Drug War Library

Views from the Front and Rear of the Drug War

Reader's note; the books most recently read by TBS will be put at the top of the page, but only after Phillip Bean's Legalising Drugs. Never let it be said this site with leave their views unchallenged:

Legalising Drugs by Phillip Bean

This is the most intelligent set of arguments in favour of prohibition that your columnist has yet encountered.

And now the rest of the Drug War library:

Can you lend me twenty quid? What drugs did to my family by Elizabeth Burton-Phillips

Addiction can happen to anybody; no matter how nice their family is. Shame the author does not consider the alternatives to prohibition.

McMafia by Misha Glenny
With continuing levles of globalisation, the crime world is ever evolving to adapt to this new reality. Glenny concludes we must all internet secure our p.c.'s and (among other things) end the War on Drugs.

Freakonomics by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner

The two Steve's delve into the hidden side of everything. Look out for the piece about the Chicago Crack gang, with reasearch heavily borrowed from Sudhir Venkatesh.


Why our drug laws have failed and what we can do about it; a judicial indictment of the War on Drugs by Judge James Gray

Former republican, former drug warrior and retired Judge (and was in the US Navy Jag Corp too) sets out why prohibition has failed, and the damage it is doing to us all.

Drugs and the party line by Kevin Williamson

Very much of its time and place, but makes some valid points.

Out of It by Stuart Walton
A cultural studies approach to intoxication and prohibition.

Reefer Madness by Eric Schlosser

Author of Fast Food Nation turns his attention to three sectors of the illegal American economy: immigrant labour, sex and drugs.

High Society by Ben Elton

The highs, lows and hypocrisies of the War on Drugs. In fiction form.

Mr Nice by Howard Marks

Autobiography from an international cannabis smuggler.

Disco 2000 and Disco Biscuits edited by Sarah Champion

Short story collections on the chemically-induced yoof culture of the 1990s.

Trainspotting by Irvine Welsh

In fact you could list the whole of Irvine Welsh's work really, couldn't you?