW TOWARDS DRUGS

JUST 'CAUSE YOU WANT TO EXPERIENCE

DIFFERENT STATES OF YOUR MIND, YOU KNOW?

RIGHT NOW, IT'S AS EASY FOR ME TO GET HEROIN

AS WALKING INTO A GAS STATION AND BUYING A PACK OF CIGARETTES.

Narrator: THE AMOUNT OF HEROIN REACHING U.S. SHORES

SEEMS TO COME IN CYCLES,

BUT NOTHING IN PAST HISTORY CAN COMPARE TO THE INFLUX

EXPERIENCED IN THE WAKE OF THE NEW WAR ON TERROR.

IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR THE AMERICAN TAXPAYER TO UNDERSTAND

THAT AFGHANISTAN WAS PRODUCING VIRTUALLY

NO HEROIN UNDER THE TALIBAN

AND IS NOW RESPONSIBLE FOR 80% OF THE HEROIN

COMING TO THE UNITED STATES AND THE WESTERN COUNTRIES.

Man: WE INVADED AFGHANISTAN RIGHT AFTER 9-11,

SECURED THE COUNTRY IN NOVEMBER.

JUST BY COINCIDENCE, THE PLANTING SEASON FOR THE OPIUM POPPY IS NOVEMBER,

AND YOU HARVEST IN LATE MAY AND EARLY JUNE.

Narrator: FORMER DEA AGENT CELERINO CASTILLO SERVED IN THE DEA,

WHERE HE HELPED TO ERADICATE VAST POPPY FIELDS.

WHEN THE TALIBAN WAS IN AFGHANISTAN.

THEY WERE WHAT THEY WERE.

BUT THEY WERE DEFINITELY AGAINST

OPIUM CROPS CULTIVATION,

AND A LOT OF IT WAS DESTROYED.

WE SECURED THE COUNTRY JUST IN TIME

TO RELEASE A WHOLE BUNCH OF OPIUM WARLORDS FROM PRISON. IT WAS IN THE NEWS.

DRUG MONEY COULD SOON

BE FUNDING AL QAEDA AND OTHER TERROR GROUPS.

THESE BEAUTIFUL-LOOKING FLOWERS ARE FUELING SOME UGLY ADDICTION AND TERRORISM.

WHEN YOU TAUGHT EVERYBODY HOW TO MAKE MONEY WITH HARD DRUGS,

WHAT ARE THEY SUPPOSED TO DO, STOP?

Man on TV: POLICE DON'T BOTHER THEM. THE U.S. MILITARY HAS OTHER PRIORITIES.

SO WITHIN THIS PAST YEAR THAT THE U.S. GOVERNMENT

HAS CONTROL OF AFGHANISTAN,

WHY IS THERE A MAJOR CROP OF HEROIN

THAT'S GOING TO BE COMING INTO THE U.S.

OR HAS COME INTO THE U.S.?

WE SEE A LOT OF PEOPLE FROM NORTHERN CALIFORNIA,

A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, YOUNG MALE AND FEMALE WHITE COUPLES.

THEY ACTUALLY COME DOWN HERE ON VACATION IF THEY'RE HEROIN USERS

BECAUSE HEROIN IS SO READILY AVAILABLE

DOWN HERE IN DOWNTOWN L.A.

BUT IT'S JUST SO-- IT'S INEXPENSIVE, IT'S GOOD QUALITY.

IT TYPICALLY COMES IN FROM THE HARBOR.

DOWN IN THE HARBOR DIVISION.

L.A.P.D.

IT'S SHIPPED IN FROM OVERSEAS. COMES IN ON CARGO SHIPS,

THINGS LIKE THAT.

BUT IT'S JUST READILY AVAILABLE.

YOU KNOW?

Man: AFGHANISTAN STANDS ON THE BRINK

OF BECOMING A NARCO-TERROR STATE.

THIS "DRUG MONEY FUNDS TERROR," IT'S A PLOY.

A PLOY?

I SUPPORT THE TROOPS,

BUT I DON'T SUPPORT MY GOVERNMENT,

BECAUSE OUR GOVERNMENT HAS LIED TO US.

THOSE PEOPLE AT HOMELAND SECURITY

WERE ALL BROUGHT IN TO FIGHT THE SO-CALLED WAR ON DRUGS.

WHEN THEY REALIZED THAT IT FAILED,

THEY WENT INTO TERRORISM,

AND NOW THEY'RE TRYING TO COMBINE BOTH OF THEM BY SAYING,

"IF YOU SUPPORT DRUG-TRAFFICKING

"OR IF YOU SELL A DIME BAG AT A CORNER,

THAT MEANS YOU ARE NOW SUPPORTING TERRORISM,"

WHICH IS ANOTHER LIE TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.

THE PATRIOT ACT DEFENDS OUR LIBERTY, IS WHAT IT DOES,

UNDER THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES.

DID I SAY THAT?

WE DIDN'T NEED THE PATRIOT ACT

TO HAVE PREVENTED 9-11,

AND YET THE PATRIOT ACT WAS ALREADY

PRETTY MUCH WRITTEN BEFORE 9-11 EVEN HAPPENED.

IT WAS ON THE BOOKS WITHIN WEEKS,

AND NORMALLY THAT PROCESS TAKES MONTHS TO DRAFT THAT KIND OF LEGISLATION.

ISN'T IT THE ULTIMATE IRONY

THAT PERHAPS THE MODERN-DAY AL CAPONE,

OSAMA BIN LADEN, EXISTS

BECAUSE OF POTENTIALLY THE FACT

THAT HE IS A DRUG KINGPIN?

DON'T PEOPLE SEE THIS?

PEOPLE ARE NEVER GOING TO DO AWAY WITH A MARKETPLACE FOR DRUGS,

BUT THAT, IN FACT, IT'S PROHIBITION

THAT MAY HAVE LED TO THE ACTUAL BOMBING,

THE ACTUAL DESTRUCTION OF THE TWIN TOWERS IN NEW YORK.

BIN LADEN DIDN'T BLOW UP THE TWIN TOWERS

BECAUSE HE DIDN'T JUST LIKE AMERICANS.

IT WAS ABOUT MONEY. SOME TYPE OF WAY,

BUSH GOT INTO MAKING MONEY AND CUT HIM OFF.

( shouts )

WE SUPPORT 44 DICTATORS, WE SUPPORT DRUGS,

WE SUPPORT THE PRESIDENT OF AFGHANISTAN,

WHOSE BROTHER IS THE BIGGEST DRUG LORD IN AFGHANISTAN.

WE SUPPORT THE PRESIDENT OF PAKISTAN, WHO IS THE ONE WHO PROFITS.

IF YOU QUIT DRUGS, YOU JOIN THE FIGHT

AGAINST TERROR IN AMERICA!

WHEN YOU HAVE A GOVERNMENT THAT PROMOTES DRUGS

TO GET THEIR AGENDAS ACROSS IN CENTRAL AMERICA,

IN SOUTH AMERICA, IN SOUTHEAST ASIA, IN SOUTHWEST ASIA,

AND THEN PUTS ITS OWN PEOPLE IN JAIL FOR USING THEM,

ARE YOU REALLY LIVING IN A FREE COUNTRY?

I'VE HAD TWO SITTING CONGRESSMEN TELL ME THIS:

"JIM, YOU'RE RIGHT. MOST PEOPLE IN WASHINGTON REALIZE

THAT THE WAR ON DRUGS IS NOT WINNABLE,

BUT IT'S IMMINENTLY FUNDABLE, AND PEOPLE IN GOVERNMENT BUREAUCRACY

ARE ADDICTED TO THE DRUG-WAR FUNDING."

Narrator: IT NEVER CEASES TO AMAZE ME THAT ANYONE SHOPPING FOR GROCERIES

WILL HAVE THE CHOICE TO BUY HARD LIQUOR AND CIGARETTES

ALONG WITH THEIR MILK AND BREAD.

