Dopesick by Beth Macy
The opioid epidemic is a multi-faceted problem, but in her latest book, Dopesick, Beth Macy explores how-we-got here, starting with the introduction of OxyContin by Purdue Pharma in 1996. She interviews drug company reps, doctors, politicians, convicted drug dealers, law enforcement personnel, and rehab clinicians.
She also reports on and becomes close to a handful of wildly dissimilar addicts from her home state of Virginia.
Although Macy can point to a few encouraging developments, solving this epidemic will not be quick or easy. Furthermore, it will require an unusually high level of cooperation from various interest groups.
My only complaint is that the narrative is a bit choppy. The intimate portraits of the addicts that Macy befriends and the comprehensive analysis of the issues could be two different books. Macy’s earlier book Factory Man, a look at the demise of the American furniture business, is a more successful blend of issues and individuals.
A thought-provoking read.