Podcasts about deadliest wave

In 2023, 107,543 Americans died from an overdose—over 75 thousand of those overdosed from fentanyl. This is almost double the number of people who died in car accidents or from gun homicides that year. Fentanyl has been cut into heroin for years, but now is often mixed into meth and cocaine, fueling rising death counts for those drugs, a troubling development, considering that Americans are much more likely to try meth and cocaine than heroin. In Canada, the numbers are similarly astronomical, and fentanyl deaths have marched upward in Australia and many European countries as well. Ten years ago, fentanyl and its analogues overtook heroin to become the deadliest drug in Sweden. “Fentanyl is the game changer,” Special Agent in Charge James Hunt of the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) told Vice News. “It's the most dangerous substance in the history of drug tracking. Heroin and cocaine pale in comparison to how dangerous fentanyl is.” Ben Westhoff is a best-selling investigative journalist focused on drugs, culture, and poverty. His book Fentanyl, Inc.: How Rogue Chemists Created the Deadliest Wave of the Opioid Epidemic is the bombshell first book about fentanyl. Since its publication, Westhoff has advised top government officials on the fentanyl crisis, including from the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, the U.S. embassy in Beijing, and the U.S. State Department.

It's hard to fathom the scale of the United States' fentanyl crisis: In 2023, more Americans died from fentanyl overdoses than in the Iraq, Afghanistan, and Vietnam Wars – combined. In the same year, more Americans died from fentanyl overdoses than from car crashes, gun homicides, drowning, and choking – combined. And in 2023 alone, more Americans died from fentanyl than could fill the Kansas City Chiefs' Arrowhead Stadium for a playoff game. In order to better understand how we reached this point and what we can do now, we talked to Ben Westhoff, the author of "Fentanyl Inc.: How Rogue Chemists Are Creating the Deadliest Wave of the Opioid Epidemic." Fueled by questions from the Roca community (which we gathered on Instagram), we had a wide-ranging conversation on fentanyl that covered its history, lethality, supply chain, US infrastructure, offshoots, and more. Ben also shared the story of when he visited a Chinese chemical manufacturer, posing as a fentanyl producer himself. He learned how the Chinese companies make the fentanyl precursors and how the Chinese government incentivizes their production. You can buy Fentanyl Inc. right here: https://www.amazon.com/Fentanyl-Inc-C... Please make sure to subscribe to this channel for more important conversations like this one and to help us get better guests. Unless, of course, you want to stay in your echo chamber. For any questions or feedback, email us at wethe66@rocanews.com.

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 Drugs + Hip-Hop Newsletter Antagonist Documentary Teaser Show Notes: The Worst Drug Crisis in World History How China and Fentanyl Are Connected Why Can't the USA Stop This? The Failure of the War on Drugs; Better Solutions Vivitrol: a Wonder Drug? Finding Better Ways to Care For the Vulnerable Free Markets & Big Pharma How Ben Speaks to His Children About Drugs Innovation & Stigmatization How Harm Reduction Can Help What Has Happened to San Francisco? Could Decriminalization Work? Ben's Hunt For His Little Brother's Killer What Most Americans Misunderstand About Poverty; How Listeners Can Help How Ben's Documentary Can Help Ben as Emperor Of The World MORE! 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