NOT THAT I HAVE ANYTHING AGAINST THOSE THINGS, BUT IN THE '90s,

IT WAS THE LEGAL SUBSTANCES OF ALCOHOL,

TOBACCO, AND PHARMACEUTICAL DRUGS

THAT AFFECTED MY LIFE FOREVER.

IN 1994, AT AGE 32,

MY CLOSE FRIEND PASSED AWAY FROM PANCREATIC CANCER.

HE HAD BEEN 5 YEARS SOBER, RELIGIOUSLY ATTENDING A.A. MEETINGS.

ALTHOUGH CANCER RUNS IN HIS FAMILY, IT WILL ALWAYS BE MY OPINION

THAT THE NONSTOP CHAIN SMOKING PLAYED

A MAJOR ROLE IN HIS SICKNESS.

SO ALTHOUGH 10,000 PEOPLE DIED LAST YEAR

FROM THEIR USE OF COCAINE AND HEROIN,

IT'S ESTIMATED THAT 450,000

DIED FROM THEIR USE OF TOBACCO.

A FEW YEARS LATER, AT AGE 47, MY BROTHER CURT SUFFERED A SEIZURE CAUSED BY

YEARS AND YEARS OF TAKING LEGAL PHARMACEUTICAL MEDICATIONS

USED TO CONTROL HIS SCHIZOPHRENIA.

Johnson: IT'S ESTIMATED THAT 100,000 PEOPLE DIED LAST YEAR

FROM THEIR USE OF LEGAL PRESCRIPTION DRUGS.

Narrator: MY MOM, WHO HAD BATTLED DIABETES FOR MANY YEARS,

STARTED DRINKING HARDER AFTER CURT'S DEATH,

AND EVEN AFTER SURVIVING AN ALMOST COMPLETE LIVER FAILURE

WAS STILL UNABLE TO QUIT DRINKING

AND LOST HER LIFE IN 2001.

NOT LONG AFTER MY MOM'S PASSING,

MY DAD'S DRINKING FINALLY CAUGHT UP TO HIM.

BUT LUCKILY FOR MY DAD, HE TOLD ME THAT THE DIALYSIS MACHINE

ALLOWED HIM TO DRINK WAY MORE THAN EVER

BECAUSE OF HOW IT FILTERED THE ALCOHOL.

IT'S ESTIMATED THAT 150,000 PEOPLE

DIED LAST YEAR FROM THEIR USE OF ALCOHOL.

AND I'M NOT TALKING NOW ABOUT DRINKING AND DRIVING.

I'M TALKING ABOUT JUST THE HEALTH CONSEQUENCE OF DRINKING.

I'M SURE THAT THERE ARE A FEW PEOPLE THAT DIED LAST YEAR

FROM THEIR USE OF MARIJUANA, BUT THERE ARE

NO DOCUMENTED DEATHS AS A RESULT OF PEOPLE SMOKING MARIJUANA.

Narrator: PERHAPS THE MOST ABSURD ASPECT OF THE DRUG WAR

IS THE CONTINUING BATTLE OVER THE LEGALIZATION OF MEDICAL MARIJUANA.

THEY'RE TRYING LIKE CRAZY TO COME UP WITH PILLS

TO HELP WITH CHEMOTHERAPY AND HIV.

I MEAN, THESE ARE SERIOUS ILLNESSES.

Narrator: FOR CANCER SURVIVOR TODD MCCORMICK,

THE RIGHT TO USE MEDICAL MARIJUANA HAS BEEN A LIFELONG STRUGGLE.

TODD SPENT 5 YEARS IN THE VICTORVILLE PRISON

IN A CELL COINCIDENTALLY RIGHT NEXT TO FREEWAY RICKY ROSS.

TODD WAS NOT CAUGHT SELLING MARIJUANA,

HE WAS ARRESTED FOR GIVING IT AWAY FOR FREE

TO DYING PEOPLE WHO WERE NOT ABLE TO AFFORD IT.

WHEN I WAS 2 YEARS OLD, I WAS DIAGNOSED WITH HISTIOCYTOSIS X.

I SUFFERED THROUGH 10 MAJOR LESIONS

OF THESE HISTIOCYTITES

BETWEEN THE AGES OF 2 AND 10,

AND I STARTED USING CANNABIS TO EFFECTIVELY TREAT

THE NAUSEA AND THE SIDE EFFECTS.

Narrator: AS INSIGNIFICANT AS IT MAY SEEM TO MOST PEOPLE,

THIS CONTROVERSY CUTS TO THE VERY CORE OF OUR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT

TO CONSUME ANY DRUG PRESCRIBED BY A DOCTOR.

CANCER AND AIDS--

ALL THIS CANCER RESEARCH, THEY HAVEN'T COME UP WITH ANYTHING

THAT EVEN COMPARES TO WHAT MARIJUANA DOES.

Man: MANY ARGUE THERE IS LITTLE EVIDENCE

THAT MARIJUANA HAS MEDICAL VALUE.

IT'S A HANDFUL OF PEOPLE WHO WANT TO SEE

NOT JUST MARIJUANA BUT ALL DRUGS LEGALIZED.

Narrator: WHY IS OUR GOVERNMENT SPENDING BILLIONS OF OUR TAX DOLLARS EVERY YEAR

TO STOP PEOPLE FROM GROWING A PLANT THAT HELPS THE SIDE EFFECTS OF CHEMOTHERAPY?

YOU'RE LOOKING AT PHARMACEUTICALS. THIS IS A MULTI-

MULTI-MULTI-BILLION-DOLLAR INDUSTRY.

BUT IF YOU LOOK AT ALL THE PAIN MEDICATIONS, ALL OF THE DRUGS THAT WE USE,

PROBABLY 80% OF THEM COULD BE ELIMINATED BY PEOPLE USING CANNABIS.

Narrator: MEET DR. CLAUDIA JENSEN.

SHE MIGHT LOOK LIKE A SOCCER MOM,

AND MOST CERTAINLY DOES NOT GET HIGH,

BUT WHEN IT COMES TO GIVING HER PATIENTS

WHAT SHE BELIEVES TO BE THE BEST MEDICINE AVAILABLE,

SHE IS NOT AFRAID OF THE BULLIES IN WASHINGTON WHO FIGHT SO HARD TO PROTECT THEIR INTERESTS.

YOU EVEN TESTIFIED BEFORE CONGRESS A FEW WEEKS AGO

ON THE USE OF MEDICAL MARIJUANA.

WHAT LED YOU TO THE CONCLUSION

THAT THIS IS A VIABLE TREATMENT FOR THIS DISORDER?

THAT'S WHAT PATIENTS REPORTED TO ME, SO I LISTENED TO THEM.

MARIJUANA DOESN'T KILL YOUR LIVER,

DOESN'T DAMAGE YOUR KIDNEYS,

DOESN'T CAUSE ULCERS,

IT CAN INCREASE RISK OF RESPIRATORY PROBLEMS--

BRONCHITIS AND PNEUMONIA.

THE RISK OF CANCER IS NOT SIGNIFICANTLY DIFFERENT.

VERY MINIMAL INCREASE IN RISK FOR CANCER.

IT JUST GENERALLY DOES NOT HAVE A DEATH PROFILE.

Narrator: AS THEY SAY, "LIFE IMITATES ART,"

AS I RECEIVED WORD THAT MY DAD HAD BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH THROAT CANCER.

I HAD NEVER EVEN SEEN MY DAD SMOKE,

BUT HIS 40-YEAR-OLD, 2-PACK-A-DAY HABIT REARED ITS UGLY HEAD.

IRONIC, BECAUSE HE DRANK ENOUGH SMIRNOFF VODKA

TO DROWN A RUSSIAN BATTALION.

