Our Drugs War (Life and Death of a Dealer)- Mondays @ 8pm- 8 out of 10

God damn you Channel 4! Why must you consistently offer high quality, thought provoking documentaries about controversial subjects. Why! It's so difficult to take the piss out of something so good, though I guess I could have just watched something else that was of poor quality (maybe Channel 5, or Channel 5+1 or Fiver or Five USA).

Anywho, on to the documentary and the reviewing thing. Our Drugs War: Life and Death of a Dealer
is the second in a three part series by documentary-maker Angus MacQueen, renowned for his documentaries on drugs. The series is largely arguing for legalisation, rather than prohibition, of drugs.

This film follows a New York drug dealer by the name of Thomas Winston, who at age 28 has been in prison for a quarter of his life (7 years to those who can't do maths).

Winston began drug dealing at the age of 13, is a black man, lives in the New York Projects and has a small child, born with a woman he barely knows. Paints a stereotypical picture doesn't it?

But no, Winston is a well spoken and intelligent man with the desire to get a 9-5 job. He produces a reasoned argument at the inherent racism of US drug law. How cocaine only carries a penalty of one year in jail but crack cocaine carries a jail term of 10 years. Cocaine is a Wall Street drug, crack a ghetto drug.

Furthermore, the dealers MacQueen speaks to all back up Winston's theory of racist law, saying that their suppliers are white, suburban people and yet they just will not get arrested.

Winston's situation is inescapable due to the lack of support for ex-cons with no education or past jobs. As Winston's councillor explains: What incentive is there for a young man who can earn $15,000 a week dealing drugs, for not a lot of work to go straight and work at McDonalds earning $110 a week?

The genius of this film is that while it should be difficult to pity drug dealers, this film leaves you feeling for Winston and the hand life has dealt him, where he appears to be merely a victim of circumstance and that one slip at the age of 13 leads to a life time of inescapable crime.

MacQueen's bravery as a film maker is also in evidence, particularly going into dangerous areas for a man with a camera and a very white, English accent. Overall, a fantastic documentary with a heart breaking ending. Brava Channel 4.