Links from the show:* Fentanyl, Inc.: How Rogue Chemists Are Creating the Deadliest Wave of the Opioid Epidemic* Connect with Ben* Ben's substack* Never miss an episode* Rate the showAbout my guest:Ben Westhoff is a best-selling investigative journalist, speaker, and filmmaker focused on drugs, culture, and poverty. His books are taught around the country and have been translated into languages all over the world.Westhoff's Fentanyl, Inc.: How Rogue Chemists Created the Deadliest Wave of the Opioid Epidemic is the bombshell first book about fentanyl, which is causing the worst drug crisis in American history. Westhoff was interviewed about the book for Fresh Air and Joe Rogan, and has written about the fentanyl crisis for The New York Times, The Atlantic, the Los Angeles Times, and many others. Since the book's publication, Westhoff has advised top government officials on the fentanyl crisis, including from the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, the U.S. embassy in Beijing, and the U.S. State Department. He now speaks at conferences and summits around the country about the opioid crisis, and is the 2023 Norman E. Zinberg Memorial Lecture awardee from Harvard Medical School.His new book Little Brother: Love, Tragedy, and My Search for the Truth tells the story of his relationship with Jorell Cleveland, his longtime mentee in the Big Brothers Big Sisters program. When Jorell was murdered at age 19, and the case went cold, Ben used his skills as an investigative journalist to find the killer. It's a three-year investigation set in the northern suburbs of St. Louis that uncovers a heartbreaking cycle of poverty, poor education, drug trafficking, and violence. The Common Reader calls it “important and a must-read.”Westhoff's 2016 book Original Gangstas: Tupac Shakur, Dr. Dre, Eazy-E, Ice Cube, and the Birth of West Coast Rap is one of the best-selling hip-hop books of all time. It received raves from Rolling Stone and People, and a starred review in Kirkus. S. Leigh Savidge, Academy Award nominee and co-writer of Straight Outta Compton said it "may be the best book ever written about the hip hop world."Westhoff's work has appeared in The New York Times, the Library of Congress, The Atlantic, The Guardian, The Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, NPR, Rolling Stone, Daily Beast, New York, Forbes, Vice, Oxford American, Pitchfork, and others. He's been honored by the National Association of Black Journalists, the National Entertainment Journalism Awards, Religion Newswriters Association, Best Music Writing, Best of Southern Food Writing, L.A. Press Club, and the Missouri Press Association.He has been interviewed as an expert commentator for CNN, BET, A&E, and ITV, and is the former L.A. Weekly music editor and Voice Media Group Senior music editor. He's a contributor to the Smithsonian Anthology of Hip-Hop and Rap, and his 2011 book on southern hip-hop, Dirty South: OutKast, Lil Wayne, Soulja Boy, and the Southern Rappers Who Reinvented Hip-Hop continues to be a strong backlist title. Get full access to Dispatches from the War Room at dispatchesfromthewarroom.substack.com/subscribe

Every day, nearly 200 Americans die from a fentanyl overdose. This synthetic drug represents the latest phase of the decades-long opioid epidemic that began with prescription pain pills. Scott Higham is part of a team of reporters at the Washington Post that investigated the crisis — and the government failures that led us here. Higham spoke with Apple News In Conversation host Shumita Basu about the Post’s investigation.

Ben Westhoff is an award-winning investigative journalist and author of the highly-acclaimed, bombshell first book about fentanyl, Fentanyl, Inc.: How Rogue Chemists Created the Deadliest Wave of the Opioid Crisis. He is a foremost expert on the drug's history, distribution, abuse, and treatment. For the book he traveled the world interviewing users, dealers, scientists, treatment experts, law enforcement agents, and political leaders, and was the first journalist to infiltrate a Chinese fentanyl lab.Since publication, Westhoff has advised top government officials on the fentanyl crisis, including at the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, the U.S. Ambassador to China, the DEA, and the State Department. He was interviewed for full, dedicated episodes of Fresh Air and the Joe Rogan Experience, has written about the fentanyl crisis for The New York Times, The Atlantic, and the Los Angeles Times, and was a subject of a National Geographic channel documentary. He has been an expert commentator for CNN, NPR, BBC, and CBC.Now, Westhoff appears around the world as a keynote speaker at summits, conferences, university forums and other events, from Baltimore to Las Vegas to Mexico City. His presentations include never-published media from his infiltration of Chinese drug operations and street-level fentanyl reporting in America. His talks focus on all aspects of the fentanyl crisis, from addiction to recovery, from law enforcement tactics to harm reduction efforts, from the drug's creation to its future.Westhoff shows how fentanyl became the worst drug crisis in American history, and what we can do about it.Websitebenwesthoff.comBookFentanyl, Inc.: How Rogue Chemists Are Creating the Deadliest Wave of the Opioid Epidemic

