Ben Westhoff is a best-selling investigative journalist focusing on culture, drugs, and poverty.
Ben’s book Fentanyl, Inc.: How Rogue Chemists Created the Deadliest Wave of the Opioid Epidemic was the culmination of a four-year investigation into the worst drug crisis in American history, an investigation that included Ben making an undercover visit to Chinese drug factories. His latest book, Little Brother: Love, Tragedy, and My Search for Truth tells the story of Ben’s search for his little brother’s killer.
Ben is currently working on a documentary, Antagonist, about naltrexone, an opioid treatment medicine that some have called a “wonder drug.”
Ben joins the show to discuss the failure of the War on Drugs, the role played by Big Pharma, how he speaks to his children about drugs, what most Americans misunderstand about poverty, and MUCH more.
Important Links:
- Ben’s Website- https://www.benwesthoff.com/
- Drugs + Hip-Hop Newsletter- https://benwesthoff.substack.com/about
- Antagonist Documentary Teaser - https://www.benwesthoff.com/documentary
Show Notes:
0:00:00 Intro
0:01:06 Main podcast
0:02:23 The Worst Drug Crisis in World History
0:07:53 How China and Fentanyl Are Connected
0:10:37 Why Can’t the USA Stop This?
0:13:36 The Failure of the War on Drugs; Better Solutions
0:19:36 Vivitrol: a Wonder Drug?
0:29:33 Finding Better Ways to Care For the Vulnerable
0:32:22 Free Markets & Big Pharma
0:37:10 How Ben Speaks to His Children About Drugs
0:39:40 Innovation & Stigmatization
0:46:57 How Harm Reduction Can Help
0:49:25 What Has Happened to San Francisco?
0:52:34 Could Decriminalization Work?
0:58:01 Ben’s Hunt For His Little Brother’s Killer
1:01:29 What Most Americans Misunderstand About Poverty; How Listeners Can Help
1:06:30 How Ben’s Documentary Can Help
1:09:56 Ben as Emperor Of The World
1:13:41 End screen
Books Mentioned:
- Fentanyl, Inc.: How Rogue Chemists Created the Deadliest Wave of the Opioid Epidemic; by Ben Westhoff
- Little Brother: Love, Tragedy, and My Search for Truth; by Ben Westhoff
- Original Gangstas: Tupac Shakur, Dr. Dre, Eazy-E, Ice Cube, and the Birth of West Coast Rap; by Ben Westhoff
- Thank You For Smoking; by Christopher Buckley
