Johann Hari’s earliest recollection is of attempting to wake up a relative but failing. He discovered as he got older that addiction ran in his family. Bewildered and unsure of what to do, he decided to travel more than 30,000 miles over the course of three years in order to find out what causes addiction and what actually fixes it.
He found a variety of amazing human tales, such as how the war on drugs started when a racist police officer stalked and killed legendary jazz singer Billie Holiday, the scientist who figured out the unexpected secret to addiction, and the nations that successfully ended their own war on drugs.
Chasing the Scream tells the tale of a journey that changed the global conversation on addiction and demonstrates that connection is the antithesis of addiction.
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About the Author
Johann Hari is a journalist and author. Among other newspapers, he has contributed to the Guardian, Le Monde, and the New York Times. Over 70 million people have watched his TED presentations, and a wide spectrum of individuals, including Joe Rogan, Noam Chomsky, and Oprah, have applauded his work. London is where he resides.
Review
“Excellent reporting and gripping narratives.” Naomi Klein
“A truly magnificent book.” John Elton
“A fantastic book.” Bill Maher
“A fantastic novel… I’m hoping it gets read by everyone. Sam Harris
“Amazing. I was unable to put it down. Chomsky, Noam
“Wonderful, courageous, and intelligent. It is truly innovative. Dan Savage
“One of the most significant and insightful thinkers and social critics in the world.” The Pulitzer Prize winner Glenn Greenwald
“Very provocative and insightful.” THE OFFICE’s originator, B.J. Novak
“A demonstration of Hari’s writing prowess.” The Times of New York
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Second Review
An open-minded, reasonable individual reading this book would undoubtedly conclude that drug laws need to be changed practically everywhere in the globe. Hari helps us understand addiction as a complicated issue that extends well beyond the chemistry of the drugs involved and drug users as human beings. In addition to years of work, I greatly respect the sensitivity and compassion that went into this book.
By no means is it a flawless novel. Hari, like a lot of journalists and popularisers, prefers to focus on the obvious conclusions and catchy quotes. In doing so, he occasionally oversimplifies history (e.g., by reducing the cast of people in the drug war to a few noteworthy individuals, like Anslinger) and science (e.g., by attempting to calculate the percentage of addiction that is caused by the drug itself).
The book’s overall structure is sound, although occasionally the narrative (such as when several chapters begin with a “rule of three” cast of people) and the frequent section changes can be a little startling. The Silk Road and other recent technical advancements are not yet discussed.
There is very little discussion of how free market capitalism affects medicines (such as alcohol advertising and the numerous scandals in the tobacco business). Additionally, you won’t find many explanations of how certain drugs function or what the science says about substances like MDMA or LSD—look elsewhere for that.
All of this doesn’t detract from the main point, which is essentially about how addiction affects our society and how we deal with it. The success stories of reform are genuine, the cost of the drug war is undeniable, and the information is presented objectively while occasionally being excessively quotable.
Instead of overwhelming the reader with facts, Hari excels at telling tales (the statistics are present, where relevant, but never dominate). If you let it, this book will have a significant emotional impact on you.
4.5 stars, rounded up, because this book does a great job of arguing that the cause of change still needs immediate support from every rational, caring person. Let’s hope Hari is correct and that we are indeed in the “last days” of this terrible conflict that has lasted for a hundred years.
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Summary
In Chasing the Scream, journalist Johann Hari explores the war on drugs by interviewing hundreds of people who have fought on its front lines. Some, like cartel hitman Rosalio Reta and sadistic sheriff Joe Arpaio, are partially responsible for its violence.
Others, like addiction doctor Gabor Maté and former president of Switzerland Ruth Dreifuss, have dedicated their lives to healing its victims. Many, like ex-crack dealer Chino Hardin and former police officer Leigh Maddox, have switched sides from the drug warriors to the activists.
Hari concludes that the drug war has been a misguided, fruitless mistake. While its leaders claim to be reducing addiction and creating a “drug-free world,” in reality, the drug war has only made drugs more dangerous, worsened addiction, and produced an unfathomable amount of unnecessary violence and death.
The criminalisation of drugs is far more dangerous than drugs themselves, Hari concludes. By exploring places that have moved beyond the drug war—like Portugal, Switzerland, and Uruguay—Hari concludes that the best way to reduce addiction and drug-related violence is by legalising illegal drugs and regulating them through the same system that already exists for alcohol, tobacco, and prescriptions.
Hari’s personal connections to the war on drugs begin with his family and social circle being full of drug addicts. He begins by explaining his personal connections to the war on drugs and how modern societies criminalise addiction.
He then interviews experts who tell him about three people who set the stage for the drug war all the way back in the 1930s: Harry Anslinger, Billie Holiday, and Arnold Rothstein.
In Chasing the Scream, Hari explores the war on drugs in Mexico and its impact on society. He examines the science of addiction, focusing on the idea that addiction is a response to disconnection and dislocation, rather than a cause. The war on drugs has made these factors worse, leading to increased drug use and addiction rates.
Hari also surveys political alternatives to the war on drugs, such as organising drug addicts, prescribing safe medical heroin, and creating government-run heroin and methadone clinics.
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In Portugal, total decriminalisation was implemented in 2000, which significantly improved drug-related crime and illness. This approach led to a significant improvement in addiction, overdoses, HIV infections, teen drug use, drug-related crime, and police violence.
Hari also looks at places that have fully legalised marijuana in recent years, such as Uruguay, where President José Mujica worked with drug policy experts Danny Kushlick and Steve Rolles to legalise and regulate marijuana.
While studies show that legalisation does increase the number of people who try drugs, it also makes all drug use significantly less likely. Hari believes that Uruguay’s policy was worth it, although readers may not agree.
In the U.S. states of Colorado and Washington, which were the first to legalise recreational marijuana in 2012, activists Mason Tvert and Tonia Winchester focused on the scientific evidence that alcohol is far more dangerous than marijuana. Both campaigns succeeded, but Hari suggests that Winchester’s offers a more sustainable solution for future efforts to legalise and regulate all illegal drugs.
In his conclusion, Hari returns to London and learns that his relative is no longer using drugs, but his ex has recently relapsed. He remembers his research and offers his ex friendship and a place to visit and detox from his drug binges. He ends with an anecdote about Harry Anslinger dying high on morphine, which he was taking for chest pain.