Cocaine Diaries: Alex James in Colombia

See all reveals

Colombia now accounts for 62% of the world's cocaine production, a trade the UN estimates to be worth $70 billion worldwide. Today, cocaine has overtaken coffee as Colombia's top export, producing over 610 metric tons a year.

In this very personal documentary, former cocaine addict Alex James, bassist of Britpop band Blur, travels to Colombia under invitation of the Colombian president to see first-hand what the cocaine industry is doing to the country and its people. With near-unrestricted access, Alex meets the farmers, the sellers, and the enforcers. And Alex learns that the toll is staggering: after admitting he spent a million pounds on cocaine during the height of Blur's fame, he discovers that a gram of cocaine sells on the Colombian streets for just £1.00 and is the cause of 17,000 murders every year in Colombia. Here, cocaine and violence are inextricable. As Alex himself finds out: "It's a long way from a cheeky line at a dinner party. It's terrifying."

Watch the Video
Buy it on iTunes