My special guest tonight is author Ben Westhoff who's here to discuss the deadliest opioid ever created causing instant death in adults, children and even infants. Get his book Fentanyl, Inc.: How Rogue Chemists Are Creating the Deadliest Wave of the Opioid Epidemic on Amazon. A remarkable four-year investigation into the dangerous world of synthetic drugs―from black market drug factories in China to users and dealers on the streets of the U.S. to harm reduction activists in Europe―which reveals for the first time the next wave of the opioid epidemicA deeply human story, Fentanyl, Inc. is the first deep-dive investigation of a hazardous and illicit industry that has created a worldwide epidemic, ravaging communities and overwhelming and confounding government agencies that are challenged to combat it. “A whole new crop of chemicals is radically changing the recreational drug landscape,” writes Ben Westhoff. “These are known as Novel Psychoactive Substances (NPS) and they include replacements for known drugs like heroin, cocaine, ecstasy, and marijuana. They are synthetic, made in a laboratory, and are much more potent than traditional drugs”―and all-too-often tragically lethal. Drugs like fentanyl, K2, and Spice―and those with arcane acronyms like 25i-NBOMe― were all originally conceived in legitimate laboratories for proper scientific and medicinal purposes. Their formulas were then hijacked and manufactured by rogue chemists, largely in China, who change their molecular structures to stay ahead of the law, making the drugs' effects impossible to predict. Westhoff has infiltrated this shadowy world. He tracks down the little-known scientists who invented these drugs and inadvertently killed thousands, as well as a mysterious drug baron who turned the law upside down in his home country of New Zealand. Westhoff visits the shady factories in China from which these drugs emanate, providing startling and original reporting on how China's vast chemical industry operates, and how the Chinese government subsidizes it. Poignantly, he chronicles the lives of addicted users and dealers, families of victims, law enforcement officers, and underground drug awareness organizers in the U.S. and Europe. Together they represent the shocking and riveting full anatomy of a calamity we are just beginning to understand. From its depths, as Westhoff relates, are emerging new strategies that may provide essential long-term solutions to the drug crisis that has affected so many. Request To Join Our Private Community Visit our home on the web: https://www.mysteriousradio.com Follow us on Instagram @mysteriousradio Follow us on TikTok mysteriousradioTikTok Follow us on Twitter @mysteriousradio Follow us on Pinterest pinterest.com/mysteriousradio Like us on Facebook Facebook.com/mysteriousradio Mysterious Radio is starting a spin off podcast called Paranormal Fears! If you love to hear a sh*t load of in-depth interviews that are ONLY about supernatural phenomena this is your home! New shows are being produced now and will start releasing at the end of this month! Follow 'Paranormal Fears' on any podcast app or Apple Podcasts. Check Out Mysterious Radio! (copy the link to share with your friends and family via text Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How the Chinese and the Mexicans are deliberately killing Americans; not that this book will come out and admit it.  And of what should be done about it. The written version of this review can be found here. We strongly encourage, in these days of censorship and deplatforming, all readers to bookmark our main site (https://www.theworthyhouse.com). You can also subscribe for email notifications. The Worthy House does not solicit donations or other support, or have ads. 

A drug epidemic of monstrous and devastating proportions has descended upon the globe and governments are failing to keep up. Previously medicinal and beneficial drugs have been hijacked and altered by rogue chemists to stay one step ahead. We discuss the work of a journalist who penetrated deep into the shadowy world of novel psychoactive substance manufacturing and learn how China intends to use it for unconventional warfare. Then for our Plus+ members we cover a terrifying modern poltergeist encounter and hear how bringing a cursed photo into a home caused a chain reaction of paranormal events. Links Fentanyl, Inc.: How Rogue Chemists Are Creating the Deadliest Wave of the Opioid Epidemic War Without Rules: China's Playbook for Global Domination Yuanchengtech Plus+ Extension The extension of the show is EXCLUSIVE to Plus+ Members. To join, click HERE . Leave This House: The frightening true story of the Birmingham Poltergeist (British Paranormal X-Files) The Unknown Guest: The Mystery of Intuition This House is Haunted: The True Story of the Enfield Poltergeist

