. >> next on booktv, johann hari talks about the history of the 100-year war on drugs around the world. he spent three years and traveled 30,0

. >> next on booktv, johann hari talks about the history of the 100-year war on drugs around the world. he spent three years and traveled 30,000 miles to report on the story. >> i'm super, super thrilled to be hosting what i think is the first talk we've ever hosted for a book that has been blurbed by both noam chomsky and elton john. [laughter] this blew my mind. so that is really also for my exciting. and then finally i'm excited to have a book that says something a little new about the drug war. we all know the drug war is bad and awful right? i don't want need to tell you that right? if you're living in baltimore, you know that the drug war is bad and awful. but what it's really exciting, when someone with the talent writing journalism like johann hari comes along and is able to look at that history, look at where we are today, talk to people, go to place figure out a way to tell the story in a way that makes us see new things but gives us a different lens and a different optic on something that we know is horrible and in telling that story gives us a way to deal with it and create

but it's really exciting with someone with the talent of writing and journalism like johann hari comesng talks to people figures out a way to tell the story in a way that makes us see new things and gives us a different lens than a different optic on something we know is horrible and in telling that story gives us a way to do with it and create a better future. i'm terribly excited to welcome him and i'm glad you all came out. [applause] >> thank you for coming. when the war on drugs is being launched the man who launched it harry anslinger said they were someplace in the world that proved more than any other that it was going to work. he said if you look at this place it would prove that if you cracked crack down hard enough if you are rested enough people if you are consistently tough drugs and drug gangs would disappear. that place was baltimore. how is it working out for you? i feel like before i start i should apologize for something which it might be able to tell from my voice i'm not from here. i've spent a lot of time in the u.s. and i have never felt self-conscious about it un