BUT NOW HIS LIFE WAS THREATENED BY SOMETHING WE'D NEVER EXPECTED.

MY MOM AND DAD VOTED FOR NIXON

AND THEY WERE HAPPY ABOUT IT, EVEN AFTER WATERGATE.

WERE PROUD THAT THEY VOTED FOR NIXON. THEY VOTED FOR REAGAN.

THEY VOTED FOR BUSH 1, VOTED FOR BUSH 2.

YOU KNOW, WHEN I BRING UP MARIJUANA TO MY DAD,

HE JUST ROLLS HIS EYES

WHILE HE'S SITTING THERE DRINKING HIS SMIRNOFF.

GETTING THROUGH TO SOMEONE LIKE YOUR FATHER IS, TO ME,

SOMETHING THAT ALMOST HE WOULD HAVE TO EXPERIENCE ON HIS OWN

UNTIL THE BARRICADES THAT HE'S SET UP MENTALLY COME DOWN

AND HE WANTS TO OPEN HIS MIND

TO WHAT YOU'RE BRINGING HIM WITH THIS INFORMATION.

EVERYTHING IN OUR BODIES IS REGULATED

BY MARIJUANA-LIKE COMPOUNDS THAT OUR BODIES PRODUCE.

SO WHETHER YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE IMMUNE SYSTEM, THE NERVOUS SYSTEM,

THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM, REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM, ENDOCRINE SYSTEM,

ALL OF THESE COORDINATED BODY FUNCTIONS

ARE REGULATED IN A HOMEOSTATIC MANNER BY CANNABINOIDS.

Narrator: IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, YOU NEED NOT DRIVE FAR

TO FIND A MEDICAL MARIJUANA DISPENSARY.

BUT BECAUSE OF THE CONTINUING TENUOUS LAWS,

THE DEA STILL PERFORMS RANDOM BUSTS.

IT WAS NOT EASY, BUT MY FRIEND JOE ROGAN OF FEAR FACTOR

WAS ABLE TO CONVINCE THEM THAT I COULD BE TRUSTED,

AND GAINED OUR CAMERAS SOME ACCESS.

Man: WHAT WE TRY TO DO WHEN MEMBERS COME IN HERE

IS THAT WE TRY TO GIVE THEM AN INTRODUCTION

AS TO WHAT IS AVAILABLE.

Narrator: PAUL SCOTT RUNS A DISPENSARY AND KNOWS ALL TOO WELL

THE RISKS HE FACES FOR DOING SO.

BUT PAUL HAS AIDS AND REMEMBERS THE SACRIFICES MADE

BY THE PEOPLE BEFORE HIM.

MY FRIENDS WERE DYING.

BRAIN CANCER. YOU KNOW,

IT WAS THE PEOPLE EARLY ON WHO WERE DYING.

AND MOST PEOPLE WHO HELPED START THAT OPENING A CANNABIS CLUB ARE DEAD.

SOMETHING THAT COULD ALLEVIATE THE NAUSEA,

SOMETHING THAT IF YOU'RE IN THE HOUSE

AND YOU'RE LIGHT-SENSITIVE BECAUSE OF THE SIDE EFFECTS,

YOU CAN AT LEAST DESIRE SOMETHING TO EAT.

FOR SOMEONE THAT'S OLDER, THERE'S NO WAY

THEY'RE GOING TO SMOKE SOME MARIJUANA WITH YOU.

PUT IT IN A LITTLE BROWNIE OR A LITTLE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE

OR SOMETHING THAT THEY LIKE, AND LET THEM EAT IT

AND LET THEM DISCOVER THE EFFECTS OF IT, ON THEIR OWN.

Scott: AGAIN, THESE ARE THE DIFFERENT DELIVERY METHODS

OF BEING ABLE TO EAT THE CANNABIS WITHOUT SMOKING IT.

SO IF THE GRANDFATHER WHO IS AT HOME

NAUSEATED AND IN BED AND NOT EATING,

THERE IS SOMETHING THAT YOU'LL BE ABLE TO GIVE THEM

THAT'S WELL TOLERATED AND THAT WILL BRING ON

BENEFICIAL SIDE EFFECTS OF EATING

AND FEELING JUST A LITTLE BIT BETTER THAT DAY.

BIG BUSINESS DOES NOT WANT US TO KNOW THAT WE CAN CURE CANCER

FOREVER, AT VERY LOW COST.

Man: DEAR OLD DONNIE RUMSFELD, OUR CHIEF TORTURER,

CHIEF LIAR ON 9-11-- ONE OF THE CHIEF LIARS--

WAS THE CEO OF SEARLE PHARMACEUTICALS.

WHY WOULD THE PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIES WANT YOU TO BE ABLE TO GROW A PLANT

IN YOUR BACKYARD THAT MIGHT CURE YOUR MENSTRUAL CRAMPS?

MIGHT SOLVE YOUR HEADACHE?

MIGHT GIVE A TERMINALLY-ILL CANCER PATIENT

SOME CHANCE OF GAINING SOME WEIGHT

AND HAVING A TINY QUALITY OF LIFE?

IF YOU CAN GROW THAT IN YOUR BACKYARD, THERE'S NO NET PROFIT FOR CORPORATIONS.

AND WE ALREADY KNOW WHAT NET PROFIT MEANS TO STOCK PRICES.

TEN STATES HAVE PASSED LAWS PERMITTING

THE USE OF MEDICAL MARIJUANA,

BUT TODAY THE COURT RULED THAT THE FEDERAL BAN ON MARIJUANA

SUPERSEDES THOSE STATE LAWS.

POLLING HAS SHOWN THAT A LARGE MAJORITY OF AMERICANS

CONSISTENTLY SUPPORT THE USE OF MEDICAL MARIJUANA.

STILL, IN A 6-TO-3 DECISION, THE JUSTICES SAID

THAT FEDERAL AUTHORITIES MAY PROSECUTE SICK PEOPLE WHO USE MARIJUANA,

EVEN IF IT'S AT THE DIRECTION OF A DOCTOR.

Narrator: HERE WE ARE IN THE MODERN WORLD, WHERE SICK PEOPLE

OF ALL COLORS FEAR INCARCERATION BECAUSE OF THE MEDICINE THEY USE.

IS THEIR PLIGHT HELPED OR HURT

BY WHAT I CONSIDER TO BE THE MOST HONEST OF ALL POT SMOKERS:

PEOPLE WHO JUST WANT TO GET HIGH?

( laughing, shouting )

THAT WAS TOBACCO.

HELLO, NBC.

YOU ARE LYING.

YOU ARE NOT HERE FOR ONE MARIJUANA CIGARETTE. WHAT'S YOUR NAME?

DAVID. I'M HERE FOR A COUPLE.

NO, I'M GONNA TELL YOU-- SO THIS IS GARBAGE,

AND YOU SHOULDN'T LIE TO THE SHERIFF.

SMOKE WEED EVERY DAY-E-AY!

NOW THIS IS MY FIRST TIME USING DRUGS,

SO ARE YOU SUPPOSED TO INHALE?

Narrator: BACK IN THE HOOD,

WE WERE JOINED BY T. RODGERS' SON LUCKY,

WHO INFORMED US THAT IT WAS TIME FOR US TO TAKE A LITTLE TEST

TO MAKE SURE WE WERE NOT UNDERCOVER NARCS.

WELL, I FOUND ME A BAG OF BUD OUTSIDE.

I'M GRATEFUL FOR IT,

AND I'M ABOUT TO SMOKE IT.

YOU CAN'T RETURN IT TO THE LOST AND FOUND, RIGHT?

I MEAN, WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF YOU FOUND A BAG OF WEED?

SMOKE THE SHIT! GODDAMN RIGHT?

WHAT YOU GONNA SAY? "MAN, I FOUND A BAG OF WEED.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO"?

