Episode

9/16 Fentanyl, Inc: How Rogue Chemists Are Creating the Deadliest Wave of the Opioid Epidemic w/ Ben Westhoff

September 16, 2019

Award-winning investigative reporter Ben Westhoff joins us to discuss his book, ‘Fentanyl, Inc: How Rogue Chemists Are Creating the Deadliest Wave of the Opioid Epidemic.’

On today’s show: Flashback: Kavanaugh lying to Blumenthal about “Renata Alumnus” yearbook. Bethany Mandel defends Kavanaugh putting his penis in Debie Ramirez’s face. Roommate Avi Smolen says Mandel is not remembering correctly.

Author and investigative reporter Ben Westhoff joins us to discuss his book, ‘Fentanyl, Inc: How Rogue Chemists Are Creating the Deadliest Wave of the Opioid Epidemic.’ While heroin deaths have gone down in recent years, deaths from fentanyl and other drugs continue to climb. “Synthetic” drugs like K2, whereby chemists continuously change a drug’s molecular make-up to stay a step ahead of the law, are also a problem. For this book, Westhoff investigated this phenomenon in detail, speaking with users, dealers, and law enforcement, even going so far as to pretend to be a drug dealer so he could tour the Chinese chemical factories that sell the precursors to fentanyl and other drugs. To fight overdose deaths, he recommends decriminalization, supervised injection facilities, free testing strips, and other harm reduction measures.

Dave Rubin finally blocks Sam; the crew looks back on the good times.

On the fun half: Chris Coons and Kilmeade come together for war with Iran. Brian Kilmeade says we must protect the world’s oil supply. Schiff says intel director’s refusal to reveal a whistleblower complaint is “deeply troubling.” 2017: Biden retells the Corn Pop saga at Wilmington pool. Bernie explains fair housing and real estate reform. Chris Christie says Bernie was “visually unappealing” during debate. Buttigieg doesn’t want policies that will “polarize” the country.

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Get your tickets to the Michael Brooks live show in Philadelphia on Saturday, November 23rd (the weekend before Thanksgiving) with special guests Krystal Ball and Emma Vigeland! Get your tickets here.

Get your tickets to the Goth Socialist Variety Hour w/ The Antifada and Pod Damn America at Littlefield NYC on Saturday, October 12 here!

Check out Jamie’s write-up of the 2019 DSA convention at Commune Magazine

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