Welcome to Ten Blocks. I'm Charles Fain Levin, a fellow at the Manhattan Institute and a contributing editor

of City Journal. Last year, over 100,000 Americans died by drug overdose, driven by the

spread of deadly new synthetic drugs. That 100,000 death figure represents more than 30 out of

every 100,000 Americans an unprecedented crisis.

What listeners may not know is that America is not the only nation struggling with

drug overdose death. To our north in Canada, there is a similar and rapidly growing problem.

In 2022, nearly 20 and every 100,000 Canadians died by drug overdose,

thanks similarly to the spread of potent synthetic drugs like fentanyl and methamphetamine.

My guest today is one of the men trying to tackle that crisis.

Marshall Smith is the outgoing chief of staff to Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, no relation.

In that role, he architected a pioneering strategy for addressing addiction and drug

overdose death.

The Alberta model, as it's being called, has attracted attention around the world among

nations struggling with addiction.

Marshall, welcome to Tim Blocks. That's good to see you, Charles. Marshall, welcome to 10 blocks.

That's good to see you, Charles.

Thanks so much for having me.

Absolutely.

Before we talk a little bit about your work, I want to frame the conversation by asking

you to tell me a little bit how you got into dealing with addiction, substance use recovery,

the whole space.

Sure.

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