This documentary by Richard Branson's son, Sam Branson, is timely and accurate. I was just reading, not that long ago, that the number of people incarcerated in the US was a staggering number, and that it is now considered a 'business' that is critical to maintain, because so many people are employed by it. How scary is that?? To think there may be a continuation of laws that are unjust in order to continue to employ all the people who service the prison system - man, if another country were doing this, weren't there be a huge outpouring of fury?
I feel so fortunate that I happened to see Richard Branson on Jimmy Fallon, this afternoon - it's raining, we're having a 'lazy day', and it's a good day to catch up on our Late Night Shows on the DVR, and there it was, Breaking the Taboo. Lets hope all the politicians open their minds to the possibility of serious change in the way governments deal with drugs, helping the people who need and want the help to get clean from drug use, and get back on track, to removing the dangers involved. I really liked that they showed countries who have already made the changes toward a more positive approach to the situation. It's interesting that they always mention the money that will be brought in from taxation of legalized drugs, but I hadn't really thought of all the other resources used in the 'fight against drugs', the police forces, the prison system, all the other sources you don't think about when it's outside of your own life... for those expenses to come down, or be transferred over to solving the problem, plus the money from taxation - that's the way to go.
Remember to sign the petition at the top of the page, too. When a government sees the people are behind an idea for serious change, then it's easier for them to make the change with less fear of repercussion.
Plus, I loved the idea that Richard Branson wants to go into a volcano to see what sources are in there! Very cool!
Published on 6 Dec 2012
Narrated by Oscar winning actor Morgan Freeman, "Breaking the Taboo" is produced by Sam Branson's indie Sundog Pictures and Brazilian co-production partner Spray Filmes and was directed by Cosmo Feilding Mellen and Fernando Grostein Andrade. Featuring interviews with several current or former presidents from around the world, such as Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter, the film follows The Global Commission on Drug Policy on a mission to break the political taboo over the United States led War on Drugs and expose what it calls the biggest failure of global policy in the last 40 years.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UtNF-Le2L0
