Robert Scheer and Journalist Johann Hari Discuss Addiction and the War on Drugs
British journalist Johann Hari discusses his new book “Chasing the Scream,” about the history of the drug wars in the U.S. and how other nations approach drugs and addiction.
Author Johann Hari. (Johann Hari)
Speaking with Truthdig Editor in Chief Robert Scheer on KCRW’s “Scheer Intelligence,” Hari speaks about the first unofficial drug czar, Harry Anslinger, and his role in criminalizing drugs in the 20th century. He also discusses research demonstrating that a lack of social connections can lead a person to “bond” with drugs, and the success Portgual and Switzerland have had in legalizing certain narcotics.
—Posted by Alexander Reed Kelly
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Book Excerpt
Decades before it gripped communities across the United States, the roots of the opioid epidemic began with shifting ideas about palliative care among medical professionals.
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