I have had the honour to interview Ben Westhoff about his 4 year research into latest opioid epidemic which at the time of writing has caused in excess of 100000 deaths in the United States. A deeply human story, Fentanyl, Inc. is the first deep-dive investigation of a hazardous and illicit industry that has created a worldwide epidemic, ravaging communities and overwhelming and confounding government agencies that are challenged to combat it. “A whole new crop of chemicals is radically changing the recreational drug landscape,” writes Ben Westhoff. “These are known as Novel Psychoactive Substances (NPS) and they include replacements for known drugs like heroin, cocaine, ecstasy, and marijuana. They are synthetic, made in a laboratory, and are much more potent than traditional drugs”—and all-too-often tragically lethal. Drugs like fentanyl, K2, and Spice—and those with arcane acronyms like 25i-NBOMe— were all originally conceived in legitimate laboratories for proper scientific and medicinal purposes. Their formulas were then hijacked and manufactured by rogue chemists, largely in China, who change their molecular structures to stay ahead of the law, making the drugs' effects impossible to predict. Westhoff has infiltrated this shadowy world. He tracks down the little-known scientists who invented these drugs and inadvertently killed thousands, as well as a mysterious drug baron who turned the law upside down in his home country of New Zealand. Westhoff visits the shady factories in China from which these drugs emanate, providing startling and original reporting on how China's vast chemical industry operates, and how the Chinese government subsidizes it. Poignantly, he chronicles the lives of addicted users and dealers, families of victims, law enforcement officers, and underground drug awareness organizers in the U.S. and Europe. Together they represent the shocking and riveting full anatomy of a calamity we are just beginning to understand. From its depths, as Westhoff relates, are emerging new strategies that may provide essential long-term solutions to the drug crisis that has affected so many. Ben Westhoff is a St. Louis-based, award-winning investigative reporter who writes about culture, drugs, and poverty. His book Fentanyl, Inc.: How Rogue Chemists Created the Deadliest Wave of the Opioid Epidemic is the bombshell first book about the fentanyl epidemic. Westhoff has become the go-to expert on the subject of fentanyl and new drugs, sought out for consultation by top government officials, including from the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, and the U.S. State Department. He has appeared on full dedicated episodes of NPR's Fresh Air and the Joe Rogan Experience podcast. His next book Little Brother: Love, Tragedy, and My Search For the Truth (Hachette Books, May 2022) focuses on his investigation into the death of his long-time mentee in the Big Brothers Big Sisters program. His previous book Original Gangstas is the definitive work on West Coast hip-hop. He has also written for The Atlantic, The Wall Street Journal, Rolling Stone, and the Guardian. https://www.benwesthoff.com/  #opioids #addiction #recovery #opioidcrisis #opioidepidemic #heroin #addictionrecovery #drugs #opioidaddiction #opioid #fentanyl #secondchance #reentry #overdose #naloxone #addictiontreatment #harmreduction #secondopinion #advice #recovering #soberlife #recoveryjourney #twelvesteps #substanceabuse #sobriety #recovery #recoveryispossible #alcoholism #addictionawareness

Ben Westhoff is an award-winning investigative journalist whose best-selling 2019 book Fentanyl, Inc.: How Rogue Chemists Are Creating the Deadliest Wave of the Opioid Epidemic (Grove Press, 2019), was one of the first to take fentanyl seriously as both a social phenomenon and a national threat. Since its release, Westhoff has become a policy expert, advising top government officials on the fentanyl crisis, and continuing to follow the story on his Substack account. The author of two previous nonfiction books and numerous articles in outlets like the Atlantic, The Guardian, and the Wall Street Journal, Westhoff's fourth book, Little Brother: Love, Tragedy, and My Search for the Truth comes out this spring. Emily Dufton is the author of Grass Roots: The Rise and Fall and Rise of Marijuana in America (Basic Books, 2017). A drug historian and writer, her second book, on the development of the opioid addiction medication industry, is under contract with the University of Chicago Press. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/public-policy

