This movie fails to address the impact of drug use itself on people, families and society. In fact, it portrays opium use as a harmless past-time that the government only cracked down to eliminate or subdue the Asian workforce, especially in CA, who were competing with whites for jobs. Heroin is a devastating drug that is highly addictive and alters a person's brain chemistry as well as their physical health. A heroin addict becomes zombie-like and their only interest is getting their next fix. They barely even function...they can't hold down a job, they barely eat, their hygiene is horrible, and they lie, cheat and steal...and yes they end up selling drugs to support their habit. It is a total spiraling downwards.
I'm not saying that the drug laws are fair, however, and I think that much more could be done to rehabilitate people who are incarcerated for drug-related crimes. Much shorter jail sentences and vocational training while inside could help mitigate the revolving door problem of repeat offenders. Let's stop throwing people away with this arrogant attitude that we're so much better and more deserving than they are. They are us and we are them. We're all in this together.
As I said before, though, the movie really minimizes the effects that heroin, cocaine and methamphetamines have on the people that use them. They're not harmless. It's not OK to use them just because you're down and out and can't find a job. If there's a conspiracy to wipe out the lower classes through incarceration for drug offenses, as this movie suggests, then stop using and selling drugs! They really are not OK.
I'm not saying that the drug laws are fair, however, and I think that much more could be done to rehabilitate people who are incarcerated for drug-related crimes. Much shorter jail sentences and vocational training while inside could help mitigate the revolving door problem of repeat offenders. Let's stop throwing people away with this arrogant attitude that we're so much better and more deserving than they are. They are us and we are them. We're all in this together.
As I said before, though, the movie really minimizes the effects that heroin, cocaine and methamphetamines have on the people that use them. They're not harmless. It's not OK to use them just because you're down and out and can't find a job. If there's a conspiracy to wipe out the lower classes through incarceration for drug offenses, as this movie suggests, then stop using and selling drugs! They really are not OK.