We talk to Stanley Nelson, director of the new Netflix documentary Crack: Cocaine, Corruption & Conspiracy. What really happened in the 80s and the crack epidemic?Taking an in-depth look at the societal costs, how communities reacted, and how the media played their part, this eye-opening documentary is described as “a puzzle” by Stanley who tried to piece together the many overlaps of the crack picture. From the media term of ‘crack babies’, to addiction, poverty, the militarization of the police, and also there’s a large international element too with the Ronald Reagan presidency having a part to play in Nicaragua… and this is where it really gets interesting! Stanley Nelson set about trying to tell this massive story and his film and he does so with the help of many contributors, including Dr Carl Hart who you might know from previous episodes of the Stop and Search podcast. Have a listen to this podcast and then watch the film, it’s truly a must-see!   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

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Stanley Nelson - Crack: Cocaine, Corruption & Conspiracy

Dr Carl Hart has almost become a legendary figure in the world of academia and the media, he’s a professor of neuroscience and psychology at Columbia University and known for his work in drugs and addiction. His first book High Price: A Neuroscientist's Journey of Self-Discovery That Challenges Everything You Know About Drugs and Society was very well received and challenged many misconceptions around society’s perception of drugs and culture, and his new book is set to go even further…Drug Use for Grown-Ups: Chasing Liberty in the Land of Fear is truly an enthralling read. Dr Hart wants us all to come out of the closet with regards to our drug consumption, he's also coming forward with unapologetic honesty about his own drug use and what it means to him and his life. So, what do we, adults, need to know about the drugs we consume, and what do we need to do to help push this big conversation forward? Yes, this really is a fascinating and honest discussion!   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Dr Carl Hart: Drug Use for Grown-Ups

Norman Pilcher has gone down in history as the muse behind the song I Am the Walrus by The Beatles. When serving in the newly formed drugs squad, Norman arrested John Lennon, George Harrison, The Rolling Stones, Dusty Springfield, and many other iconic figures from the 60s. He was one of the first and most infamous foot soldiers in the newly formed 'war on drugs' which began in the late 60s, but what does Norman now think as he looks back over his astounding career in the police service? His new book Bent Coppers is a tell-all about his time in the service and the many good - and bad - coppers that he served with. Norman has also spent time in prison himself which has given him some valuable insights.In this very, very interesting conversation - we of course discuss Norman's career in the police and the drugs squad, but we absolutely have to talk about the iconic celebrities that he was tasked with arresting, but we also discuss the theme of the book, 'Bent Coppers' and why was Norman so compelled to write this book. And to conclude... what does Norman think about drug policy now?You can buy limited edition signed copies of Bent Coppers by Norman Pilcher by making enquires at: contact.bentcoppers@gmail.com - and regular copies are available at all good retailers.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Norman Pilcher: Bent Coppers (I Am the Walrus)

The new film County Lines is set for release on December 4th, it is a comprehensive dramatisation of what goes on in the county lines drug chain, but the film is also about so much more...Henry Blake is the writer and director of this new film but his background is in youth work - Henry conveys why he was compelled to make this film. We talk about what Henry saw in his work, how the film is a big snapshot on his time spent working with the vulnerable, and why the county lines drugs network makes some degree of sense to the children who fall into them.We also have to address how politics and society have both played a hand in ensuring the practice of county lines is here to stay until we tackle inequality in our communities.You can see County Lines by visiting the BFI Player or Curzon Home Cinema from December 4th. And you can follow Henry Blake on Twitter @HenryBlake26 - and the film can be followed @CountyLinesFilm  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

County Lines - with Writer & Director Henry Blake

How much do you know about Covert Human Intelligence Sources, CHIS? Well, we’re talking about spies, but with a difference. We’re going to meet ‘Sam’. Sam was involved in drug dealing and walked in criminal circles from a young age. He was recruited by the police to become an informant. Sam gives us an unprecedented insight into what takes place when the police use the information provided by those in the midst of criminal activities, and crucially what happens when the police use vulnerable adults and children as spies.There’s a new bill proposed that will see these powers increase, and many have cast concern over the wording of this bill. The Covert Human Intelligence Sources (Criminal Conduct) Bill 2019-21 is being debated at the time of release of this podcast. So… let’s meet Sam. What’s his story? Why is he so passionate about the CHIS bill and making sure it gets contested? We would like to thank Sam for giving his view and putting his safety on the line for this podcast discussion.We also host the voices of former undercover detective and author Neil Woods, and co-author of Good Cop, Bad War and Drug Wars, and Vice journalist, JS Rafaeli.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Covert Human Intelligence Sources (CHIS) - Let's Meet 'Sam'