Ben Westhoff is an award-winning investigative journalist whose best-selling 2019 book Fentanyl, Inc.: How Rogue Chemists Are Creating the Deadliest Wave of the Opioid Epidemic (Grove Press, 2019), was one of the first to take fentanyl seriously as both a social phenomenon and a national threat. Since its release, Westhoff has become a policy expert, advising top government officials on the fentanyl crisis, and continuing to follow the story on his Substack account. The author of two previous nonfiction books and numerous articles in outlets like the Atlantic, The Guardian, and the Wall Street Journal, Westhoff's fourth book, Little Brother: Love, Tragedy, and My Search for the Truth comes out this spring. Emily Dufton is the author of Grass Roots: The Rise and Fall and Rise of Marijuana in America (Basic Books, 2017). A drug historian and writer, her second book, on the development of the opioid addiction medication industry, is under contract with the University of Chicago Press. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/science-technology-and-society

Ben Westhoff is an award-winning investigative journalist whose best-selling 2019 book Fentanyl, Inc.: How Rogue Chemists Are Creating the Deadliest Wave of the Opioid Epidemic (Grove Press, 2019), was one of the first to take fentanyl seriously as both a social phenomenon and a national threat. Since its release, Westhoff has become a policy expert, advising top government officials on the fentanyl crisis, and continuing to follow the story on his Substack account. The author of two previous nonfiction books and numerous articles in outlets like the Atlantic, The Guardian, and the Wall Street Journal, Westhoff's fourth book, Little Brother: Love, Tragedy, and My Search for the Truth comes out this spring. Emily Dufton is the author of Grass Roots: The Rise and Fall and Rise of Marijuana in America (Basic Books, 2017). A drug historian and writer, her second book, on the development of the opioid addiction medication industry, is under contract with the University of Chicago Press. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/law

Ben Westhoff is an award-winning investigative journalist whose best-selling 2019 book Fentanyl, Inc.: How Rogue Chemists Are Creating the Deadliest Wave of the Opioid Epidemic (Grove Press, 2019), was one of the first to take fentanyl seriously as both a social phenomenon and a national threat. Since its release, Westhoff has become a policy expert, advising top government officials on the fentanyl crisis, and continuing to follow the story on his Substack account. The author of two previous nonfiction books and numerous articles in outlets like the Atlantic, The Guardian, and the Wall Street Journal, Westhoff's fourth book, Little Brother: Love, Tragedy, and My Search for the Truth comes out this spring. Emily Dufton is the author of Grass Roots: The Rise and Fall and Rise of Marijuana in America (Basic Books, 2017). A drug historian and writer, her second book, on the development of the opioid addiction medication industry, is under contract with the University of Chicago Press. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/drugs-addiction-and-recovery

