Sam Quinones is an investigative journalist who wrote an extraordinary book about the opioid epidemic in America called “Dreamland.” He joins us to talk about the tremendous challenges he found in writing the book, how the book helped break the story of the opioid epidemic, and his brilliant insights on the road forward in this epidemic. In parts frightening and inspiring, this is an amazing discussion
Key Points
Starting his investigation into the opioid epidemic
The collision of opioid prescribing and heroin marketing
The spread of “the horror story monster”
Why prison is the best place to interview a drug dealer
Finding people with a story to tell about opioid addiction
Why so many addicts hid their story for so long
The darkest moments in “Dreamland”
Constructing the book so the story takes life
Importance of pain strategies that don’t rely solely on opioids
Novel approaches at the community level to tackling the epidemic
How an isolating drug is prompting Americans to work together
Finding inspiration in the ways communities can and are rebuilding