WELL, I KNOW.

WE'RE ABOUT TO--

WE IS 'BOUT TO SMOKE.

I JUST FOUND THIS, MAMA.

Narrator: ALMOST EVERYONE I KNOW, INCLUDING MYSELF,

HAS TRIED SMOKING MARIJUANA AT LEAST ONCE.

SO WHY DOES OUR GOVERNMENT CLASSIFY MARIJUANA

RIGHT ALONGSIDE OF DRUGS LIKE CRACK AND CRYSTAL METH,

WHEN ITS EFFECTS ARE OBVIOUSLY SO DIFFERENT?

Man: MARIJUANA IS THE SINGLE BIGGEST CAUSE OF TREATMENT NEED

IN THIS COUNTRY BY FAR.

THE PEOPLE IN WASHINGTON REALIZE

THAT 85% OF ALL PEOPLE IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA TODAY

THAT USE ANY FORM OF ILLICIT DRUG USE ONLY MARIJUANA.

THAT MEANS THAT THE TOTAL NUMBERS OF EVERYBODY ELSE

THAT USES ANY OTHER DRUG WOULD NOT JUSTIFY

THIS COLOSSAL PRISON INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX,

THIS COLOSSAL BUREAUCRACY THAT WE HAVE TO FIGHT THE WAR ON DRUGS.

WE ARE NOT GOING TO ARREST BASICALLY THE BACKBONE,

THE FABRIC OF AMERICA TODAY.

YOU GOT 80 MILLION AMERICANS WHO HAVE TRIED OR USED MARIJUANA.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DOCTORS, LAWYERS,

SCIENTISTS, ENTREPRENEURS.

ATHLETES.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE BACKBONE OF AMERICA,

THE MARROW OF AMERICA, THAT DOES SMOKE OR HAS SMOKED MARIJUANA.

MARIJUANA IS SCHEDULE 1.

Narrator: DO YOU THINK MARIJUANA BELONGS IN SCHEDULE 1?

I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE POLITICS OF THAT IS,

TO BE HONEST WITH YOU.

Narrator: WHAT ABOUT COUNTRIES LIKE AMSTERDAM,

WHERE THEY'VE NOT SO MUCH LEGALIZED BUT DECRIMINALIZED,

AND THEY CLAIM THAT IT'S HELPED CRIME AND THAT IT'S HELPED ADDICTION?

AMSTERDAM-- WHEN I'VE BEEN THERE,

YOU HAVE TO CROSS OVER BODIES LYING ON THE STREET

BECAUSE THEY'RE HIGH ON DRUGS.

THEY'RE JUST LYING ON THE CORNER.

YOU HAVE TO JUMP OVER THEM WHEN YOU WANT TO GO SOMEWHERE.

Narrator: LESS THAN A WEEK AFTER BAKING IN THE SUN

IN SHERIFF JOE'S TENT CITY, I DECIDED TO TAKE A QUICK TRIP

TO SEE IF HE WAS BEING 100% HONEST ABOUT THE EFFECTS

OF DUTCH DRUG LAWS ON THE STREETS OF AMSTERDAM.

WHEN I ARRIVED, I WAS JOINED BY A FRIEND OF A FRIEND

WHO HAD GROWN UP IN AMSTERDAM AND KNEW THE STREETS

LIKE THE BACK OF HIS HAND.

YES, WE DID SEE DRUG DEALERS,

BUT THEY WERE EXTREMELY POLITE AND ALWAYS BACKED AWAY

AFTER REALIZING I WAS NOT LOOKING FOR DRUGS.

AND UNLIKE SHERIFF JOE, WHO WAS CROSSING OVER BODIES,

WE ENDED UP HAVING TO PAY A DEALER TO INTRODUCE US

TO A SINGLE ENTHUSIASTIC CRACK SMOKER.

THIS IS CRACK, MAN.

THIS IS CRACK IN AMSTERDAM.

THE CRACK.

Narrator: WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE FACT THAT YOU CAN DO THIS

ON THE STREETS HERE WITHOUT BEING TAKEN TO PRISON?

BECAUSE WE ARE-- WE PAY TAX FOR USE.

YEAH?

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT AMERICAN DRUG LAWS AS COMPARED TO THESE DRUG LAWS?

THEY ARE VERY HARSH IN AMERICA.

YOU CAN'T EVEN SMOKE A JOINT OF MARIJUANA.

YEAH, I KNOW. YOU GET INTO PROBLEMS.

HERE, YOU GET IT AT COFFEE SHOPS.

THAT'S WHY I DON'T UNDERSTAND

WHY YOU CAN'T LEGALIZE THE SHIT.

BUT WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE FACT THAT IN AMERICA

THEY'RE FILLING UP THE PRISONS WITH PEOPLE THAT JUST WANT TO DO DRUGS?

IT'S NOT RIGHT. THEY GOT TO TRY ANOTHER, DIFFERENT APPROACH,

LIKE...

TAKING CARE OF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE ADDICTED,

THEN GIVE THEM PLACES TO USE THE SHIT,

AND TAKING CARE OF PEOPLE

WHO DON'T HAVE A HOUSE TO SLEEP.

THAT'S THE WAY THEY DO IT HERE IN HOLLAND.

Narrator: BY TOTAL COINCIDENCE, WE FOUND OURSELVES

AT THE 420 BAR ON APRIL 20th.

UNBEKNOWNST TO ME, 4-20 IS A VERY SIGNIFICANT DATE

IN THE WORLDWIDE POT-SMOKING COMMUNITY.

MY NAME IS MICHAEL VELING.

I AM THE OWNER OF THIS BAR-CUM-COFFEE SHOP,

WHICH MEANS THAT YOU CAN DRINK A BEER IN HERE

AND YOU CAN ALSO BUY A BAG OF GRASS,

IF YOU SO WISH.

I'VE HAD THIS PLACE FOR 18 YEARS,

AND I'VE NEVER HAD A FIGHT IN HERE.

Narrator: AMERICAN COMEDIAN TOM RHODES MOVED TO HOLLAND,

WHERE HE BECAME THE DUTCH EQUIVALENT OF DAVID LETTERMAN.

Announcer: MR. TOM RHODES!

PEOPLE THINK THAT ALL DRUGS ARE LEGAL THERE. IT'S NOT TRUE.

AND ACTUALLY MARIJUANA AND HASH IS NOT LEGAL, IT'S TOLERATED.

AS ARE MUSHROOMS. ALL ORGANIC DRUGS ARE TOLERATED.

I DON'T HAVE MUCH TO SAY ABOUT DUTCH DRUG POLICY.

THEIR MODEL APPLIED TO THE UNITED STATES WOULD BE INAPPROPRIATE,

AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO DO IT-- WE'RE NOT GOING TO LEGALIZE DRUGS.

DRUGS ARE ALREADY DECRIMINALIZED,

BY AND LARGE, IN THE UNITED STATES.

WHAT HAVE THEY DONE IN HOLLAND?

WELL, THEY REALIZE, OF COURSE, THAT THE DRUGS ARE HERE,

THE DRUGS ARE HERE TO STAY, AND LET'S TRY TO MANAGE THE PROBLEM.

AND THEY HAVE PUT IN A REALLY EFFECTIVE HARM-REDUCTION PROGRAM.

IN HOLLAND,

THEY CALL PEOPLE "JUNKIES" WHO DO ANYTHING TOO MUCH.

IF YOU DRINK TOO MUCH, YOU'RE CONSIDERED A JUNKIE.

IF YOU SMOKE TOO MUCH WEED, YOU'RE CONSIDERED A JUNKIE.

WHICH, WHEN I FIRST MOVED OVER THERE AND I HEARD PEOPLE GO, "OH, HE'S A JUNKIE,"

I ALWAYS THOUGHT THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT HEROIN.