Ben Westhoff is an award-winning investigative journalist whose best-selling 2019 book Fentanyl, Inc.: How Rogue Chemists Are Creating the Deadliest Wave of the Opioid Epidemic (Grove Press, 2019), was one of the first to take fentanyl seriously as both a social phenomenon and a national threat. Since its release, Westhoff has become a policy expert, advising top government officials on the fentanyl crisis, and continuing to follow the story on his Substack account. The author of two previous nonfiction books and numerous articles in outlets like the Atlantic, The Guardian, and the Wall Street Journal, Westhoff's fourth book, Little Brother: Love, Tragedy, and My Search for the Truth comes out this spring. Emily Dufton is the author of Grass Roots: The Rise and Fall and Rise of Marijuana in America (Basic Books, 2017). A drug historian and writer, her second book, on the development of the opioid addiction medication industry, is under contract with the University of Chicago Press. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ben Westhoff is an award-winning investigative journalist whose best-selling 2019 book Fentanyl, Inc.: How Rogue Chemists Are Creating the Deadliest Wave of the Opioid Epidemic (Grove Press, 2019), was one of the first to take fentanyl seriously as both a social phenomenon and a national threat. Since its release, Westhoff has become a policy expert, advising top government officials on the fentanyl crisis, and continuing to follow the story on his Substack account. The author of two previous nonfiction books and numerous articles in outlets like the Atlantic, The Guardian, and the Wall Street Journal, Westhoff's fourth book, Little Brother: Love, Tragedy, and My Search for the Truth comes out this spring. Emily Dufton is the author of Grass Roots: The Rise and Fall and Rise of Marijuana in America (Basic Books, 2017). A drug historian and writer, her second book, on the development of the opioid addiction medication industry, is under contract with the University of Chicago Press. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ben Westhoff is an award-winning investigative journalist whose best-selling 2019 book Fentanyl, Inc.: How Rogue Chemists Are Creating the Deadliest Wave of the Opioid Epidemic (Grove Press, 2019), was one of the first to take fentanyl seriously as both a social phenomenon and a national threat. Since its release, Westhoff has become a policy expert, advising top government officials on the fentanyl crisis, and continuing to follow the story on his Substack account. The author of two previous nonfiction books and numerous articles in outlets like the Atlantic, The Guardian, and the Wall Street Journal, Westhoff's fourth book, Little Brother: Love, Tragedy, and My Search for the Truth comes out this spring. Emily Dufton is the author of Grass Roots: The Rise and Fall and Rise of Marijuana in America (Basic Books, 2017). A drug historian and writer, her second book, on the development of the opioid addiction medication industry, is under contract with the University of Chicago Press. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/medicine

Ben Westhoff is an award-winning investigative journalist whose best-selling 2019 book Fentanyl, Inc.: How Rogue Chemists Are Creating the Deadliest Wave of the Opioid Epidemic (Grove Press, 2019), was one of the first to take fentanyl seriously as both a social phenomenon and a national threat. Since its release, Westhoff has become a policy expert, advising top government officials on the fentanyl crisis, and continuing to follow the story on his Substack account. The author of two previous nonfiction books and numerous articles in outlets like the Atlantic, The Guardian, and the Wall Street Journal, Westhoff's fourth book, Little Brother: Love, Tragedy, and My Search for the Truth comes out this spring. Emily Dufton is the author of Grass Roots: The Rise and Fall and Rise of Marijuana in America (Basic Books, 2017). A drug historian and writer, her second book, on the development of the opioid addiction medication industry, is under contract with the University of Chicago Press. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Summary:We talk with Ben Westhoff — award winning reporter and author of Fentanyl, Inc — about LSD on a mountain hike, hip hop artist arrest records, and magic mushrooms at a work conference.Highlights:— NUGGET AND A NOODLE: Toronto votes to decriminalize all drugs; are  transcendent experiences simply a chemical reaction for Darwinian evolution (0:35)— Ben's relationship with East Coast hip-hop (2:38) — Research on the Opioid epidemic (3:09)— Challenging parts of the book writing process (5:47)— What surprised Ben about hip-hop culture (7:02) — Celebrities changing attitudes as they grow older (9:25)— Why LSD is arguably safer than Water (12:05)— How LSD gives Ben profound confidence (14:31)— Why LSD's production should be standardized (21:55)— Teaser from his upcoming book Little Brother: Love Tragedy and My Search for the Truth (22:21)— SOUL SEARCH: Ben's three favorite rappers of all time... (24:55)Ben Westhoff:He is a best-selling, award-winning investigative journalist who writes about culture, drugs, and poverty. His books are taught around the country and have been translated into languages all over the world. His new book Little Brother: Love, Tragedy, and My Search for the Truth (May 24, 2022, Hachette Books) details his search for the man who killed Jorell Cleveland, Westhoff's longtime mentee in the Big Brothers Big Sisters program. Part memoir, part true crime, it's a three-year investigation set in the northern suburbs of St. Louis that uncovers a heartbreaking cycle of poverty, poor education, drug trafficking, and violence. Westhoff's 2019 work Fentanyl, Inc.: How Rogue Chemists Are Creating the Deadliest Wave of the Opioid Epidemic is the bombshell first book about fentanyl, which is causing the worst drug crisis in American history. Westhoff was interviewed about the book for Fresh Air and Joe Rogan, and published an excerpt in The Atlantic. Since the book's publication, Westhoff has advised top government officials on the fentanyl crisis, including from the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, the U.S. embassy in Beijing, and the U.S. State Department. Westhoff's 2016 book Original Gangstas: Tupac Shakur, Dr. Dre, Eazy-E, Ice Cube, and the Birth of West Coast Rap is one of the best-selling hip-hop books of all time. It received raves from Rolling Stone and People, and a starred review in Kirkus. S. Leigh Savidge, Academy Award nominee and co-writer of Straight Outta Compton said it "may be the best book ever written about the hip hop world."Westhoff's work has appeared in the Library of Congress, The Atlantic, The Guardian, The Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, NPR, Rolling Stone, New York, Forbes, Playboy, Vice, Oxford American, Pitchfork, and others. He's been honored by the National Association of Black Journalists, the National Entertainment Journalism Awards, Religion Newswriters Association, Best Music Writing, Best of Southern Food Writing, L.A. Press Club, and the Missouri Press Association. He has been interviewed as an expert commentator for CNN, BET, A&E, and ITV, and is the former L.A. Weekly music editor and Voice Media Group Senior music editor. He's a contributor to the Smithsonian Anthology of Hip-Hop and Rap, and his 2011 book on southern hip-hop, Dirty South: OutKast, Lil Wayne, Soulja Boy, and the Southern Rappers Who Reinvented Hip-Hop was a Library Journal best seller.Find Ben here:https://www.benwesthoff.com/

