Progress, Potential, and Possibilities Podcast / Show Dan Addario - Former Special Agent In Charge - U.S. DEA - New Ideas For The Global Drugs Crisis
According to the U.S. National Survey on Drug Use and Health, an estimated 20 million American adults battled a full-fledged substance use disorder in 2017. Drug abuse and addiction cost American society more than $740 billion annually in lost workplace productivity, healthcare expenses, and crime-related costs. Mr. Dan Addario spent 3 decades with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), rising to the role of Special Agent in Charge, the highest-ranking field agent for the DEA under five presidents, heading up anti-drug operations in 13 countries throughout South American, South East Asia, as well as in the U.S. Dan started his career in Philadelphia as one of the nation’s first narcotics undercover agents in 1954 and was involved in the capture of some of the world’s most notorious drug lords, and was even on scene when Panamanian strongman Manuel Noriega was captured by US forces. Dan's list of accomplishments consists of, but is not limited to: - A cultivation of the U.S. strategic relationship with the Panamanian leader, Manuel Noriega, who at the time, was head of police in Panama and fighting the war on drugs with the U.S. , - The chase and capture Auguste Joseph Ricord, the French-Corsican heroin trafficker and one of the founding members of the French Connection, immortalized in the 1970s Gene Hackman movie, - Infiltrating the center of the “Golden Triangle” opium empire of Burmese opium king Khun Sa, - The major drug bust, round up and arrest of dozens of Hell’s Angels, including their head Sonny Barger - The destruction of a dozen of drug guru Timothy Leary’s LSD labs - The drug arrest Ray Charles - Working with special counsel Robert Mueller, Frank Sinatra, and Watergate figures including John Dean and Gordon Liddy Sadly, in 1993 the very scourge he was battling came home and was responsible for taking the life of his son Daniel due to opiate addiction. After he retired from the DEA, Mr. Addario spent some time in the news business working for a San Francisco news station. He has recently published a book entitled "Chasing the Dragon: How to Win the War on Drugs" where is recounts his long history and experience as well as puts forth a range of new ideas as the drug war continues in this millennium.