Raising Awareness and Addressing Drug Addiction

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The speaker expresses shock at the visible effects of drug addiction and suggests that such a shocking visual could be used to raise awareness and address the problem. The chapter also highlights the confounding nature of the San Francisco issue, with big companies moving out of the city and people being hesitant to visit certain areas due to drugs being openly used. The speaker also mentions the competing ideas of the war on drugs and the importance of not incarcerating drug users, but acknowledges the need to address the problem of people hurting themselves due to drug addiction.

Ben Westhoff is a best-selling investigative journalist focusing on culture, drugs, and poverty. Ben’s book Fentanyl, Inc.: How Rogue Chemists Created the Deadliest Wave of the Opioid Epidemic was the culmination of a four-year investigation into the worst drug crisis in American history, an investigation that included Ben making an undercover visit to Chinese drug factories. His latest book, Little Brother: Love, Tragedy, and My Search for Truth tells the story of Ben’s search for his little brother’s killer. Ben is currently working on a documentary, Antagonist, about naltrexone, an opioid treatment medicine that some have called a “wonder drug.” Ben joins the show to discuss the failure of the War on Drugs, the role played by Big Pharma, how he speaks to his children about drugs, what most Americans misunderstand about poverty, and MUCH more. Important Links:

Show Notes:

The Worst Drug Crisis in World History
How China and Fentanyl Are Connected
Why Can’t the USA Stop This?
The Failure of the War on Drugs; Better Solutions
Vivitrol: a Wonder Drug?
Finding Better Ways to Care For the Vulnerable
Free Markets & Big Pharma
How Ben Speaks to His Children About Drugs
Innovation & Stigmatization
How Harm Reduction Can Help
What Has Happened to San Francisco?
Could Decriminalization Work?
Ben’s Hunt For His Little Brother’s Killer
What Most Americans Misunderstand About Poverty; How Listeners Can Help
How Ben’s Documentary Can Help
Ben as Emperor Of The World
MORE!

Books Mentioned:

Fentanyl, Inc.: How Rogue Chemists Created the Deadliest Wave of the Opioid Epidemic; by Ben Westhoff
Little Brother: Love, Tragedy, and My Search for Truth; by Ben Westhoff
Original Gangstas: Tupac Shakur, Dr. Dre, Eazy-E, Ice Cube, and the Birth of West Coast Rap; by Ben Westhoff
Thank You For Smoking; by Christopher Buckley