MEET DELIC is almost upon us! For our appreciation of listening to this podcast, use code RADIONAUT for 20% off General Admission. Head over to www.meetdelic.com to get your tickets! Carl Hart, PhD is a professor of neuroscience and psychology at Columbia University. He is known for his research in drug abuse and drug addiction and he has a new book out, Drug Use for Grown-Ups: Chasing Liberty in the Land of Fear. You're going to hear Dr. Hart talk live at Meet Delic 2021, but before that, we sat down with him to get a first-hand account of his ongoing thesis. That the greatest damage from drugs flows from their being illegal, and a hopeful reckoning with the possibility of their use as part of a responsible and happy life.   Ben Westhoff is an award-winning investigative journalist who writes about culture, drugs, and poverty. His books are taught around the country and have been translated into languages all over the world. His new book Fentanyl, Inc.: How Rogue Chemists Are Creating the Deadliest Wave of the Opioid Epidemic is the highly-acclaimed, bombshell first book about fentanyl, which is causing the worst drug crisis in American history.

We're talking about the history of West Coast gangsta rap with reporter Ben Westhoff. Ben is the best selling author of "Original Gangstas: Tupac Shakur, Dr. Dre, Eazy-E, Ice Cube, and the Birth of West Coast Rap," and "Fentanyl, Inc.: How Rogue Chemists Are Creating the Deadliest Wave of the Opioid Epidemic."

We're talking about the history of West Coast gangsta rap with reporter Ben Westhoff. Ben is the best selling author of "Original Gangstas: Tupac Shakur, Dr. Dre, Eazy-E, Ice Cube, and the Birth of West Coast Rap," and "Fentanyl, Inc.: How Rogue Chemists Are Creating the Deadliest Wave of the Opioid Epidemic."

