‘The Killing Drugs’ podcast analyzes the fentanyl crisis 

Washington, D.C. – With over 100,000 Americans dying from drug overdoses every year, the fentanyl crisis in North America is the deadliest drug epidemic in history. In a new podcast series, “The Killing Drugs,” Brookings Senior Fellow Vanda Felbab-Brown interviews top academics, policymakers, journalists, and medical and social work clinicians to explore the international dynamics of the synthetic opioid epidemic—and discover how policymakers can tackle the problem. 

“If you have ever wondered why American communities have been hit so hard by synthetic opioids, where the drugs come from, whether the epidemic is spreading beyond North America, and whether it is possible to stop the devastation they cause, you should listen to this podcast,” says host Vanda Felbab-Brown, an expert on international and internal conflicts and nontraditional security threats at the Strobe Talbott Center for Security, Strategy, and Technology. “Through conversations with researchers and those on the frontlines of the crisis, we’ll trace the global matrix behind the production, trafficking, and sale of these deadly drugs and new emerging markets for them. And we’ll ask what policy decisions could save lives and stop the epidemic.” 

The podcast will consist of 13 episodes covering the United States, Canada, Mexico, China, India, Latin America, and Europe, complemented by a forthcoming series of policy papers delving into those issues. Listeners and viewers can expect in-depth discussions during each 40-minute episode. 

Watch “The Killing Drugs” on YouTube, or listen on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you like to get podcasts. New episodes will be released every week starting August 20. 

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