Drugs, the ultimate pleasure and potentially the ultimate destruction. Some people use them, many abuse them, and essentially all of the world’s governments reject them. The question is why? Prohibition has not worked, and somehow no matter how much action is taken, they still end up manufactured, processed, and trafficked into almost every country in the world. Very few countries are untouched by the horrors of drugs in fact, and of those that are, their draconian measures have other consequences for society. So what is the answer to the problem? The answer will likely not come from this blog, but a pathway to the answer may be found in the limited series The Business of Drugs.
The Business of Drugs is a show that details every aspect of the drug trade and how it’s a market that continues to only ever be growing larger.
Perhaps one of the most fascinating docuseries ever put on screen, The Business of Drugs is a show that details every aspect of the drug trade and how it’s a market that continues to only ever be growing larger. The series which is currently debuting on Netflix, is a six episode guide to the reason behind drugs and why they still exist so prevalently. In short, the most fundamental reason is this: financial demand. The number one thing discussed on the series is how much money is made from the distribution of controlled substances. The financial incentives are too great for many to ignore. With so many people willing to spend top dollar for any substance they can get their hands on, the paradox of drugs has festered further and the business end of it has become MORE sophisticated as the incentives become greater, and the series does an exceptional job of illustrating this.
Each episode consists of interviews with anyone who is involved in the world of drugs, and on multiple fronts. All of the interviews are conducted by former CIA analyst Amaryllis Fox. Interviewees consist of drug users, former addicts, scientists, doctors, law/drug enforcement officials, and even those who produce and sell the product. Every episode also places focus on a different drug covering everything to where it comes from, how it’s cultivated, where it’s distributed, and how much many can be made from it. Cocaine, Opioids, Cannabis, Synthetics, Heroin, and Meth all get separate time and devotion, as well as an in depth historical analysis of the drug’s inception and what countries have done or are doing in order to combat the production and sale of it all.
The series is raw, and it is very informative. Fox braves many a unique situation in order to uncover the truth of drugs and how to lend perspective to audiences around the world who lack the understanding of their appeal. Is making drugs illegal the answer? It doesn’t seem that way, and though this series takes a closer look at things, it does not endorse the use of drugs or the production of them. The Business of Drugs is simply a documentation of the reality of why drugs have become such a big part of societies everywhere. Take a look, and stay informed.
