The Least of Us: True Tales of America and Hope in the Time of Fentanyl and Meth

The United States government declared war on drugs fifty years ago. The drugs that have come under scrutiny during public outrages have varied, but the human misery has remained unchanged. The opioid crisis in America has carved a large swath of destruction, with oxycontin and fentanyl figuring most prominently in the epidemics in towns and cities. Oxycontin was touted as an efficacious pain drug with little chance of addiction, touted by its maker Purdue Pharma that is.

Purdue gave their sales personnel their orders: Get to know the local doctors and sell them on oxycontin’s benefits. Soon, oxycontin was raking in billions, while its users became addicted and their lives were changed. Fentanyl was marketed as an alternative to morphine, but when in the wrong hands, it became a new high to market to the addict. The current war is being fought on all fronts, from law enforcement to community outreach.

The Least of Us is a heartrending depiction of the current phase of the quixotic drug war. Sam Quinones covers the human drama with an admirable empathy while detailing the various personas involved in different aspects of the opioid crisis. The stories offered will remain ingrained in the reader’s mind because they’re so powerful.