WHAT HAS HAPPENED? THE MINISTER OF HEALTH OF HOLLAND

HELD A PRESS CONFERENCE A FEW YEARS AGO,

SAYING, "YOU KNOW SOMETHING? WE HAVE ONLY HALF THE MARIJUANA USAGE

"IN HOLLAND AS YOU DO IN YOUR COUNTRY,

"BOTH FOR ADULTS AND FOR TEENAGERS.

"WE HAVE SUCCEEDED IN HOLLAND IN MAKING POT BORING."

HOLLAND HAS 60% THE DRUG USE AS THAT OF THE UNITED STATES,

AND THAT'S AMONG KIDS AND ADULTS,

AND THAT'S FOR MARIJUANA AND HARDER DRUGS.

IF YOU DO WEED AND IT LEADS TO COKE AND THEN YOU DO HEROIN,

THAT'S REALLY THE INDIVIDUAL'S

OWN PSYCHO PROBLEM.

Narrator: IN AMSTERDAM, PEOPLE ADDICTED TO HEROIN

NEED NOT RESORT TO STEALING OR PROSTITUTION.

THE RAINBOW IS A FREE CLINIC THAT ALLOWS JUNKIES

TO COME IN OFF THE STREET FOR A FIX OF GOVERNMENT-CONTROLLED HEROIN AND A CLEAN SYRINGE.

HEROIN ADDICTS ARE PITIED, AND THE GOVERNMENT

DOES THE BEST THEY CAN TO TRY AND GET THEM OFF HEROIN.

LIKE,

LAST YEAR IN THE PAPERS,

DUTCH DOCTORS SAID THAT THEY THINK THEY SHOULD BE TREATING HEROIN ADDICTS

WITH HEROIN INSTEAD OF METHADONE AND MORPHINE

BECAUSE THEY THINK THAT JUST MAKES THE ADDICTS ADDICTED TO THOSE THINGS.

Jona: METHADONE WITHDRAWAL IS LIKE FIVE TIMES

AS LONG AS HEROIN WITHDRAWAL.

I GUESS ALSO, THE POINT OF METHADONE IS TO LIKE,

GET YOURSELF OUT OF THE HOLE.

I DON'T SUPPORT THAT ALL DRUGS SHOULD BE LEGAL.

I DON'T THINK HEROIN SHOULD BE LEGAL.

I THINK IT RUINS PEOPLE'S LIVES.

AND I'VE SEEN COCAINE

RUIN A LOT OF PEOPLE'S LIVES AND TURN GOOD PEOPLE INTO TOTAL ASSHOLES.

I THINK THAT THE ORGANIC BASIS

FOR THE DRUG LAW THAT HOLLAND HAS--

AND YOU KNOW, THEIR ENTIRE SYSTEM ISN'T RIGHT, YOU KNOW?

BUT THE FACT THAT MUSHROOMS

AND MARIJUANA AND HASH,

IT COMES FROM THE EARTH.

SO THEY'VE GOT MORE OF

A CHRISTIAN IDEA OF CREATION

AND WHAT IS SUPPOSED TO

BE USED TO HELP US GET ALONG IN THIS LITTLE JOURNEY.

THE DUTCH DRUG POLICY IS VERY SUCCESSFUL.

IF YOU COMPARE THE STATISTICS OF THIS COUNTRY

AND YOU COMPARE THEM TO OTHER COUNTRIES

WHERE THERE IS A MUCH LESS LENIENT POLICY ON DRUGS,

YOU WOULD BE SURPRISED TO FIND OUT THAT HOLLAND HAS VERY LOW FIGURES.

AMSTERDAM-- IT'S NOT LEGAL. IT'S SEMI-LEGAL.

WHEN YOU GO INTO A COFFEEHOUSE,

YOU CAN SMOKE A COUPLE OF MARIJUANA CIGARETTES OR THE HASHISH,

BUT IT'S STILL AGAINST THE LAW TO SELL IT AND TO HAVE LARGE QUANTITIES.

BUT IT DOESN'T WORK. THE ENGLISH SYSTEM HAS NEVER WORKED.

YOU SHOULD NEVER, NEVER LEGALIZE DRUGS.

OKAY KEVIN, I'M GOING TO HIT IT.

HIT IT. TAKE IT ALL.

Narrator: I REMEMBER IT WASN'T LONG AFTER LOOKING DOWN MY NOSE AT JONA

FOR HER HEROIN ADDICTION THAT I FOUND MYSELF

ADDICTED TO PRESCRIPTION PAIN PILLS.

A SERIES OF CHILDHOOD ACCIDENTS FROM MOTOCROSS, GYMNASTICS AND HIGH-DIVING

HAD LEFT ME WITH A COMPRESSED DISC IN MY LOWER SPINE.

NOW MY BIGGEST NIGHTMARE OF ALL TIME HAD BECOME TRUE:

NOT ONLY WAS I AN ADDICT,

BUT I HAD SOMETHING IN COMMON WITH RUSH LIMBAUGH.

LIFE CAN BE CRUEL.

THE JOKE WAS REALLY ON ME WHEN I LEARNED THAT QUITTING VICODIN

AND OXYCONTIN COULD ACTUALLY BE HARDER THAN QUITTING HEROIN,

DUE TO THE HIGH PRECISION OF SYNTHETIC OPIATES.

Chong: RUSH LIMBAUGH, AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED,

HE'S A VICTIM.

HE'S A VICTIM OF THE DRUG WAR.

BECAUSE HE GOT HURT, HE GOT ADDICTED TO OXYCONTIN, WHICH IS LIKE HEROIN.

APPARENTLY, IT'S HARDER TO GET OFF OF THAN HEROIN.

AND HE GOT SO ADDICTED THAT HE HAD TO GO ILLEGAL.

BUT RUSH PERSONALLY?

I HAVE COMPASSION FOR HIM

AND I FEEL SORRY FOR HIM AND I WOULD LIKE TO TURN HIM ON TO POT.

IF HE NEEDS SOMETHING TO MELLOW OUT,

YOU KNOW, SMOKE A JOINT, RUSH.

THAT'S MY PRESCRIPTION TO YOU.

MOST PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE THIS, BUT THE CIA HAS THE HIGHEST

ALCOHOLISM, ADULTERY,

DIVORCE, AND SUICIDE RATES,

OTHER THAN THE POST OFFICE.

MOST PEOPLE AT CIA DRINK TOO MUCH.

AND I KNOW FOR A FACT THAT THERE'RE PEOPLE AT CIA THAT SMOKE MARIJUANA,

AND THEY'RE JUST HOPING THAT THEY WON'T GET CAUGHT ON THEIR NEXT LIE-DETECTOR TEST.

MARIJUANA IS, LIKE ALCOHOL,

SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE WANT TO USE.

AND I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH IT AS LONG AS THEY'RE NOT DRIVING A CAR.

Gray: ASK YOURSELF: WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

OR CALIFORNIA OR ANY OF OUR STATES

WERE TO TREAT MARIJUANA LIKE ALCOHOL?

THIS RIGHT HERE IS 1/4 OUNCE BAG OF THE JACK HARER.

AND THE ANSWER IS, THREE THINGS WOULD HAPPEN RIGHT AWAY.

ALL OF THEM WOULD BE GOOD.

THE FIRST THING-- AND I'M IN CALIFORNIA, SO I CAN TALK ABOUT MY NATIVE STATE--

THE FIRST THING IS THAT THE TAXPAYERS OF CALIFORNIA

WOULD SAVE ABOUT A BILLION DOLLARS THAT THEY SPEND

IN ONE YEAR ALONE TO TRY TO ERADICATE MARIJUANA

AND PROSECUTE AND INCARCERATE NONVIOLENT MARIJUANA USERS.

THIS IS AWESOME WEED, MAN!

