Raising Lazarus, Beth Macy

Raising Lazarus: Hope, justice, and the future of America's overdose crisis by Beth Macy is the sequel to Dopesick

Started: 8/30/2022

Completed: 9/3/2022

Recommendation: Mild recommendation

Recommended By: Nobody

Review:

Dopesick left me sad.  I felt it was important to read to understand the impact of the Sackler family on individuals.  This book touted hope, but it really didn't deliver.  While this book spent time looking at those who help the dopesick rather than those who are or are dying, I really didn't walk away with hope or justice.  The judicial system continues to be suspect.  The political system continues to fail to deliver.  The NIMBY people continue to prevent urgent care from getting to those who need it.  I just did not walk away feeling better about the problem and was convinced that it is still getting worse.

Dopesick, Beth Macy

 

Dopesick:  Dealers, doctors, and the drug company that addicted America by Beth Macy  I sort of felt I needed to pick this book up after I heard about the Hulu special and having read Empire of Pain.

Started: 3/1/2022
Completed: 3/4//2022
Recommendation: Recommended
Recommended By: my wife

Review:

This book is told from the perspective of those who are damaged by oxy, rather than those who try to hold the Sacklers accountable.  Because of that angle, there is no victory.  It is hard to take joy in someone fighting through to recovery despite the huge effort involved and how important it is to those around the addict.  There is a sort of solemn hope in those who have thrown off the addiction.  Most of the book is wrapped in sadness and gradual decay--whether it is to death from the addict or prison for the dealer.  It was shocking to me to see that the medical community was unwilling to help fix the problem which they largely created through over prescription and how slow they were to adopt findings that oxy was dangerous.