“World War-D” is 448 pages, 6x9 and is available in paperback and ebook on http://www.world-war-d.com/ ($14.95 - 25% off the paperback version). To order from Amazon, go to http://www.amazon.com/dp/0984690409/ .
Here is a brief presentation of "World War-D":
Once in a long while comes a book that changes the way we look at a particular issue. “World War-D” aspires to be such a book; it changes the way we think about the war on drugs, pulling it out of the ideological and moralist morass where it has been enmeshed from the onset, turning things on their heads – or I should say, back on their feet.
“World War-D” revolves around the simple but fundamental question: “Are organized societies capable and willing to manage and control psychoactive substances, instead of leaving it to organized crime?” This, really, is placing the bar extremely low when you think about it. After all, the vast majority of psychoactive substances, including the two deadliest, are already legal and more or less efficiently controlled. Will our lawmakers grow up enough to garner the will?
What will it take for decision-makers to display the wisdom and garner the courage to end the disastrous War on Drugs and responsibly take charge of drug production and trade instead of leaving it in the hands of extremely dangerous and powerful international criminal organizations?
This is what drug policy expert have to say about "World War-D":
Gustavo de Grieff – was Attorney General of Colombia and oversaw the capture of Pablo Escobar and the surrender of the Cali Cartel; Gustavo de Grieff is one of the very few high level officials who called for legalization while he was in office:
Jack Cole: Former undercover DEA agent and LEAP (Law Enforcement Against Prohibition) founder and Chairman:"I find that you have written one of the best books on the drug problem that I have read (and I have read more than thirty books on that subject). For example, your history of prohibition in part 1 is without any doubt the best I have ever read. your chapters on possible legalization and regulation and on your counter arguments against it are excellent and I subscribe to them entirely."
Arthur Torsone, author of “Herb Trader”:"It is a very good read and already I can say a very important work. You did a fantastic job. It is up there with the very best drug policy books."
Santiago Roel, Crime Prevention consultant pioneering government reform in Mexico since 1991. Author, lecturer – http://www.prominix.com:"I believe your book will be extremely helpful to those who have the power to reverse the existing draconian drug laws. Hopefully your book will be a road map to a sane conclusion. When the rulers of our land eventuality exchange prisons for medical clinics the bible hand book that will be used to EDUCATE the citizen in need of help should be your book. It shows how and why we humans react as we do to outside substances.
I’m still blown away by the incredible amount of detailed information you have, what an extraordinary work of literature you have here, congratulations."
John P., typesetter, while working on book layout:"It is a thorough and well-documented compilation, a global overview of all the issues revolving around the war on drugs, prohibitionism and psychoactive substances. It offers a methodical, well-argued and compelling case against prohibitionism and a realistic and pragmatic roadmap to global legalization. Anyone genuinely interested in understanding this failed war and its negative impact on the World should begin by reading this book."
Here is a more detailed presentation of "World War-D":“I am fairly amazed by the content, as I read pieces; this is impressive. There is nothing out there like that.”
“World War-D” is an articulate and comprehensive indictment of prohibitionism and the War on Drugs, covering all the major sides of the issue from a global perspective. It presents a realistic, pragmatic and well-argued blueprint for global controlled legalization.
The book is over-loaded with facts, statistics and analysis. It covers the major issues, from the ideological and historical origin of prohibitionism, to its ever-spreading and devastating failure throughout the 20th century. Prohibitionism created a de facto police state with its propaganda, its censorship and its massive incarceration of deviants. It trampled civil liberties and turned the US into the world’s top jailer with 25% of the world’s jailed population, feeding a voracious prison-industrial complex with an inmate population reaching 2.5 million as of 2010.
“World War-D” gives you the major facts about the geopolitical, economic, social and human cost of the War on Drugs. It clearly demonstrates how prohibition and the black market evolve in close symbiotic relationship, and why prohibition is bound to fail in a market economy; why it is not practically and efficiently enforceable; why it is the worst possible form of control.
At the same time, “World War-D” helps you understand the issues surrounding psychoactive substances. It gives you a good overview of the workings of the brain and how it reacts to them, regardless of their legal status. It gives you a clear comprehension of the processes of addiction – to substances or behavior, from alcohol and tobacco to drugs, gambling or religion - debunking a few myths in the process. It clearly demonstrates that prohibition just worsens and amplifies the harms brought about by abuse and addiction, and creates a whole range of harms of its own. The bulk of the harm attached to illegal drugs derives not from the use of drugs, but from the perverse effects of their criminalization.
“World War-D” explains the role of alcohol as dominant psychoactive substance of Western civilization from its origin to present days, and how it influenced the War on Drugs, why the War on Drugs is also a cultural war. “World War-D” makes it clear that the legal status of a substance is rather arbitrary and has more to do with cultural and economic factors than with neurochemical activity and harm potential. Most psychoactive substances have medical applications and while they all have potential for abuse, their moderate recreational use is generally relatively harmless and may even have beneficial health or societal effects. The War on Drugs bundled use and abuse of currently illicit drugs with catastrophic consequences.
The third section of the book is dedicated to drug policy reform, starting with the drastic climate change that is occurring on the drug prohibition front and how attitude-changes are reframing the debate. My proposed solutions may not be to the liking of the most libertarian and most fervent legalization activists, but I believe that they have the merit of being acceptable by key players within the international community. In order to be workable, legalization needs to be global, or for the least involve the major producing and transiting countries, as well as a critical number of consuming countries. If such critical mass can be attained, there is not much the US will be able to do.
Altogether, “World War-D” clearly demonstrates that the only viable long-term solution is controlled legalization of all substances, under a multi-tiered “legalize, tax, control, treat and educate” regime. Far from giving up and far from an endorsement, controlled legalization would be finally growing up, being realistic instead of being in denial, being in control instead of leaving control to the underworld. It would abolish the current regime of socialization of costs and privatization of profits to criminal enterprises, depriving them of their main source of income and making our world a safer place.
No matter where you stand on drug prohibition, you will get a much clearer understanding of the topic in all of its multi-faceted complexity and with a global perspective. The book will prove invaluable to policy-makers, activists and concerned citizens alike. Anybody willing to look at the issue with an open mind will be able to take a far more informed position.
Help spread the word! I encourage you to share this presentation and promote it to your friends and family, with my utmost gratitude. We cannot allow the War on Drugs to go on for another 40 years, let alone another 100 years!
Thank you for your support.