Gray: AND BY THE WAY, MARIJUANA IS THE LARGEST CASH CROP

IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA TODAY, EVEN THOUGH IT IS ILLEGAL.

SO YOU CAN TELL HOW SUCCESSFUL WE ARE AT THAT.

NUMBER TWO IS GRAPES, BY THE WAY, IF YOU CARE.

THE SECOND THING THAT WOULD HAPPEN IS, WE COULD TAX THE STUPID STUFF

AND GENERATE REVENUE OF AT LEAST A BILLION AND A HALF DOLLARS

EVERY YEAR, JUST BY THE TAX BASE.

NOT CHEAP.

Gray: NOW ALREADY WE HAVE A CHANGE IN OUR BUDGET DEFICIT

IN CALIFORNIA ALONE FOR A YEAR OF ABOUT $2 1/2 BILLION.

IMAGINE WHAT WE COULD DO WITH THAT MONEY.

AND THE THIRD THING, IT SEEMS TO ME, TRUMPS THE FIRST TWO.

THE THIRD THING IS, WE WOULD MAKE MARIJUANA LESS AVAILABLE

FOR OUR CHILDREN THAN IT IS TODAY. WHY?

BECAUSE THE ALCOHOL IS REGULATED AND CONTROLLED

BY THE GOVERNMENT AND ILLEGAL DRUG DEALERS.

ILLEGAL MARIJUANA DEALERS CONTROL THE SALE OF MARIJUANA.

AND AS A RESULT, THEY DON'T ASK FOR I.D.

I THINK IF YOU WANTED TO START TO DO THIS--

AND THAT'S WHY THE DEA HAS FOUGHT IT SO HARD-- YOU WOULD START BY

LEGALIZING MEDICAL MARIJUANA ACROSS THE BOARD.

BUT YOU'VE SEEN HOW HARD THE DEA HAS FOUGHT.

THEY'LL STOP SHIPMENTS OF BIRDSEED

COMING ACROSS THE CANADIAN BORDER

THAT DON'T EVEN HAVE ANY THC CONTENT, OR CAN'T GET YOU HIGH.

AND THEY WILL FIGHT THAT TOOTH AND NAIL,

BECAUSE THAT'S HOW FLIMSY THE FACADE OF THE DRUG WAR IS.

YOU WANT TO COME HOME TO YOUR HOME AND SMOKE MARIJUANA,

THEN THAT'S YOUR BUSINESS, THAT'S NOT THE GOVERNMENT'S BUSINESS.

OUR GOVERNMENT HAS ALWAYS TOLD US IT'S ADDICTIVE AND SO FORTH.

BUT MARIJUANA HAS BEEN AROUND FOR MANY, MANY, MANY YEARS

AND HAS NEVER KILLED ANYBODY.

Narrator: WHAT'S YOUR OPINION ABOUT MEDICAL MARIJUANA?

WELL, THAT'S A TOUGH ONE.

TOUGH ONE.

IF IT'S ISSUED BY TIGHT CONTROLS BY A PHYSICIAN...

I DON'T KNOW IF I OPPOSE THAT.

IF SOMEONE'S DYING OF CANCER,

AND THAT'S GONNA HELP THAT PERSON,

I DON'T KNOW IF I'M STRICTLY OPPOSED TO MEDICAL MARIJUANA,

YOU'RE PROBABLY TALKING ABOUT, IF IT CAN HELP THE DYING PATIENT.

BUT IT HAS TO BE DISPENSED BY A DOCTOR, JUST LIKE CODEINE AND OTHER DRUGS.

DOCTORS DISPENSE OTHER DRUGS.

Man: SO, THE SECRET TO ALL OF THIS--

I'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR A LOT OF YEARS--

THE SECRET BOILS DOWN TO ONE THING:

PROHIBITION NEVER WORKS AS WELL AS REGULATION AND CONTROL.

LET ME SAY THAT AGAIN:

PROHIBITION NEVER WORKS AS WELL AS REGULATION AND CONTROL.

THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE ABANDON OUR CHILDREN

TO COCAINE USE OR MARIJUANA USE OR ANYTHING ELSE.

BUT AS SOON AS YOU PROHIBIT SOMETHING, YOU GIVE UP ALL CONTROL.

AND NOW THE ONLY PEOPLE IN CONTROL ARE THE ILLEGAL DRUG SELLERS,

AND THEY DO WANT YOUR 14-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER TO GET HOOKED ON COCAINE.

BEFORE, WHEN YOU WENT TO BUY MARIJUANA. YOU DIDN'T FIND COCAINE OR HEROIN THERE.

YOU DIDN'T SEE GUNS. IT WASN'T A VIOLENT SCENE.

THAT'S WHY IT WAS EASY TO CATCH US.

Narrator: DUE TO THE LACK OF PROFIT POTENTIAL,

ANOTHER CATEGORY OF NATURALLY-OCCURRING DRUGS

IS RARELY DISCUSSED WHEN DEBATING THE DRUG WAR.

IT'S A QUESTION I RUSH TO AVOID.

( laughter )

I DON'T MEAN TO BE CRITICAL,

BUT IT'S SUCH A TINY, SILLY THING,

IT'S ALMOST NOT WORTH COMMENTING ON.

THE NATIVE AMERICANS HAVE HAD TO FIGHT LONG AND HARD

FOR THE USE OF PEYOTE FOR THEIR RELIGIOUS PRACTICE.

SHAMANISM IS THE OLDEST RELIGION IN THE WORLD,

AND THE WAR ON DRUGS DIRECTLY

IMPOSES ITSELF UPON OUR RELIGIOUS FREEDOM,

AND THE, IN FACT,

WHAT IS THE OLDEST RELIGION KNOWN TO HUMANKIND.

Narrating: TRIBAL MEMBERS REPORT A REDUCED RATE IN ALCOHOLISM,

GAMBLING ADDICTION, AND EVEN DRUG ADDICTION

FOR THOSE WHO GO THROUGH THE ANCIENT HALLUCINOGENIC RITUALS.

WE TRY TO KEEP

OUR YOUNG PEOPLE FROM

USING ALCOHOL AND DRUGS THROUGH THESE CEREMONIES,

AND TELLING THEM, SHOWING THEM

THE WAY OF LIFE THAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE LIVING.

I THINK PROBABLY IF THERE WERE A CLAIM

THAT THESE KINDS OF DRUGS ACTUALLY HELP

DEAL WITH ALCOHOL ABUSE, THAT'S PROBABLY SILLY.

WE HAVE TO GET OUR TREATMENT PROTOCOL FROM NIDA,

NOT FROM MALARKEY.

Narrator: THOUSANDS OF YEARS OF ANCIENT TRIBAL TRADITION

NOW BOILED DOWN INTO ONE WORD:

MALARKEY.

KNOWN FOR BEING THE MAN WHO INTRODUCED TIMOTHY LEARY TO LSD,

DR. GARY FISHER BELIEVES THAT THE DRUG WAR

AND RELIGIOUS OPPRESSION ARE ONE AND THE SAME.

THE PSYCHEDELIC DRUGS HAVE BEEN USED

THROUGH TIME IN VERY POSITIVE WAYS,

AND THEY DO NOT PRESENT

A THREAT TO ANYBODY EXCEPT THE POWER ESTABLISHMENT.

Narrator: AFTER GETTING WORD THAT MY FATHER'S CONDITION

HAD TAKEN A TURN FOR THE WORSE,

I SPOKE WITH A DOCTOR WHO USES HALLUCINOGENIC DRUGS

IN ORDER TO PREPARE TERMINALLY ILL PEOPLE

FOR THE INEVITABLE TRANSITION.

IN TERMS OF THE HALLUCINOGENS, PER SE,

MY INTEREST RESTS PRIMARILY

IN THEIR POTENTIAL APPLICATION

AS A MEDICAL PSYCHIATRIC TREATMENT.

