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Substance Use/AbuseWellbeing/Mental Health

Sam Quinones

The Changing Landscape of the Drug Epidemic: Fentanyl Poisoning, Meth and More

Virtual Event

Program Takeaways

The Era of Recreational Drug Use is Over – The presence of Fentanyl in counterfeit pills and other substances has made drug use more dangerous than ever, turning every use into a game of Russian roulette.

Synthetic Drugs Have Changed Everything – The shift to synthetic drugs like Fentanyl and methamphetamine has drastically altered drug production, distribution, addiction, and treatment, making them more potent, more accessible, and more deadly.

The Power of Supply Over Demand – The current drug crisis is not driven by demand but by an overwhelming supply that creates and sustains addiction through an unrelenting influx of synthetic drugs.

Education and Awareness are Critical – Teaching neuroscience, increasing prevention efforts, and having open, ongoing conversations with young people about the dangers of counterfeit pills can save lives.

Community and Purpose as Antidotes – Rebuilding communities, fostering human connection, and helping individuals find purpose through hard work and meaningful activities are crucial in combating addiction and isolation.

Critically acclaimed journalist, author and storyteller Sam Quinones comes to GPS for the first time to update students and adults on a drug crisis that he says is killing thousands annually and to share his reasons for hope. “The unrelenting supply of two synthetic drugs, fentanyl and methamphetamine, has created a new reality and changed everything—drug smuggling, profit, use, addiction and treatment. Nothing remains the same.”

Quinones will share his research on the changing landscape of the opioid crisis in the last several years. He will discuss the appearance of fentanyl and how it replaced other forms of opiates like prescription pills and heroin. He will also touch on the use of Narcan, opioid lawsuits, and other related substance use and addiction topics.

Quinones is an in demand international speaker, former Los Angeles Times reporter and author of four acclaimed books including “Dreamland: The True Tale of America’s Opiate Epidemic” and several other titles including his most recent release, “The Least of Us: True Tales of America and Hope in the Time of Fentanyl and Meth.” Quinones’ career as a journalist has spanned 35 years in Mexico and the United States working for the NY Times and as a freelancer covering immigration, drug trafficking, neighborhood stories, and gangs.

Speaker Resources

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