Nobel-prize winning economist Milton Friedman died a few days ago at the age of 94. A well-known advocate of free-market economics, he famously came out against the Draft, as well as the War on Drugs. Concerning the latter, he argued it was destructive and that a better alternative would be for drugs to be legalised, a view that was anathema to many in conservative circles and, indeed, the mainstream as well. Here are some links to his writings on the War on Drugs, courtesy of the druglibrary.org

This week the government of Colombia is launching an advertising campaign in Europe to publicly tackle the demand side of the War on Drugs equation, no doubt hoping that it will be more effective than its war on supply.

Going for a visual, as opposed to a literal, bang, it is planning to tie in the increasing consumption of cocaine by Europeans with the deleterious effects associated with its current production in the South American nation.

The ads, which the Colombian government hopes European governments will pony up to fund their placement on billboards and in public transport systems, will feature such images as a European suit with “an over-sized nose – alluding to his cocaine habit – laying landmines in a field. Another shows him wielding a chainsaw on a charred, deforested hillside.”

“Thank You For Smoking” stars Aaron Eckhart as Nick Naylor, a lobbyist for the tobacco industry who not only makes a living from downplaying the ill-effects of smoking in public and thinking of ways to encourage people to take up smoking - including a hilarious trip to Hollywood where he seeks the support of a producer, wonderfully played by Rob Lowe, for product placement - but who also relishes his unpopular and challenging role. As he tells his son: “That’s the beauty of argument, if you argue correctly, you’re never wrong.”

Every week he lunches with the M.O.D. Squad (or Merchants Of Death), two friends from the equally embattled alcohol and gun lobbies, as they trade war stories and compare death tolls caused by their respective industries. In between, he tries to build a relationship with his son - who is in the custody of Nick’s ex-wife - and a female newspaper reporter who is doing a feature article on him, while ducking and weaving to avoid his enemies and critics.

Iran has had another staggering week of drug confiscations - again with barely a mention in the press.

This week resulted in 5 and a half tons of narcotics being seized in the country. While this isn’t a weekly record, it is enough to make sure Iran at least tries to remain on the international radar - albeit barely. Of course, they threw in 229 drug smugglers and 591 addicts to the count for good measure.

Considering the paltry sum of aid money Iran receives in the fight against international drugs, and given the incredible size of their drug problem, it is high wonder that the international community and specifically the USA and UK is not using the potentiality of further aid as a carrot in other diplomatic areas (cough… nuclear… cough).

Cocaine Cowboys, a documentary about the effect the ’80s cocaine business had on Miami, is due for its U.S release on the 27th of October. It was directed by Billy Corben and produced by Alfred Spellman of rakontur productions. Producer Alfred Spellman kindly agreed to answer some questions submitted by e-mail. Here are his responses:

A major theme you explore in Cocaine Cowboys is whether Miami is the town that cocaine made. What was Miami like before cocaine made such an impact and what do you think Miami would have been like today without the cocaine business?

Miami was essentially a small sleepy southern town prior to the cocaine trade. It had flourished in the 50s as a middle-class family getaway, with the Rat Pack holding court at the Fountainbleu. Once jet travel became mainstream, families went off to other destinations, leaving Miami behind.  By the 70s, Miami’s best days were behind it.  Regarding where Miami is today, the cocaine wars certainly accelerated the gentrification of the city — it hit rock bottom real quick!  Once it hit bottom, it was easier to climb out.  Miami was just slowly fading away — the cocaine wars were a stimulus for redevelopment.

How divided is opinion amongst Miamians about the image ’80s Miami had in the rest of the United States (and indeed the world)? On the one hand there was all the glitz, glamour and money while on the other there were drugs, murders and Sonny Crockett’s suits. What’s your take?

I don’t think it’s divided at all. Most in Miami accept and even embrace our old Wild West image.

You interviewed people who were heavily involved in the cocaine business, including a hit man for a particular infamous drug dealer. Tell us a bit about some of the more colourful characters you spoke to, if it was difficult to get them to talk, and what kinds of ingenious methods they had for smuggling and distributing cocaine.

Back in Christmas, 2001, Cory Maye was in the lounge room of his Mississippi duplex with the TV on, his 14-month-old daughter in the bedroom, when he heard a lot of commotion and banging at his door.

This much is not in dispute.

Dozing off, he woke up scared, confused and thought he was about to be subject to a violent home invasion. He got up, ran to his bedroom, got a gun, lay on the floor with his daughter, and hoped whatever the hell was going on by his front door would go away. It didn’t. Instead it moved away from the front of his duplex to the back, nearer to where he was lying in the dark, gun loaded. Soon his back door was crashed in, followed by the bedroom door. He fired three bullets at an approaching man. Then someone shouted: Police! Police! You just shot an officer!” He stopped firing and surrendered. In front of him, bleeding on the floor was Ron Jones, a well-liked policeman in his town.

It seems that James Kirby, the man behind the energy drink “Cocaine“, has got his wish: controversy.

As I noted at the beginning of the week, Kirby had remarked that despite the product’s website having received a massive amount of traffic in recent weeks, little controversy had followed. 

Well, that changed, after some New York Democrat lawmakers organised a news conference this week at City Hall to denounce the product’s brand name as the height of irresponsibility and call for the local health authority and consumer affairs department to look into the matter, hoping for a boycott of the product, which is only sold in a handful of stores in New York.

A man from Sydney, Australia, who a few years ago ordered the gang rape of a teenage girl who was staying at his apartment, has blamed his use of methamphetamine (”ice”) for his criminal behaviour; he had started using the drug six months previously. Apparently he didn’t like the girl and, upon seeing her in the house, got violent, causing damage to the apartment before turning on the unnamed victim and getting her to perform oral sex on some of his mates.

Canan Eken, 28, claims that he was suffering from a psychotic episode at the time and didn’t remember what happened; Eken also bashed the 17-year-old girl. This, combined with a family history of mental illness, contributed to the attack, according to his defence lawyer, Geoffrey Nicholson, QC; a psychiatrist testified that psychotic behaviour is a common side effect of using the drug.

HM Revenue & Customs has issued a press release detailing the UK government’s plans to fine tobacco companies who don’t do enough to ensure that cigarettes and hand rolling tobacco are not smuggled into the country, depriving authorities of tax money.

Tobacco companies will, amongst other things, be expected to know “their markets”, only supply them “in quantities that reflect legitimate demand”, “know their customers” and only supply “those who are legitimate and law-abiding”. I wonder if they will be issued with cool tax collector badges as well, not to mention expert lectures on how the market works.

A recent article on drugs in Punjab province of India looks into the question of why addiction is widespread seemingly regardless of social class or economic situation. It’s an interesting article from a local perspective.

With a little further research though, you start to realise just how big the issue of the drug trade is for the people of Punjab.

Punjab has a growing heroin problem and trafficking profits have attracted international profiteers from as far away as the UK.