The drug-addiction problem is addressed in strange terms. The addict that is at the centre of this story is a "sick" comic, a small but growing class of stand-up comedians of the era that used shock to get attention. Leading the pack was a man named Lenny Bruce, who was also an addict, so maybe he was in the scriptwriter's mind.
The hero of this tale committed murder while in a drug-addled frenzy, thus giving impetus for a capitol trial, rather than some dreary dope bust proceeding, but nevertheless the courtroom scenes (typically for this series) turn into a social justice soapbox. Things that could never be allowed outside of a Hollywood fantasy courtroom occur, with preposterous questions motivated by liberal dislike for drug enforcement laws brought up, including asking a witness being asked if we (society) has the moral right to judge the poor junkie. The unsympathetic cop in charge of the narcotics unit and the comic's father-in-law are unreasonably, incoherently intolerant of poor dopers, just to make sure you're aware of who to sympathise with.
The hero of this tale committed murder while in a drug-addled frenzy, thus giving impetus for a capitol trial, rather than some dreary dope bust proceeding, but nevertheless the courtroom scenes (typically for this series) turn into a social justice soapbox. Things that could never be allowed outside of a Hollywood fantasy courtroom occur, with preposterous questions motivated by liberal dislike for drug enforcement laws brought up, including asking a witness being asked if we (society) has the moral right to judge the poor junkie. The unsympathetic cop in charge of the narcotics unit and the comic's father-in-law are unreasonably, incoherently intolerant of poor dopers, just to make sure you're aware of who to sympathise with.
