The Candy Machine: How Cocaine Took Over the World

by Tom Feiling

Cutting through the myths about the white market, Tome Feiling's The Candy Machine is the story of cocaine as it's never been told before. Gabrielle unwinds at weekends with a line of coke - and also works for a major police force. Juan Pablo is a drugs mule in Bogotá who gets his stash from a sweathouse. Belica started picking coca when she was eleven. Kurt Schmoke, former mayor of Baltimore, thinks legalization's the only way ... Cocaine is big business. Governments spend millions on an unwinnable war against it, yet it's now the drug of choice in the West. How did the cocaine economy get so huge? Who keeps it running behind the scenes? In The Candy Machine Tom Feiling travels the trade routes from Colombia via Miami, Kingston and Tijuana to London and New York. He meets Medellín hitmen, US kingpins, British crack users and Brazilian traffickers, and talks to the soldiers and narcotics officers who fight the gangs. 'An important study of the cultivation, usage and suppression of cocaine'
  Financial Times 'The Candy Machine is highly addictive'
  Metro 'It is hard to decide if Tom Feiling's future lies as a QC or the new Paul Theroux. A vivid, argumentative, arresting book'
  Sunday Telegraph 'I've read a few documentary accounts of the rise of cocaine, and this might be the best of them'
  Evening Standard Tom Feiling is an award-winning documentary film-maker. He spent a year living and working in Colombia before making Hip-Hop in Colombia, which won numerous awards at film festivals around the world, and was broadcast in four countries. In 2003 he became Campaigns Director for the TUC's Justice for Colombia campaign, which organizes for human rights in Colombia. His book Short Walks from Bogotá: Journeys in the new Colombia is published by Allen Lane.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Politics, Drugs, Crime, Audiobook, Sociology

320 pages, Paperback

First published September 22, 2009

Reviews

[Daren · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book contains so much - clearly the go to on cocaine statistics and the history of the war on drugs, probably the least successful war I can think of... so much that cocaine is an epidemic.

Honestly it contains so much data, so many statistics I couldn't even tell if they were being repeated of were all unique in the narrative, eventually it just wore me down. For me it was around 75 pages too long, and I skimmed some parts - but this is more a reflection on me as a reader - I am here for entertainment and relaxation - this surpasses this to an almost academic level.

Feiling has carried out masterful research to pull all this information together, names of people, quotations, stories and anecdotes, and arrange it (loosely in places) into a narrative stream is really impressive, but man it was relentless. His ability to interview such a range of people involved - from politicians and police to drug users, drug mules, street dealers and major drug smugglers brings a real depth to the issue of cocaine. Many of these people have moved on from the positions they were in, but have validated the information and arguments posed by this book.

Divided into three sections - in the first it deals with the history of cocaine (and it precursor coca and its cultural history) and compares the rise of cocaine with other drugs in the market. In the second is works round supply - Latin America, where it is grown, why there is more available than ever before, why is will never stop - corruption, American foreign policy that props up the drug system (wtf?) by supporting some of the worst corrupt politicians and turning a blind eye to drug smugglers who suited them to support other initiatives.
The third section takes on demand, an argument for legalization and/or decriminalisation and future prospects.

The numbers are mind boggling, the disinformation and politics are astounding, the future is frightening. While this is a United States focussed book there is plenty of comparison to the UK and Europe, and some with other parts of the world. The US come out looking like their own worst enemies.

While I can see his point about decriminalisation, I can't bring myself to trust politicians to get his right. Just recently here we have seen a prominent politician in a key role resign due to non-disclosure of shares (conflict of interest), one who was passing on caucus secrets to campaign donors (cronyism), one who has been accused of bullying and abusing staffers and one who suddenly switched political parties without the knowledge of the prime minister! And we are expected to trust these turkeys to write a workable decriminalisation policy for cocaine? Yeah right.

4 stars

[Prakriti · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cocaine Nation is by far the most comprehensive book on the history, the business, the logistics, the public views, the legislation, and the first person voice of the users of drugs that I know of (not just Cocaine, about drugs in general). For a book that is 356 pages, that is an awful lot to be crammed between the covers.