Leroy Logan MBE climbed the police ranks to become a Superintendent and along the way he encountered institutional racism, abuse, and erroneous accusations and investigations. Leroy has released a new book titled Closing Ranks: My Life as a Cop... so how did he get into the police service? Well, that in itself is a fascinating story.Leroy's life is set to be dramatised by director Steve McQueen and the role of Leroy will be played by John Boyega, so make sure you look out for that!In this episode we talk about racism, communities, stop and search powers, black lives matter, the 'defund the police' movement, and so much more! As mentioned at the start of this episode, Leroy's life and career mimics society and all the themes that we are faced with today, so this is a podcast not to be missed.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Leroy Logan - Closing Ranks: My Life as a Cop

With over 25 years of experience in criminal law, Chris Daw QC is a barrister who's seen it all. Murder, heists, the apex of international financial crime, and of course drug barons. He's defended many, many people. What drove him to seek answers? What alternatives did he find? And why should we abolish the prison system as we know it... and reform our drug laws?In his new book, Justice on Trial: Radical Solutions for a System at Breaking Point, Chris decided to tour the globe, looking for answers and alternatives to our current approach to the criminal justice system.As said, Chris has seen it all - quite literally - and he's got quite a few tales to tell! What works? What fails? And what expense and harm are there for individuals and society alike? How can we make sure less people go to prison, and for less people to go back to prison after their release?This is a truly fascinating discussion. The book is available as from now!  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Justice on Trial - Chris Daw QC

Donick Cary has had an incredible career. He's been a writer and producer on legendary shows such as The Simpsons, Parks and Recreation, New Girl, and many more. During his career he's met and spoken with many public figures about their personal journeys with psychedelics, so... he decided to turn this into a film!On Netflix you can watch the feature documentary Have a Good Trip: Adventures in Psychedelics. See huge stars such as Sting, the late and great Carrie Fisher, Sarah Silverman, Ben Stiller, and many others as they get very personal in recounting their trips with LSD, MDMA and ayahuasca.We speak to Donick about the behind the scenes and what it took to make the film. How did he get so many public figures to open up about their drug experiences? Which celebs are the ones that we can label 'the ones that got away'? And from concept to screen, what was the personal journey like in making this documentary?We also get a personal tour of Donick's unique memorabilia! So if you listen via the Acast app, be sure to check out the visuals on this episode too.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Have a Good Trip: Adventures in Psychedelics with Donick Cary

Ash Sarkar is the Senior Editor at Novara Media and also teaches at the Sandberg Institute. Ash is a regular commentator on Newsnight, BBC Question Time and most news sites. In this very enlightening conversation Ash joins us to talk about the divisive nature of our drug laws and the impact on society - especially when it comes to BAME communities. You can follow Ash on twitter.This episode was recorded in late 2019, but the themes of the conversation could not be more relevant...Let's discuss stop and search powers and their insidious legacy. We have to talk about race relations to the police, media and government. And what can we do to make sure that communities who have been harmed by the war on drugs get a stake in the new legal industries for cannabis? Are politicians hypocritical on drug use?We also have to thank Release for the use of their offices to record this very important episode.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Ash Sarkar

What's it like to literally talk someone down from a ledge? How do you cope with being a witness to the most extreme examples of domestic violence, terrorism, and murder? John Sutherland explains...Having served on the frontlines of policing, from PC level, all the way to Chief Superintendent, John has seen the best and worst of society. He's been a negotiator, charged with communicating with the most venerable and the most violent in society. He's been the first on the scene when terror incidents take place, and he's seen the evolution of the drug trade and its new tactics.We discuss his new book, Crossing the Line: Lessons From a Life on Duty, and wow, there's a lot to chat about!   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

