‘The War on Drugs has been raging for more than 50 years. I wanted to question whether it is working—and if so, for whom.’ Mads Nissen
We are living in the golden age of cocaine. Consumption and production have never been higher, despite more than 50 years of the War on Drugs. For many Europeans and North Americans, cocaine is a party drug. For many Latin Americans, it’s a source of bloodshed, violence, corruption, and death.
This new reportage book—Sangre Blanca—by award winning documentary photographer Mads Nissen (b.Denmark, 1979), his most significant body of work to date, delves into the murky depths of the cocaine trade, examining the human consequences along its journey—from the neglected countryside of Colombia to cartel lands of Mexico, to (c)raving consumers on a European dancefloor. The publication, with photos taken between 2016 and 2025, takes us across countries and continents over almost a decade.
The book presents a distinctive photographic body of work that explores the human consequences of global cocaine consumption, with unprecedented access and insight into producers, smugglers, law enforcement and organized criminal groups across the borders.
Through its intimate and multi-layered visual language, Sangre Blanca invites reflection on contemporary conditions such as escapism, hedonism, global inequality, and neocolonialism—while confronting the enduring question of user responsibility and the very nature of the war on drugs.
Specifications: GOST ・ 2026 ・ Hardback cloth cover ・ 20 x 25,5 cm. / 192 pages ・ English ・ 978-1-915423-92-4