Tom Feiling has done an excellent job with this book. It is not just opinions, but he has reached out to policy makers, drug tzars, ex smugglers, current addicts, and the stories he digs out are fascinating and a stark example of the true life horror of public policy. He comprehensively answers why drugs would never be legalized (because it would be political suicide, and he enumerates example after example of politicians across the world who have done that and faced defeat). Interestingly, he digs out why drugs were outlawed in the first place (because it is a good election plank, easy to inflame passions of the stupid populace), and his descriptions of Jimmy Carter and subsequent US foreign policy over the years is horrifying to read. I shuddered.

The book is divided into three neat sections, each section further divided into chapters tackling individual issues and in the second section countries. The first section is about the history of cocaine, about public opinion building up against the drugs. This should be well known amongst drug literature aficionados, yet is an awesome read, in the way Feiling puts it lucidly together.

The second section is in essence what makes this book earn it's buck. Supply and the third world. Where is Coca grown, why is it not stopped, why despite billions of dollars of attention from the US and intent to correct matters, Cocaine still gets out of the third world. About drug cartels, about crazy violence as a way of life, about Bolivia, about Jamaica, about Brazil, and about corruption. This is truly mind boggling stuff. However, this is the section that takes the one star off the rating. It plods. And with drug economics, and drug cartels and page upon page of breathless expose, it doesn't have any excuse to.

The third section picks up the pace again to talk about the demand for cocaine, about voices of addicts and an excellent chapter as an appeal for legalization (it really is brilliant, I would write more about it soon).

What makes this book amazing is the 30 pages of references that Tom Feiling has put together to make this book sparkle and really matter. This is not a one man opinion, but level headed reasoning put together from discussing the scenario with people who matter at each node. It is honest, non politically correct, and updated for the current moment in history.
I would heartily recommend it to anyone interested in the truthfulness behind the rhetoric.

P.S I had warmed to the book while reading the introduction itself. Tom mentions,
There has been no better popular expose of the failure of drugs policy in the United States than the HBO television series The Wire.

[Melinda Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Candy Machine is a great look at the drugs epidemic and the different sides of the coin when it comes to legalisation. On a similar note to 'Chasing the Scream' the push with this book is to advocate for legalisation and control of substances such as cocaine.

The book details the creation, supply and distribution of cocaine, predominantly in the USA, but also dabbles with other nations and their differing views on criminalisation of drugs.

There's lots of facts and figures in here, and the author sheds some light on the scaremongering that has been going on with the 'war on drugs' for decades now.

[Antti Salovaara · Rating 2 out of 5]

Feilingin kirja on heikohkosti kirjoitettu puheenvuoro tärkeästä aiheesta, eli maailmanlaajuisesti epäonnistuneesta, kurjuutta kylvävästä huumeiden vastaisesta sodasta. Esityksen keskiössä on kokaiini, joka monine eri muotoineen edustaa laajaa käyttäjäjoukkoa köyhistä crackin orjista kartanoissaan nuuskaavaan yläluokkaan ja mietoja, perinteisiä kokatuotteita nauttiviin eteläamerikkalaisiin.

Kirja antaa kohtuullisen katsauksen siihen, kuinka taistelu kokaiinia vastaan ruokkii rikolliskartelleja ja korruptoi sitä kautta vallankäyttäjiä poliiseista presidentteihin. Suurimittainen mutta tuloksiltaan vähäinen taistelu myös nostaa aineen hintoja, ja sitä kautta ajaa pienehkön ongelmakäyttäjien joukon rikollisiksi. Feiling tuo hyvin esiin sen, miten monella eri tavalla kokaiinia käytetään ja kuinka tämä jätetään usein huumausainepolitiikassa täysin huomiotta. Harvoin muistetaan, että vain pieni osa kokaiinia käyttäneistä päätyy aiheuttamaan itselleen merkittäviä ongelmia - lukuun ottamatta niitä, jotka seuraavat aineen käytöstä kiinni jäämisestä. Yhdysvaltojen toiminta niin kotimaassa kuin Etelä-Amerikassakin kuvataan ankarana, moralisoivana ja resursseja haaskaavana kulissipolitiikkana, johon harva kentällä toimiva enää itse uskoo.

Kuinka kokaiini valloitti maailman kärsii poukkoilevan tajunnanvirtaisesta otteesta, jonka johdosta teksti jää usein laahaamaan paikalleen. Myös tekstin lähteistä ja runsaasta, suoraan siteeratusta haastatteluaineistosta jää epämääräinen olo, ja Feilingin argumentointi on ajoittain hankalasti seurattavaa ja toisinaan heikosti perustellun oloista spekulointia. Kirja on kuitenkin informaatiosisällöltään lukemisen arvoinen, joskin monia sen sisältämiä väitteitä kannattanee tarkastella myös toisia lähteitä käyttäen.

