Russell Brand used to be an addict of alcohol, heroin and other drugs. In his documentary, Brand challenges the system currently in use to treat addicts in Britain. His passionate, honest and eye-opening opinions on what needs to change is captivating. When Amy Winehouse died, a friend of his at the time, he realized he needed to stop taking drugs. He was told that if he kept up his lifestyle of daily drug use he would either be dead, in jail or in an insane asylum within 6 months. By the time he was 27, the same age Amy Winehouse died, Russell Brand was clean.

The method he took was an abstinence program. It worked for him but as we find out, only 10% of addicts are treated this way. Instead, the root of the issue is ignored and the government prescribes methadone to the addicts instead of drugs such as heroine and this way they are taking a legal drug with a prescribed amount. As Brand argues, this is not making the addicts any less of addicts just because they are now on a legal government authorized drug. In fact, addicts will always crave a high and therefore the prescribed amount of methadone will simply keep them too stable; addicts are going to continue taking their drugs. Though methadone is supposed to stop needle use and lower HIV from being spread, it is not addressing the true disease and condition that is addiction. Addiction should be being addressed as a health issue not a judicial or criminal issue. Russell Brand talks to a scientist who is leading research into the brain and how it relates and is affected by addiction. He also talks to doctors and addicts themselves giving us an in depth look at addiction.