Smoke and Mirrors : The War on Drugs and the Politics of Failure

Rating:
Summary: Impressively thorough and critical, but fair
Review: Excellent review of major events and social issues that have shaped the "War in Drugs." While Baum is openly critical of our nation's policy, he backs his points with facts, rather than anecdotes. Unlike other authors in this genre, Baum does not portray the nation's leaders as purposely perpetrating evil on its citizens, knowingly perpetuating the War for their own benefit. Rather, he shows that underneath the utter failure of our drug control policy lies errors in judgement and poor political choices--foremost among them the choice to view drug addiction as a moral evil rather than a neuropsychiatric disease. Furthermore, Baum's scholarly, analytical tone prevents this book from seeming like most others: a bitter, indignant plea for marijuana legalization. An excellent excellent history and summary.

Rating:
Summary: Argument by Anecdote
Review: This book will not change one person's mind. Sticking to anecdotes, eschewing statistics and analysis, Baum strives to create an atmosphere of sinister conspiracy. But the simple fact that political spinmasters were involved in creating and selling the drug prohibition policy does not hopelessly discredit it. After all, politicians had to sell the Civil Rights Act, the New Deal, involvement in WWII, emancipation of the slaves, and everything else the government's ever done.

Like most people who'd be motivated to seek out a book on the War on Drugs, I am sympathetic to Baum's general idea-- the War on Drugs goes too far, and a little treatment would sure go nice with, or maybe even in place of, locking up tons of people, many of whom are black. But to those of you looking for a balanced, informative overview of the history of the drug war, keep moving. This ain't it.

Rating:
Summary: Smoke And Mirrors-What every American Needs To Know
Review: Through over 200 personal interviews with 175 people connected with the "War On Drugs" Dan Baum has created the most informative and correct account of the drug war that is availible to man. Nowhere else will you find how the government has targeted drugs as a cheap way to stay elected. Never has the government caused such a false sense of fear then with drugs.

"Smoke And Mirrors" is one of the best books I have ever read. No matter how you feel about the drug war, it is worth your time to review this text. You will be outraged at how much injustice has been dealt, and how the "War" as been often racially biased.

Even if you see drugs as the ultimate evil that plagues our society and is the root of all our problems, it may be because the true facts have never been given until now. By reading this book, you might discover what has been hidden for so long, and see why the government has been so eager to cover up any positive drug notion (ex. Nixon commissions study to find effects of marijuana. They find no significant health detriments, see medicinal value, and reccommend legalization. Nixon discredits study and brushes it under the rug. Later gets reelected on anti-drug platform. $16 billion spent on the war last year.) Please think, and then read this book. I guarantee that it will be time well spent.