AND I BELIEVE THAT THEY ARE PARTICULARLY VALUABLE

FOR PATIENT POPULATIONS

THAT DO NOT RESPOND WELL TO CONVENTIONAL TREATMENTS.

Narrator: DIAGNOSED WITH TERMINAL LUNG CANCER,

ONE WOULD BE HARD-PRESSED TO ACCUSE PAM SAKUDA OF ONLY WANTING TO GET HIGH.

THE PEOPLE WHO ARE WAGING THE WAR ON DRUGS

HAVE EVERY INTEREST IN CONTINUING TO DO SO.

BECAUSE ESPECIALLY MEDICINES LIKE HALLUCINOGENS.

AND I THINK WE ALL AGREE IN THESE DISCUSSIONS

THAT WHAT THEY DO IS THEY ALLOW YOU TO CHANGE YOUR PERSPECTIVE

AND TO THINK OUTSIDE OF THE BOX THAT YOU'RE CLOSED INTO.

AND THAT'S THE LAST THING THAT THIS POWER STRUCTURE WANTS

IS FOR YOU TO THINK OUTSIDE OF THE BOX.

IN FACT, THEY'D RATHER MAKE YOUR BOX SMALLER.

HERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A TRULY RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE.

AND NOT HEARING ABOUT RELIGION,

BUT TO HAVE THAT PRIMAL EXPERIENCE.

OF COURSE, YOUR DAD IN HIS CONDITION AND ALL OF HIS--

HIS MIND-SET AND HIS RIGIDITY WOULD BE HIGHLY UNLIKELY TO ACCEPT THAT.

THE TRUTH IS, A SICK PERSON,

A PATIENT WHO IS ILL, SHOULD HAVE THE RIGHT TO USE

ANYTHING THAT THEY CAN USE THAT WILL HELP

RELIEVE THEIR PAIN AND SUFFERING.

Narrator: BECAUSE OF MY FATHER'S BELIEFS AND THE LAWS IN TEXAS,

I'LL NEVER KNOW IF NATURALLY-OCCURRING DRUGS

COULD HAVE HELPED HIM THROUGH THE MOST PAINFUL EXPERIENCE IN HIS LIFE.

AND IN THE END, LIKE MOST AMERICANS, HE PUT HIS FAITH

IN WESTERN MEDICINE AND LOST HIS BATTLE WITH CANCER.

( bell tolling )

MY FATHER LIVED AN AMAZING LIFE.

HE STARTED WITH NOTHING AND TIRELESSLY WORKED HIS WAY TO THE TOP.

AND EVEN THOUGH I DIDN'T AGREE WITH HIS DRINKING,

IT WAS THE WAY HE CHOSE TO LIVE.

AS FAR BACK AS I CAN REMEMBER, MY PARENTS,

LIKE THE REST OF THE WORLD WAR II GENERATION,

ALL DRANK LOTS OF HARD LIQUOR.

OUR COUNTRY'S PSYCHE SEEMS TO BE ONE FUELED BY ALCOHOL,

SO IT ONLY MAKES SENSE THAT THE DRUG WAR IS AGAINST ANYTHING

THAT THREATENS ALCOHOL OR TOBACCO.

Man: WHEN ALCOHOL PROHIBITION ENDED, IT EMPOWERED

A NEW GROUP OF ENTREPRENEURS: THE LIQUOR INDUSTRY.

THE TOBACCO INDUSTRY HAS DONE A PHENOMENAL JOB

OF JUMPING INTO THE FDA AND EXEMPTING ITS PRODUCT

FROM EVERY SINGLE LAW THAT WOULD HAVE CAUSED IT TO GET OFF THE SHELVES.

ALL MY BROTHERS-- ALL THEM DEAD.

AND MY MOM AND DAD.

AUNTIES. EVERYBODY ELSE.

I'M THE ONLY ONE LEFT.

THEY WAS DRINKERS.

THEY DIED WITH CIRRHOSIS OF THE LIVER.

EVERYBODY LIKES TO SIN. DON'T YOU LIKE TO SIN?

YEAH. ( indistinct )

IT DEPENDS ON HOW MUCH SINNING YOU DO, PILGRIM.

Narrator: EVER SINCE MY FRIEND BILL DIED.

I HAD DONE MY FAIR SHARE OF CONSUMING VARIOUS SUBSTANCES.

I THOUGHT I HAD ESCAPED THE ADDICTIVE TRAITS OF MY FAMILY,

BUT FOR ME THE HOOK CAME IN THE FORM OF PAIN PILLS.

NOT BEING ABLE TO AFFORD REHAB, WHILE SEARCHING THE INTERNET,

I FOUND A NEW DRUG TREATMENT THAT BREAKS THE ADDICTION TO OPIUM.

IT SEEMS LIKE BEING ADDICTED IS PUNISHMENT ENOUGH.

I CAN'T EVEN BEGIN TO IMAGINE HAVING THE LAW INVOLVED.

MANY, MANY, MANY, MANY PEOPLE.

GOOD PEOPLE. GOOD, TALENTED PEOPLE.

IT MAKES AS MUCH SENSE TO ME TO PUT THIS GIFTED ACTOR ROBERT DOWNEY JR.

IN JAIL FOR HIS COCAINE PROBLEM--

AND REGRETFULLY HE CERTAINLY SEEMS TO HAVE ONE--

AS IT WOULD HAVE BETTY FORD IN JAIL FOR HER ALCOHOL PROBLEM.

IT'S THE SAME THING. BUT,

IF BETTY FORD OR ROBERT DOWNEY JR. OR YOU OR I

DRIVE A MOTOR VEHICLE WHILE IMPAIRED BY

WHATEVER DRUG YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT-- BE IT MARIJUANA,

ALCOHOL, COCAINE OR WHATEVER-- THAT'S A CRIME.

BRING THEM TO COURT. BRING THEM TO PEOPLE LIKE ME,

AND WE WILL ADDRESS THEIR ACTIONS.

THAT'S AN APPROPRIATE USE OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM.

Narrator: THE MEDIA AND THE DRUG WAR HAVE A LONG, SYMBIOTIC RELATIONSHIP.

DURING THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, FREEWAY RICKY ROSS' LEGEND CONTINUED TO GROW.

A PLATINUM-SELLING RAPPER USING THE NAME RICKY ROSS

TELLS STORIES THAT GLORIFY RICK'S LIFE AS A DRUG DEALER.

RICKY EVEN HAD HIS OWN HOUR-LONG B.E.T. SPECIAL,

ONCE AGAIN PROVING HOW A WAR-WEARY COUNTRY

HAS BECOME IMMUNE TO COMPLETE GOVERNMENT CORRUPTION.

HOWEVER, IN LATE 2005, RICKY DID CATCH A BREAK

AND GOT HIS SENTENCE REDUCED DOWN TO A FEW YEARS.

RICKY ROSS IS REALLY A GOOD GUY

WHO TOOK ADVANTAGE OF AN OPPORTUNITY.

HE WAS AN ENTREPRENEUR. BUT HE'S AT THE BOTTOM

OF THE FOOD CHAIN, SO HE WENT TO JAIL.

ALL THE GUYS THAT VIOLATED THE LAW,

THAT IGNORED CONGRESSIONAL SANCTIONS ON IRAN-CONTRA,

THEY'RE ALL IN POWER.

AND GEORGE BUSH,

A GUY WHO NEVER SUCCEEDED AT ANYTHING

AND IS CERTAINLY NOT SUCCEEDING AT THIS PRESIDENCY,

A GUY WHO STOLE TWO ELECTIONS,

WHO HAS COMMITTED AT LEAST TEN DIFFERENT IMPEACHABLE OFFENSES,

HE'S PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.

( man singing metal )

LOOK, I HAVE COME MORE THAN 180 DEGREES.

