AUGUST 25, 2017 This American War on Drugs

NPR On the Media podcast with short and mainly accurate portrayal of the US war on drugs.

It will help you understand racist origins and mistakes made in US drug policy, how Harry Anslinger used "race-baiting" to revise the US tax code to his advantage and to the disadvantage of laborers from Mexico, in an echo of prior local and state anti-opium ordinances used to control immigrant-labor from China, and gives a quick overview of CSA1970 Schedule I, but makes factual errors in places. (Treated more thoroughly in the 1974 book I mentioned about a month ago. Search this blog label: #history for a web link.)

Use search link for AUGUST 25, 2017 podcast in archives of On the Media, if this link does not take you to the 50 minute recording and download page:

This American War on Drugs

Take it on a walk or our stationary bike ride and listen while you get some exercise.

Racism, Labor Conflict, and Drugs

CBC focus on the topic, with coverage of 1st Nation vulnerabilities and alcohol.

http://one.npr.org/i/537762064:537762066

If nothing else, listen to Carl Hart segment at 17:20 - 20:00.

Read up on it to get the chemistry right as you think about cocaine powder HCl and crack-cocaine

Skips over the difference between nasal insufflation and inhaling fumes into lungs ("smoking"?).

Also see book by Helmer & Vietorisz, 1974, an early introduction to racism and labor conflict described in the podcast.

https://libcom.org/history/drug-use-labour-market-class-conflict-john-helmer-thomas-vietorisz

Eric download

Recent news story pertinent to  this topic:

Former NFL Player Sues Jeff Sessions Over ‘Unconstitutional’ Marijuana Laws

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/marvin-washington-jeff-sessions-marijuana-lawsuit_us_597746f6e4b0a8a40e825949?section=us_politics