Search Engine Why are drug dealers putting fentanyl in everything? (Part 1)
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Aug 11, 2023 Join journalist Ben Westhoff, author of "Fentanyl, Inc.," as he unpacks the disturbing rise of fentanyl in street drugs. He shares chilling recordings from a Chinese lab, revealing how dealers integrate this deadly substance into various drugs—often risking their own customers' lives. Westhoff discusses the dual legacy of fentanyl's creator and dives into the cultural narratives that led to the opioid epidemic. He also sheds light on the dangers of drug contamination and the stark realities of profit-driven practices in the drug trade.
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Undercover in Chinese Fentanyl Labs
- Ben Westhoff, author of Fentanyl, Inc., infiltrated Chinese fentanyl labs posing as a buyer.
- He gained access by creating a fake persona and pretending to represent a New York drug dealer.
Drug Dangers and Cultural Narratives
- Drug dangers depend on cultural narratives, not just inherent properties.
- The opioid crisis stems from forgetting old dangers and accepting new narratives of safety, like with OxyContin.
The Sacklers and the Opioid Crisis
- Purdue Pharma, owned by the Sackler family, downplayed OxyContin's addictive potential, contributing to the opioid crisis.
- This created a market of addicted users who turned to heroin and, subsequently, fentanyl when OxyContin became regulated.
