Plain English with Derek Thompson

A Mysterious Health Wave Is Breaking Out Across the U.S.

112 snips
Dec 27, 2024
Joining the discussion is Charles Fain Lehman, a Fellow at the Manhattan Institute, who specializes in analyzing trends in drugs and violence in America. He addresses why the U.S. has high mortality rates compared to other wealthy nations. Surprisingly, he reveals a recent decline in drug deaths, murders, and obesity rates, hinting at a possible health wave. Lehman explores the paradox of rising drug accessibility despite declining overdose rates and analyzes how social disruptions during the pandemic might have influenced crime trends.
Ask episode
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
INSIGHT

Drug Waves of the 21st Century

  • The 21st century saw escalating drug overdose deaths in four waves.
  • These waves began with prescription drugs, followed by heroin, fentanyl, and a poly-drug crisis.
INSIGHT

Hidden Drug Trends

  • Drug overdose deaths seemed like a single exponential curve.
  • Closer examination reveals distinct trends within the larger crisis.
INSIGHT

Policy Successes and Drug Deaths

  • Increased naloxone availability, medication-assisted treatment (buprenorphine), and supply-side interventions are potential policy successes.
  • The decline in overdose deaths might be partially attributed to these policy changes.
Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode
Get the app