The Pete Quiñones Show

Episode 1237: **Throwback** How They Used Opioids as a Weapon Against White America w/ Trey Garrison

Jul 8, 2025
In this engaging discussion, Trey Garrison, an investigative journalist and co-author of "Opioids for the Masses," sheds light on the dire impact of the opioid crisis on the white working class. He reveals how misleading marketing by Big Pharma, particularly Purdue Pharma, contributed to widespread addiction. Garrison shares poignant stories from communities like Jasper, Alabama, emphasizing the need for systemic change. The conversation also critiques aggressive pharmaceutical advertising and its societal implications, suggesting deeper issues at play in America's health narrative.
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ANECDOTE

Deep Field Research Experience

  • Trey Garrison spent weeks in hard-hit towns like Appalachia and the Rust Belt for deep research on the opioid crisis.
  • This hands-on approach revealed stories the usual brief reports missed, exposing the epidemic's human toll.
INSIGHT

OxyContin's Deceptive Launch

  • Purdue Pharma falsely marketed OxyContin as non-addictive and time-released to deceive doctors.
  • This marketing kickstarted a massive surge in prescriptions and addiction starting mid-1990s.
INSIGHT

Curtailing Prescriptions Backfires

  • Cutting opioid prescriptions led many addicts to street drugs like heroin and fentanyl, increasing overdoses.
  • Narcan saved lives but masked the rising overdose problem on the streets.
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