I WORKED NARCOTICS IN SOUTH-CENTRAL LOS ANGELES.

NOW I AM COMPLETELY AND TOTALLY IN FAVOR

OF DECRIMINALIZING ALL DRUG USE, PERIOD.

DRUG ADDICTION, LIKE ALCOHOL ADDICTION, IS NOT A CRIMINAL PROBLEM.

IT'S A MEDICAL PROBLEM, A SOCIAL PROBLEM, A SPIRITUAL PROBLEM.

HERE WE GO.

BUT, YOU KNOW, THE MONEY INCENTIVE

BEHIND THE DRUG WAR IS SO GREAT,

THAT TO SHUT THIS BIG, BIG MACHINE,

THAT REHAB MACHINE, PRISON MACHINE, FELONIZATION MACHINE,

THIS WHOLE OTHER THING THAT THEY HAVE GOING DOWN,

IS GOING TO TAKE A REAL REVOLUTION.

BUT AS EMILIANO ZAPATA ONCE SAID,

"I'D RATHER DIE ON MY FEET

THAN BE LIVING ON MY KNEES FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE."

THE NEXT BIG STEP

IS THE PEOPLE REFUSING TO

PAY TAXES OR TO RE-ELECT PEOPLE.

IN FACT, I SEE 80 MILLION AMERICANS

GETTING THEMSELVES ORGANIZED TO THE POINT WHERE

THEY CAN TELL CONGRESS THAT

IF IT DOESN'T DRAMATICALLY REDUCE WHAT WE SPEND

ON HEAVY-METAL MILITARY, ON SECRET INTELLIGENCE,

ON PRISONS-- WHICH ARE ACTUALLY SLAVE FARMS--

THEN THESE PEOPLE WILL BE FIRED.

Woman: ARE YOU READY TO ORDER?

GIVE ME TWO WAFFLES,

ONE BREAST, ONE SIDE ORDER OF GRITS.

Narrator: TODAY'S HEADLINES SOLELY FOCUS ON THE WAR ON TERROR,

A WAR THEY SAY COULD LAST 100 YEARS.

BUT WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR THE FUTURE OF THE DRUG WAR?

THE FEDS ARE LISTENING.

YOU GOING DOWN IF YOU USE THIS PHONE.

YOU SHOULD BE MUCH MORE AFRAID OF FIRST DATA CORPORATION

THAN OF THE CIA.

IT'S PRIVATE ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE CATALOGING EVERYBODY'S INFORMATION.

THEY DON'T NEED WARRANTS NOW TO TAP YOUR--

WELL, THEY NEVER DID FOR CELL PHONES-- BUT THEY DON'T NEED WARRANTS

TO TAP YOUR ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS, WHICH ARE NOT SECURE.

I'VE BEEN VIOLATED ALL MY LIFE, SO IT DON'T MATTER.

THERE GOES THE 5th AMENDMENT-- ( tires screech )

THERE GOES THE 5th AMENDMENT AND THE 6th AMENDMENT.

SOMEBODY DIDN'T LIKE THAT.

THEM COMING OUT AND ADMITTING IT IS JUST AN ADMISSION OF GUILT.

SO... LIFE GOES ON.

LIFE GOES ON.

Narrator: BACK IN SHERIFF JOE'S JAIL, THE DAILY GRIND GOES ON.

AND IN ALL HONESTY, AS MUCH AS I WANTED TO HATE JOE ARPAIO,

I WAS GLAD THAT SOME OF THE INMATES I MET WERE NOT LIVING ON MY STREET.

MARCH TIME. MARCH!

LEFT, RIGHT, LEFT, RIGHT, LEFT, RIGHT...

80% OF THE COPS SHOT IN THIS AREA

WERE SHOT BECAUSE PEOPLE WERE HIGH ON DRUGS.

SO WE WANT TO GIVE DRUGS TO EVERYBODY, LET 'EM ALL SHOOT THE COPS.

Narrator: GROWING UP DURING NIXON'S DRUG WAR,

I CAN'T EVEN IMAGINE HOW LIFE WOULD BE

WITHOUT THIS DRUG PROHIBITION.

I OFTEN WONDER WHO IN MY FAMILY MIGHT STILL BE ALIVE

HAD THEY USED NATURALLY OCCURRING DRUGS

FOR BOTH THEIR MEDICAL AND RECREATIONAL NEEDS.

THE GOVERNMENT CLAIMS THAT THE FUTURE OF ILLEGAL DRUG USE

IS HEADING TOWARDS SYNTHETICS, SUCH AS

PRESCRIPTION ABUSE AND CRYSTAL METH.

THIS MAN LIVES IN THE MOST DRUG-INFESTED AREA OF AMSTERDAM.

MUCH CRYSTAL METH HERE?

UH, NO. I NEVER HEARD ABOUT CRYSTAL METH.

WHAT IS IT? SPEED.

SPEED. OKAY.

IN A PLACE THAT HAS ADOPTED A MORE CHRISTIAN VALUE

TOWARDS ORGANIC SUBSTANCES THAT COME FROM THE EARTH,

SYNTHETIC DRUGS LIKE CRYSTAL METH ARE ALMOST NON-EXISTENT.

DO YOU WANT YOUR FUTURE TO BE THIS?

OR TO STAY ON THE PATHWAY THAT ALLOWS A GREEDY FEW

TO PROFIT FROM THE FELONIZATION OF SICK PEOPLE?

IT'S A FREE-FOR-ALL ON THE STREET. YOUR KIDS CAN GO

AND BUY HEROIN AND COCAINE EASIER THAN

THEY CAN GET CIGARETTES AND ALCOHOL.

SO THERE HAS TO BE SOME CONTROL.

McCaffrey: WE'RE NOT GONNA LEGALIZE DRUGS. WE'RE NOT GONNA DO IT.

WE HAVE ACTUALLY DONE A TERRIFIC JOB

IN THE UNITED STATES REDUCING DRUG ABUSE. IT'S TRUE!

( cadence continues )

NO ONE TALKS ABOUT MAKING CIGARETTES ILLEGAL,

SO THEY ARE NOT PROTECTING PEOPLE.

THEY ARE NOT PROTECTING SOCIETY.

I CAN DRIVE STONED. I CAN'T DRIVE DRUNK.

BUT ALCOHOL IS LEGAL BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW HOW TO MAKE WHISKEY.

DO YOU KNOW HOW TO MAKE WHISKEY?

Man: OKAY. PUT YOUR HANDS...

TURN IT OVER AND UNWRAP IT.

NOW TAKE A BITE.

DELICIOUS.

TASTES LIKE WEED, DUDE.

IT MAKES ME FEEL BETTER AS A PHYSICIAN TO KNOW

THAT THE MEDICAL BOARD SEES MARIJUANA AS A DRUG

AND THEY ARE DEALING WITH IT AS A MEDICATION, BECAUSE THAT'S THE TRUTH.

WELL, MY MESSAGE TO RICKY IS, "MAN,

"THE WORLD IS GREAT WHEN YOU GET OUT HERE, MAN.

"YOU KNOW, JUST KEEP YOUR HEAD UP. I MISS YOU.

AND YOU'RE GOING TO BE OKAY."

HE'S BEEN FINE ALL THESE YEARS.

RICKY'S GOT A REALLY GOOD SENSE OF SELF.

I LOVE HIM, MAN. I REALLY LOVE RICKY ROSS.

I THINK HE IS A GREAT PERSON.

RICKY ROSS IS DOING GEORGE BUSH'S TIME.

( people cheering )

( techno music plays )

WHAT ARE YOUR OPINIONS ABOUT

DRUGS LIKE MUSHROOMS AND ECSTASY?

I LOVE MUSHROOMS. WHY, AM I VIOLATING THE LAW EATING MUSHROOMS?

NO, HALLUCINOGENIC. WHAT THE--