Dreamland: The True Tale of America's Opiate Epidemic b

by BurningFrog 2017-10-05

The book to read about the opioid crisis is Dreamland by Sam Quinones.

It is really well written and researched and lays out the several separate events and trends that converged to make this perfect storm happen when and where it did:

https://www.amazon.com/Dreamland-True-Americas-Opiate-Epidem...

Original Thread

by heymijo 2017-08-19

We can conjecture all we'd like, but Sam Quinones wrote a rather definitive history of the opioid epidemic in America. https://www.amazon.com/Dreamland-True-Americas-Opiate-Epidem...

Sam ran the podcast circuit awhile back if you want to listen to his story. I found out about it via Russ Roberts' Econ Talk. http://www.econtalk.org/archives/2017/01/sam_quinones_on.htm...

Original Thread

by sien 2017-08-19

One of the big drivers in this has been the quadrupling in opioid prescriptions in the US since 1999.

https://www.amazon.com/Dreamland-True-Americas-Opiate-Epidem...

Long interview podcast (~1hr) with the author to listen to or read the transcript of here:

http://www.econtalk.org/archives/2017/01/sam_quinones_on.htm...

Original Thread

by waterside81 2017-08-19

For those interested in this topic and how the opiate epidemic has stretched across the US, read Dreamland by Sam Quinones (https://www.amazon.com/Dreamland-True-Americas-Opiate-Epidem...)

There are a multitude of reasons to explain how this happened but to quickly sum up an excellent book:

- Purdue created the whole "sell-direct-to-doctor" phenomena that is now the norm in the US medical profession

- One bad study that showed opiates for pain relief are NOT addictive and this study kept being cited by sales people

- Mexican drug dealers from a very tiny area in Mexico importing black tar heroin

- A prevailing idea in the US that people should never be in pain and managing it through lifestyle changes is not acceptable; a quick fix is needed

- economic depression in the Midwest and Appalachia regions

But really, read the book. It's eye opening and well written.

Original Thread

by soneca 2017-08-19

Interesting, but I just listened to Econtalk podcast[1] where the guest, author of the book Dreamland about opioid epidemic[2], claims that all this epidemy only started at first place because researchers at the time claimed that opioid based pain relief medicine was disassociated from addiction (and pharma companies gladly played along).

Except it wasnt.

Very worthy your time listening to this guy if you are interested in the topic.

[1] https://www.amazon.com/Dreamland-True-Americas-Opiate-Epidem...

Original Thread

by test1235 2017-08-19

I just finished reading Dreamland which I also thought was good.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dreamland-True-Americas-Opiate-Epid...

This book has more of a focus on American pharma industry but still has lots of interesting insider insights.

Original Thread

by blawson 2017-08-19

The book Dreamland covers this quite a bit, and is a good read on the subject:

https://www.amazon.com/Dreamland-True-Americas-Opiate-Epidem...