[Tapani Aulu · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fellingin kirja käy läpi kokaiinin melko lyhyen historian länsimaissa, keskittyen enimmäkseen epäonnistuneeseen huumesotaan USA:ssa ja huumeiden kauttakulkumaissa. Kirja on pääosin sekavasti ja poukkoilevasti kirjoitettu, mutta informaatiota on kuitenkin runsaasti ja lähdemateriaali vakuuttavaa. Kuten niin moni muukin, Felling päätyy siihen, että kieltolait ovat epäonnistuneet ja laillistaminen rajoitetusti olisi paras vaihtoehto monestakin näkökulmasta. Suurin arvo itselleni oli se tieto, kuinka vähän aikaa kokaiini vasta on ollut "muodissa" ja toisaalta kuinka laajalle se on levinnyt.

[Lena Rakhimova · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read it twice to capture all moments because this book full of data, facts, interviews and history. Despite it is data orientated approach it is very opinionated. Some conclusions are based on point of view of author, so it should be read with cold mind and reader must think twice before accept the conclusion provided by author. In total, I recommend this book because of it’s collected data and materials and description why education in this area is very important.

[Haroon Haider · Rating 5 out of 5]

Americans are habituated to drugs, or as the book attempts to establish that Drug-abuse is indubitably American Way of Life, and that not all types of drugs but Cocaine has been the most beloved of post-Vietnam Americans. “In 1961, heroin seizures in the United States were running at about 1 kg a year. Only 4 million Americans had even tried an illegal drug. By 2003, 74 million Americans had done so."

The book is "the story of how the coca plant became the subject of an American war." From the jungles of Latin America, first Cubans, and then Colombians were provided with the market in North America, a market so rewarding that it had gotten plainly millions of people slain in last few decades but sadly every passing day users and traffickers are overwhelmingly growing, and so does the money and carnage.

The book tells that the Author (Tom Feiling) has a firm grasp and thorough understanding of every aspect of the subject, and he has a in-depth knowledge and comprehensive study along with his experience with the food chain of drug-trafficking. He knows that office-bearers were and are never earnest and thoughtful to take compact initiatives to stop ever-increasing drug problem in the world, but drug-war, and war on drugs are just wiles to seek public favors in the elections. He quotes that the term “war on drugs” was coined by Richard Nixon, but it had nothing to do with drugs, and everything to do with the fact that he was running for the Presidency for the second tie and he thought that that would be nice of that time he won. In Author’s opinion there was another reason for Nixon to use the so-called war on drugs as a diversion of American people from, as they say, bad press of failures in Vietnam. If there is any real war of drugs, this book is ranked as a General for such an army.

In the end, I would like to add my personal note to the subject. This book is a must read for every American. The abuse of tobacco, alcohol, prescription, and illicit drugs is economically taxing to the United States, annually costing approximately $137 billion in direct health care expenses. Cost estimates that include crime and lost work productivity balloon to over $600 billion dollars, equivalent to 17.1% of the U.S. federal budget. Cocaine use and abuse in America has a symbolic value now because Cocaine, and other opiates consumption is declining but then vaping and marijuana are more popular. Drugs are coming and going, but misuse of drugs is growing. Governments are not doing anything, and they will not, it has to come from the individuals, if we want a peaceful, prospering and above all a productive society.

[Julian Walker · Rating 4 out of 5]

An absolutely fascinating and immediately engrossing history and revelation of the illegal drugs process, trade and players.

On the one hand a little dispiriting that it has permeated so far into political life and negatively impacted so many good initiatives, but on the other hand, it was strangely uplifting that in the face of almost insurmountable odds, there are still people prepared to try and stop this insidious infection on society.

Although I am not sure that I agree with the ultimate solution proposed here, and the fact that my edition certainly could do with an update in the wake of recent US political developments, this is a highly educational book that reads like a thriller - and should be on everyone's list.

[Marta · Rating 1 out of 5]

Äej vafan, jävligt kämpigt att läsa ut denna. Säger ändå något att jag började med den i okt och nu är den utläst. Jävlar vad tråkig den var. Rekommenderar ej.