John Sutherland: Crossing the Line

We're going to lift the curtain and go behind the scenes of drug law reform. Let's have some honesty about what it's really like working on the front-lines of this global issue! Joining us to give their valuable and candid insight:Sanho Tree - Fellow at the Institute for Policy Studies, and Director of its Drug Policy Project since 1998, Sanho is former military and diplomatic historian and has been described as the 'end of level boss' of drug policy.Niamh Eastwood - Executive Director of the UK based charity Release, Niamh has worked in legal services and has spent nearly 20 years in drug policy reform.Steve Rolles - Working as the Lead Policy Analyst at Transform Drug Policy Foundation, Steve has been involved in drug policy since 1998, having previously worked for the Medical Research Council and Oxfam.So... what's gone on in the last few years? Have we progressed in this big debate? Have we learned anything about the presentation of the issue, and how to win hearts and minds? And what challenges currently face us, and what awaits us? This is a no holds barred look at the world of drug policy reform.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Third Rails and Fourth Walls: Behind the Scenes of Drug Law Reform

Author and journalist Antony Loewenstein spent nearly five years writing his incredible book, Pills, Powder, and Smoke: Inside the Bloody War on Drugs. This is a truly enlightening conversation about the writing of his book, and how Antony put his own safety on the line for his travels and research. The 'war on drugs' is wide-ranging, and Antony does a fantastic job in painting the bigger picture. From producer countries, transit countries, and consumer countries, we all play a part in the way drugs are produced, ferried, and consumed.We take a look at how countries such as Honduras and Guinea-Bissau are destabilised due to them now being the preferred transit route of drug cartels. We also address just how much of a part the DEA and the US play in global politics and policing. And we also have to address the domestic picture when it comes to drugs in the UK and Australia.This podcast was recorded in front of an audience at the Queen Mary University, London.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Pills, Powder, and Smoke: Inside the Bloody War on Drugs, with Antony Loewenstein

Comedian Tez Ilyas joins us to talk about a whole load of things! Firstly, we chat about chicken boxes... which is a first for us on this podcast, but all will be explained #KnifeCrimeTez has received a lot of critical acclaim for his stand-up comedy as well as his primetime TV show, The Tez O'Clock Show, so we also ask him about the importance of comedy and satire, especially how it relates to serious topics. We also chat about Tez's time in the civil service, how he negotiated with the army, and also the relationships between the police and people of BAME heritage. So yes, we cover a lot of ground in this!Stop and Search is produced by:Jason Reed, Nicky Elson, Tristan Bruce and John Cross.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tez Ilyas: Chicken Boxes and National Security

Murder Mountain is a documentary series on Netflix which is directed by Joshua Zeman - it takes a look at the legendary emerald triangle in California. This region is also infamous for another reason, hence why it gets the name Murder Mountain...It's estimated that 80% of the blackmarket cannabis in the US historically comes from the emerald triangle, so how did it start? Who lives and grows there? Why do so many people fear the region? And why has it become known as the new Wild West?With marijuana now legal in California, we also have to ask how has this process impacted the traditional 'mom & pop' growers of the region? And also, how has the law enforcement handled this whole story, both past and present? There's a lot to talk about in this episode, and Josh gives us a great deal of perspective.This episode of Stop and Search is in association with LEAP - Law Enforcement Action Partnership. Follow them on twitter: @PoliceForReform   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Murder Mountain: Joshua Zeman

Having worked with some of the biggest names in the music industry from an early age, Secret Drug Addict dabbled in a few substances during his time on the scene and now he speaks eloquently about his journey with drugs, addiction, and recovery. Having been at the epicentre on Brit Pop and the infamous bands of that era, as you may imagine, he's got some stories to tell!Secret Drug Addict is a Twitter sensation, his account @ScrtDrugAddict has been used to raise awareness around drug addiction, but also many other causes as well. In this very candid episode we talk about his work in the charitable sector and his 'twitter takeovers' which cause a sensation.This is a beautifully open and honest conversation, we cover a lot of ground, and we truly thank Secret Drug Addict for giving us his time. He's becoming increasingly in demand so we're thrilled to have had the chance to talk about his life and career.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Secret Drug Addict

Drugs, addiction, mental health, the media. We're on the front-lines of the War on Drugs! Stop and Search aims to deconstruct our laws; we take a look at many overlapping issues and we ask 'what's really going on in society'? With a mix of live panel discussions, celebrity guests, policy experts, rolling news content, and general inquisitiveness, we'll try to get to the bottom of our relationship with drugs. Stop and Search is in association with LEAP UK and proudly part of Scroobius Pip's Distraction Pieces Network.

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