It's a bit of a Blur

Sorry about the dreadful title here. Blur's bassist and now gentleman farmer in Gloucestshire, Alex James is off to Columbia with Panorama tonight to take a look at the cocaine business. This is mildly ironic as he is also famous for having - by his own guestimate, got through a £1m worth of the Bolivian marching powder and champagne during Blur's peak years. The programme is on tonight (BBC1 8.30p.m.) and to his credit, at least in interviews I've heard earlier, he makes the point that cocaine is not a victimless drug and that in the war-zone that is Columbia it's the farmers and the poor who get it in the neck. They are abused and exploited by the cartels keen to spoon larger amounts of the white stuff in to the ever eager mouths of US and European punters.

Health Warning: The last time I watched a Panorama on a subject I knew a bit about - Methadone, it was complete. inaccurate. rubbish. Just wrong. So this is not an endorsement, but I think James sounds articulate and thoughtful. We shall see.