[Thu Nguyen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't drink, I don't smoke, and I don't think I will care to try drugs one day when they are legalized. But when that day come, I will welcome it as a good step into a better future in which the poor people of the world don't have to die to supply something the rich people see as fun.
This book is obviously skewed toward legalizing cocaine. It does its job in supplying the history, the statistics, different angles, insider stories, etc. It opens my eyes to the history of Jamaica, Mexico, and Colombia. It was not fun to read because these topics are bloody violent. But it's damned well worth the read.

[Nosmo · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a true hidden gem of modern drug literature in many ways. I was quite surprised to see the small number of reviews for the book given its publisher and topic, and it definitely deserves to be more well-read.

The book is clearly divided into three sections. Feiling first sets cultural context, giving a precise and concise overview of the history of drug prohibition with a focus on cocaine and also, vitally, an overview of the use of coca amongst the indigenous peoples of South America. The portrayal of traditional use of coca certainly gave me the impression that colonial attitudes towards coca use have had a palpable influence on how modern western culture views cocaine production and its use outside of the western world.

The second section clearly portrays the devastating impact that both drug use and, much more importantly, production have on peoples and environments around the world. The author details his time spent in Columbia towards the start of the book and this is palpable in the slightly-too-detailed but nevertheless horrifying section on the legacy of pollution, corruption and murder that western demand for cocaine has produced.

The third section proffers a small set of coherent and well-argued if not somewhat poorly arranged solutions and options for solving the problems that the war on drugs and specifically cocaine have wrought. I don't think I agreed with some of Feiling's arguments despite being a dedicated anti-prohibitionist, but the range of viewpoints and arguments ranging from users to cops made the section read as both convincing and thorough.

Despite being both professional in its tone and prolific in its use of reference and data, the book doesn't come across as stodgily academic or lose any degree of readability. If anything it just serves to frame and inform the various absurdities of the drug war (my personal favourite being that, despite increasingly widespread anti-coca spraying campaigns in Columbia, since 2003 more cocaine was exported from Columbia than was thought to exist in the country).

[Barry · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well written history of the use of cocaine, of drugs policy, drug trafficking, and efforts to control it. Also makes a lucid, powerful, and evidence-based case for legalisation combined with a harm-reduction public health policy approach to cocaine, and all psycho-active drugs (the most popular of which is, of course, alcohol).

[Tim · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Nation" is the world and "Cocaine" is a hell of a drug … Pretty okay book. Reads a bit like a very well researched term paper or Doctoral Thesis. Also a bit choppy and disjointed. But informative. Patience Please, A Drug Free America Comes First.

[Ed Beron · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Candy Machine, how cocaine took over the world.
Beginning of reading; 22-07-2023
End of reading: 28-07-2023

Tom Feiling's approach of this book is very interesting, compiling the necessary information and showing us the statistics, names, places, reasons, causes and consequences of what was and is the cocaine market up to the present.
This review may sound repetitive to many readers, but it is certainly a way of understanding the writer, his concerns, and other narratives that allow us to understand why drugs are used, their causes, and effects on the world population.
Tom Feiling handles his narrative in a very academic way almost achieving his goals. His journalistic work is methodical, managing to interview police officers and ex-police officers, politicians, ambassadors, drug traffickers, consumers and other smugglers in the field. "The Candy Machine" is divided into three parts;
The first part: talks about the historical and cultural part of the coca leaf, its distribution, uses and initial consumption, comparing it with other drugs on the market (Crack, amphetamines, LSD, etc.), the cultural beginnings of use in community to its commercial distribution, since the coca leaf began to be used, which could be from Guatemala to Peru with dates and details to create a debate. Tom tells us about the Coca-Cola company and its use of coca leaves in its drinks and the company sales in the market, about Rockefeller and his drug laws, about other presidents like Reagan, Bush and Clinton, each one of them showing their own drug policies.
In the second part, Feeling tells us about the smuggling that originates in Latin America from where the coca leaf harvest is generated, the chemistry is carried out and it is exported abroad. Consequently, there is talk of corruption, vendettas, foreign policy and its criminalization.
The third part tells us about the demand for drugs, the possible alternatives (pros and cons) of legalization, what possible alternatives there are to face the problem. The text analysis level comes with an introduction, acknowledgments, and reference notes as direct reporting and in-depth, critical investigation of the writing.
In "The Candy Machine" Tom Feiling does a long geographical and demographic tour of his travels and lists;
Colombia (politics, he talks about Álvaro Uribe, Farc, gangs, vendors and consumers)
United States (historical processes, talks on distribution, drugs and alcohol)
From Miami to New York.
Mexico (gangs, drug traffickers, "corridos" songs, presidential periods where drug trafficking takes place) including Tijuana
Jamaica (History and statistics on the use of marijuana), let's add other regions of Europe such as Spain, Holland to the United Kingdom. Once again, Tom's statements are to be read and thus understand why the drug market exists and its repercussions on the world population, A must read.