Today we've got an interview with Ramin Bastani, the CEO of Healthvana, to talk about digital vaccination records and the advantages of an electronic proof of vaccination. Then we're discussing inflation and the price of cars, the future of Ethereum, redditors striking again with buys on Hertz and AMC, Amazon's purchase of MGM, Winners, Losers, Content Recommendations, and more. For a limited time, Harry's Razors will take $5 off any shave set or buy a starter set for only $3 at harrys.com/groupchat Don't Say the P Word – Group Chat News 5.27.21 A Group Chat exclusive interview with Ramin Bastani, the CEO of Healthvana. They discuss the future of digital vaccination records and the advantages of electronic proof. [0:55] Ad Break. [22:35] Why cars are about to get A LOT more expensive. [24:36] The impact of inflation on all industries. [28:21] What’s the deal with the ‘meme’ stocks popping again?! [40:18] Vlad strikes again. [45:55] Why coins, like Ethereum, are going up. [52:01] Is Amazon aiming to own the entertainment industry? [56:21] Winners, Losers, and Content. [1:02:53] Group Chat Shout Outs. [1:23:40] Related Links/Products Mentioned Cars Are About to Get a Lot More Expensive ‘God Told Me to Put Money Into Hertz’: Small Investors Are Winning Big Again AMC Entertainment shares shoot up 35% as Reddit traders double down Figs, the first IPO made available to Robinhood users, soars 36% in its public debut ‘Coins like ethereum are going to be a lot higher way down the road,’ market forecaster Jim Bianco says Former bitcoin skeptic Carl Icahn says he may pour more than $1 billion into cryptocurrencies - but predicts many digital assets won't survive Amazon buys MGM in a mega media deal Clay Travis and Buck Sexton to fill Rush Limbaugh's radio slot Hacks | HBO Max Originals Fentanyl, Inc.: How Rogue Chemists Are Creating the Deadliest Wave of the Opioid Epidemic American Kingpin: The Epic Hunt for the Criminal Mastermind Behind the Silk Road Connect with Ramin! Twitter Healthvana Connect with Group Chat! Watch The Pod #1 Newsletter In The World For The Gram Tweet With Us Exclusive Facebook Content

Ben Westhoff's new book Fentanyl, Inc.: How Rogue Chemists Are Creating the Deadliest Wave of the Opioid Epidemic (Grove Atlantic) is the highly-acclaimed, bombshell first book about fentanyl, which is causing the worst drug crisis in American history. It has received glowing reviews, was included on many year-end best lists, and Westhoff was featured on NPR's Fresh Air and Joe Rogan's podcast. He now speaks around the country about the fentanyl crisis, and has advised top government officials on the problem, including from the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, and the U.S. State Department. Westhoff's previous book Original Gangstas: Tupac Shakur, Dr. Dre, Eazy-E, Ice Cube, and the Birth of West Coast Rap is one of the best-selling hip-hop books of all time and has been translated into multiple languages, receiving top reviews from Rolling Stone, People, Kirkus, and others. S. Leigh Savidge, Academy Award nominee and co-writer of Straight Outta Compton said it "may be the best book ever written about the hip hop world." Connect with Ben Westhoff: https://www.benwesthoff.com/about-me Fentanyl, Inc.: How Rogue Chemists Are Creating the Deadliest Wave of the Opioid Epidemic Original Gangstas: Tupac Shakur, Dr. Dre, Eazy-E, Ice Cube, and the Birth of West Coast Rap Personal Health Coaching: https://www.primalosophy.com/ Nick Holderbaum's Weekly Newsletter: Sunday Goods (T): @primalosophy (IG): @primalosophy iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-primalosophy-podcast/id1462578947 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBn7jiHxx2jzXydzDqrJT2A The Unfucked Firefighter Challenge

Ben Westhoff is an award-winning investigative journalist who writes about culture, drugs, and poverty. His new book "Fentanyl, Inc.: How Rogue Chemists Are Creating the Deadliest Wave of the Opioid Epidemic " is available now on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/Fentanyl-Inc-Chemists-Creating-Deadliest/dp/0802127436

Investigative reporter Ben Westhoff tells us how rogue chemists and drug cartels have flooded the U.S., with the deadly drug fentanyl in his new book, "Fentanyl, Inc.: How Rogue Chemists are Creating the Deadliest Wave of the Opioid Epidemic".