America is in the midst of a new drug crisis. Earlier this year, the CDC reported a staggering 107,000 overdose deaths in 2021. That's one every five minutes. It's up almost 15% from 2020 and nearly 70% of those deaths involved fentanyl. 

On today's episode, Duane speaks with Sam Quinones who has been sounding the alarm for years. A journalist and storyteller, Sam is a former LA Times reporter and author of four acclaimed books of narrative nonfiction, including New York Times bestseller and National Book Critics Circle Award winner, Dreamland: The True Tale of America's Opiate Epidemic. She’s also the author of the National Book Critics Circle Award finalist, The Least of Us: True Tales of America and Hope in the Time of Fentanyl and Meth, which captures the devastation of this new epidemic of synthetic drugs, but at the same time, offers a lot of hope.

Duane and Sam explore the root of this whole opioid crisis and the need for us, as a society, to embrace recovery without anonymity, no more euphemisms, and no more hiding. We all have to get out of the shame that comes with addiction. We’re also living in a culture of addictive stuff where fast food, sugars, and pornography are legal. All this boils down to social change that is best achieved in small ways and small daily efforts – and it all starts with you!

In this episode, you will hear:

• The supply of synthetic drugs in Mexico
• How his book focuses on the message of hope in the midst of the opioid era
• Dr. Lou Ortenzio’s story of addiction and recovery
• Getting rid of the anonymity and euphemisms
• How we’re living in a culture of addictive stuff
• Becoming a master of your own fate
• What you can do on an individual level

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Supporting Resources:

https://samquinones.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/samquinonesjournalist 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/samquinones_author/ 

Dreamland: The True Tale of America's Opiate Epidemic

https://www.amazon.com/Dreamland-YA-Americas-Opiate-Epidemic/dp/1547601310

 The Least of Us: True Tales of America and Hope in the Time of Fentanyl and Meth

https://www.amazon.com/Least-Us-Tales-America-Fentanyl-ebook/dp/B0932RRNVL?ref_=ast_sto_dp

 NovusMindfulLife.com

Episode Credits

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