[WIlliam Gerrard · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an enthralling, well-researched book, that reveals many unknown new facts about the global cocaine industry. The book opens with a chapter focussing on the USA, the biggest market for the Cocaine industry, where 66% of Cocaine users exist. We then enter into the producing and transit phase of the drug and examine Colombia, Mexico and the Caribbean in detail. Colombia has the infamous Medellín and Cali cartels, much responsible for the initial production of Cocaine. The role of the FARC, AUC and the Colombian Civil War is documented and the political difficulties with America's Plan Colombia and the extreme bribery involved in Colombian political life. In Mexico, we see how the various cartels such as Sinaloa, Juárez, Gulf and Tijuana have gone to war, recruiting the services of such paramilitaries as Los Zetas. The Caribbean covers Jamaica in detail and also Cuba, Haiti and the various tax haven islands. In Jamaica we see how politics have heavily influenced the gang culture and the rise of the Shower Posse is documented. In all of the Western producer country sphere, the USA and its policies is never far from the forefront. The 'War on Drugs' in force from many successive administrations at the White House, often focuses on producer and transit countries and is totally supported by draconian United Nations international legislation. The European market, in particular the United Kingdom is the second largest market for Cocaine and some countries here have introduced decriminalisation. In places such as Holland and Portugal, drug use is not penalised. The author explores how users are affected by the drug and explores addiction, in particular the problems of crack cocaine. In the final part of the book we look at possible legalisation solutions although, despite Feiling's enthusiasm for this to happen, I fear it will be many generations before this becomes politically possible. Perhaps with potential cannabis decriminalisation and legalisation on the agenda, it will open up the doors for other narcotics to follow suit? I enjoyed the book and it really does go into detail on what is an interesting subject and a truly global industry.

[Kamran Sehgal · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was certainly an eye-opener for me and it is a credit to the writer for making the work immensely readable as well as informative. I had grown up with many of the myths ad falsities that most Americans have which this work brilliantly puts to rest.
This book is now over a decade old and, thankfully, many of the attitudes have changed particularly when it comes to drug legalisation. Hell even some Republicans are supporting at least marijuana legalisation and now it seems that more and more states are legalising the forbidden leaf.
I hope things change in the US and the way it approaches this very much self-inflicted wound that has devastated much of Latin America and the Caribbean. Indeed the most astonishing and infuriating episodes in this book are the ways American embassies have destroyed valid laws to amend this situation, very much based on data and evidence, to make sure that everyone plays by Washington's tune - even if they are out of tune.

[Christopher · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very interesting book with plenty of inside information from the likes of cartel members, CIA officers, policemen, doctors, authors etc, all with great knowledge and understanding of what the cocaine machine really is, and what it really produces as a byproduct.

Most disturbing chapter on prisons in the United States, why they are so numerous, the types of people that work there, the policemen and judges that fill them, and who they fill them with. Highlights the corruption of the united states government and who funds them. Also the chapters on the main countries involved in the production and distribution of cocaine and what it's actually done to the culture and the people there.

Chapter on legalisation was good and gives the reader two sides of the argument to think about.

[Niklas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ihan mielenkiintoinen katsaus kokaiiniin ja etenkin sen yhteiskunnallisiin vaikutuksiin. Tom Fellingin teos käy läpi niin tuotanto-, salakuljetus- kuin käyttöolosuhteetkin, ja ampuu siinä samalla alas useita kokaiiniin ja muihin laittomiin huumeisiin liittyviä väärinkäsityksiä. Erityisen pysäyttävää on aika vakuuttava aineisto siitä kuinka pikemminkin USA:n huumeiden vastainen sota kuin kokaiinin ominaisuudet sinänsä aiheuttaa tuskaa ja kärsimystä vähän joka maailmankolkassa. Välillä kirja haahuilee liikakin, eikä lähteiden käyttö tai argumentaatio ole kaikissa luvuissa kovinkaan vahvalla pohjalla, mutta ihan hyvä populaari näkökulma aiheeseen tämä on.

