6 chapters across the catalog
Reports of "Narcan parties," where drug users supposedly overdose on purpose to be revived, are dismissed as a PR fabrication designed to boost the stock of companies manufacturing the anti-overdose drug. An ex-firefighter explains that Narcan immediately induces violent withdrawal and vomiting, making the idea of using it for a "party" medically absurd. The surge in Narcan-related news is linked to suspicious trading volumes in pharmaceutical stocks.
Obama Weekly Address on Prescription Drug Take Back Day
President Obama's weekly address focuses on National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, linking prescription painkiller abuse to the rise in heroin overdoses. The hosts criticize the address for conflating legal prescriptions with illegal drug use and suggest it serves as an advertisement for the pharmaceutical industry. They also note that the head of drug policy, Michael Botticelli, is in recovery for alcoholism.
Naloxone Overdose Treatment, Meth Complications and Flakka
The hosts discuss the use of Naloxone (Narcan) by first responders to reverse heroin overdoses. They share an anecdote from a firefighter who dislikes the drug because patients often wake up in a violent, meth-fueled rage. The segment also touches on the rise of the synthetic drug "Flakka" in Florida and its bizarre effects on users.
Philip Seymour Hoffman Death and the Heroin-Fentanyl Crisis
Following the breaking news of actor Philip Seymour Hoffman's death, the hosts discuss a surge in heroin overdoses linked to fentanyl-laced batches. They note the arrest of Senator Mark Udall's son for heroin possession and reports of "deadly batches" in Maryland. The discussion links the increased heroin supply to the ongoing military presence in Afghanistan's poppy fields.
Media Promotion of Lethal Drugs and 2006 Fentanyl History
The hosts analyze how news reports describing drugs as "lethal" or "too powerful" often act as a sales pitch to addicts seeking a stronger high. They compare the current 2014 crisis to a similar marketing push in 2006 in Chicago. They argue that the repackaging of fentanyl as a "new phenomenon" is a recurring cycle in the illicit drug market.
Prescription Drug Abuse, National Overdose Statistics
The national drug czar reported that prescription drug abuse has reached epidemic levels in the United States. Recent data indicates that the number of people dying from prescription drug overdoses, specifically involving opioids like OxyContin, now exceeds the number of gunshot fatalities. The report suggests a shift in focus toward legal pharmaceutical abuse over illicit street drugs.
