Sam Quinones on America’s Addiction Crisis: Disconnection, Predation, & Hope

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Episode description:

Award-winning journalist Sam Quinones has spent decades reporting from the frontlines — investigating drug trafficking, gang life, and the collapse of American neighborhoods.

In this gripping conversation with Shane Varcoe, Sam unpacks the hidden roots of the opioid epidemic, the rise of fentanyl and meth, and the dangerous myths fueling today’s marijuana industry.

Drawing on his groundbreaking books Dreamland and The Least of Us, Sam reveals how isolation, economic decay, and predatory markets have reshaped the addiction landscape — and how community rebuilding may be the only way forward.

We also touch on Sam’s newest project, The Perfect Tuba, where he explores the humble, hopeful world of American tuba players — a story of hard work, community, and the surprising ways music can bring people together.

If you want to understand the real forces driving addiction today — and what it will take to change course — don’t miss this episode.

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