Traffic follows events in the lives of four groups of people who, on the surface, are seemingly unrelated. As the plot unfolds, however, we find that they are in fact inextricably linked by the pervasive use of illegal drugs, and the United States of America’s so-called “war on drugs.” Corruption, hypocrisy, and futility are shown to be the efforts of the attempt to prohibit drug use through laws and law enforcement. The stories of the jaded protagonists shed light on the ineffectiveness and waste of the war, and invite discussion and consideration of more enlightened options for regulating use of narcotics.