About the Film
For more than a century — and at a cost of over a trillion dollars — the world has waged war on drugs. Millions have been imprisoned or killed. And yet, people continue to use them.
Will drugs ever disappear? Will the war on drugs ever end?
History suggests we’re asking the wrong questions.
For centuries — in some cases, millennia — drugs have shaped our cultures, economies, politics, and societies. They have fueled empires, inspired social movements, transformed medicine, and sparked moral panics. They have been celebrated, commercialized, criminalized, and condemned.
So what if the question isn’t how to stop drugs, but how do we better live with them?
Drug History Shorts is an animated series that challenges everything we think we know about drugs. From humanity’s earliest drug experiments, to the rise of global markets, prohibition, and legalization, we unravel the history of the drugs we fear, the drugs we love, and the ones we can't seem to live without.
Featuring award-winning animator Pete List and original histories by groundbreaking scholars from around the world, the series reveals how drugs have shaped the world we live in, and why understanding that history matters more than ever.
Help us bring these untold stories to life. Your support will help make Drug History Shorts possible.