[Henrietta · Rating 3 out of 5]

At first I found this quite hard to get in to. The author talks a lot about different regimes and governments from across the world, expecting the reader to know who and the context by just mentioning the name - I found this difficult to keep up with. At times I also felt the authors voice very opinionated, and I would have preferred facts - in this sense I felt like some arguments were not fully balanced.

All of this being said, this book raised some really valid points and discussed some different opinions which I had not considered before. I’ve definitely learned a lot from reading this! It’s a shame the facts/figures are now quite out of date.

[Paul McBride · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to read this book because of the author’s deep knowledge of Colombia but it is sadly just loaded with a lot of statistics and opinions of those on both sides of the illegal drug business, users, and law enforcement.
The case he makes for legalizing- in this case cocaine, is better than others I have read, but I had hoped there would be more on the trail from the grower to the processor, to the multiple middlemen.
Still it is a good resource especially for someone with limited knowledge.

[Aparna · Rating 3 out of 5]

An in-depth study of the cultivation, supply and usage of cocaine across the world. This book is very fact-heavy, but I question the credibility of some of the evidence the author gives. This book claims that cocaine is no more addictive than other substances such as nicotine and alcohol... but then goes on to give a scientific account of how cocaine affects the brain, and why it’s so addictive. Nevertheless, this is a detailed account of the rise of cocaine, with some interesting possible solutions to the 'war' on drugs.

[Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting insight into a controversial topic. It is at times a little incohesive with no clear links from the topic of one paragraph to the next and the lengths of the chapter is possibly too long at times but the information is good. Chapter 12 on how legalisation could happen provides a strong argument for the how, but it is difficult to see it ever happening in the current climate. It's a bit out of date now so it would be interesting to see an updated perspective. TLDR: worth a read if you are interested in the legalisation debate

[Jamie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got this after reading a book set in Colombia to learn a little more about cocaine distribution. What I got was so much more. A history of drug prohibition in the west, a solid argument against the fruitlessness of prohibition a well-sourced book about drug laws and use, and more.

My only quibble was that some of the quotes felt too "similar" and weren't sourced. I'm not saying he's faking. But they might have been edited for clarity.

[Chris Jones · Rating 1 out of 5]

The history is interesting but the pieces about addiction and treatment are so badly researched and misleading that the book is impossible to recommend (best example is probably the part where the author insists there's no evidence that smoking while pregnant causes birth defects. It took literally 3 seconds on google to find a reputable source debunking him on this.) There's plenty of media about the coke trade that's just as insightful and not nearly as toxic.

[Захарченко Віктор · Rating 4 out of 5]

Кокаїн створює двох переможців: наркокартелі заробляють мільярди на забороні, а державні структури —сотні тисяч робочих місць на боротьбі з нею. Обидві сторони існують завдяки криміналізації. Том Фейлінг у книзі «Cocaine Nation» стверджує: головна проблема не в кокаїні, а в способі, яким світ намагається його контролювати. За його спостереженнями, антинаркотична політика США перетворилася на війну, яка породжує більше жертв, ніж сам наркотик.

[Zams · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very interesting read which seems to me like a good basis to get into the topic and relay to different more in-depth topic about this whole ordeal.
A little dry and/or repetitive at times, but on the other hand also politically critical and even witty.
I also really like the personal experiences of interviewed or quoted people, very interesting and as a whole very well researched in my opinion.

[Ally · Rating 2 out of 5]

I listened to this to broaden my reading and learn more about parts of South America. This is clearly an incredibly well researched piece with huge amounts of data and discussion with a wide range of people and cultures involved in the production and use of cocaine.

I found the politics quite dry, and was more interested in the individual lives of those caught up in the endemic. Only two stars as I found my attention wandering a lot.

[Avery · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book and learned a lot about cocaine and its global trade which is particularly relevant in the news these days. At times it was difficult to get through large amounts of statistics especially because they are all so out of date. I’d be interested to read an updated version of this book that considers the context of the legalization of marijuana in many states in the US

[Henrik Andersson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fascinating story about both historical, political and cultural aspects of this drug. Sometimes it goes on a bit too long in certain parts but I can't complain too much considering how good the best parts were. An interesting read for anyone who wishes to learn more about the world.

[Sarah loves books 😻😻😻 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Informative, educational and eye opening! A strong 3 or weak 4 stars