Review of The United States of Opioids
Posted: 09 Nov 2021, 00:02
[Following is a volunteer review of "The United States of Opioids" by Harry Nelson.]
The United States of Opioids by Harry Nelson is a nonfiction novel that addresses the ongoing Opioid crises since the early 1930s. This novel gives a detailed account of how the opioid crisis began and how different systems fueled its continuation up until the early 2000s. Harry's legal expertise in behavioral healthcare has brought together a compelling story that addresses various aspects of this opioid crisis. Statistically, opioids have contributed to two-thirds of the total number of deaths from substance overdoses. So, this leads to the uncomfortable question of how did we get here?
This book begins by informing us how the government initially responded to the crisis of opioids. It then addresses the history of opioid abuse, which started to be noticed in the 1970s. Many institutions have been put under the microscope, with the pharmaceutical companies being under scrutiny for fueling this crisis. Companies such as Purdue Pharma ignited a lot of fury from the citizens because they hid the addictive nature of OxyContin from their clients. The Sackler Family acquired a fortune by taking advantage of the naivety of its users. Physicians overprescribing pain medications have also been linked to fueling the crisis.
What I loved the most about this book was how the author has gone to great lengths to support his assessments with facts instead of just pointing fingers. He constantly reminds the reader that pharmaceutical companies were not the only thing that fueled the opioid crisis. Many entities have contributed to the situation, and addressing the death toll is currently the most critical issue. He has also included a glossary table that enabled me to understand most of the complex medical terms.
There was not one single entity that did not appeal to me because the novel is well executed. The author has addressed all the critical aspects of the opioid crisis. Most importantly, he has given all the stakeholders involved a road map of how the broken system should be repaired, ranging from the FDA to the Rehabilitation Programs. He has also explained different alternatives of pain medications, including cannabis, which has proven to be an effective pain medication.
I would rate this novel 4 out of 4 stars because it addressed something significant in society. Substance abuse is proving to be an epidemic that has to be solved urgently. I would recommend this novel to adult audiences since it is essential for people to be aware of such matters.
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The United States of Opioids
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
The United States of Opioids by Harry Nelson is a nonfiction novel that addresses the ongoing Opioid crises since the early 1930s. This novel gives a detailed account of how the opioid crisis began and how different systems fueled its continuation up until the early 2000s. Harry's legal expertise in behavioral healthcare has brought together a compelling story that addresses various aspects of this opioid crisis. Statistically, opioids have contributed to two-thirds of the total number of deaths from substance overdoses. So, this leads to the uncomfortable question of how did we get here?
This book begins by informing us how the government initially responded to the crisis of opioids. It then addresses the history of opioid abuse, which started to be noticed in the 1970s. Many institutions have been put under the microscope, with the pharmaceutical companies being under scrutiny for fueling this crisis. Companies such as Purdue Pharma ignited a lot of fury from the citizens because they hid the addictive nature of OxyContin from their clients. The Sackler Family acquired a fortune by taking advantage of the naivety of its users. Physicians overprescribing pain medications have also been linked to fueling the crisis.
What I loved the most about this book was how the author has gone to great lengths to support his assessments with facts instead of just pointing fingers. He constantly reminds the reader that pharmaceutical companies were not the only thing that fueled the opioid crisis. Many entities have contributed to the situation, and addressing the death toll is currently the most critical issue. He has also included a glossary table that enabled me to understand most of the complex medical terms.
There was not one single entity that did not appeal to me because the novel is well executed. The author has addressed all the critical aspects of the opioid crisis. Most importantly, he has given all the stakeholders involved a road map of how the broken system should be repaired, ranging from the FDA to the Rehabilitation Programs. He has also explained different alternatives of pain medications, including cannabis, which has proven to be an effective pain medication.
I would rate this novel 4 out of 4 stars because it addressed something significant in society. Substance abuse is proving to be an epidemic that has to be solved urgently. I would recommend this novel to adult audiences since it is essential for people to be aware of such matters.
******
The United States of Opioids
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon