157: The Painkiller Problem: How Fentanyl Took Over America


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Jan 22 2025 41 mins   309
Hi friends, happy Wednesday!

Last year I had a surgery so that I could breathe again, and it’s been nice, thanks for asking! I love breathing. But when I was in the hospital, the doctors gave me some really strong pain medication.

I asked what it was, and the doctor told me it was fentanyl. At first I was like..fentanyl??? Doesn't that kill everyone? But after a few seconds hey… this is working really well.

Turns out, Fentanyl has been used in hospitals for a LONG time. It’s used in epidurals, it’s prescribed for cancer patients, and there was a time when doctors were even putting it in LOLLIPOPS.


Even though it feels like fentanyl came out of nowhere over the last few years, it has a long and crazy history.

So how did America, big pharma, and a well meaning scientist create the most powerful and deadly opioid in history? WHERE is this stuff even coming from? And how did the fentanyl epidemic become a problem too big to stop?

I appreciate you for coming by, and tune in next week for more Dark History.

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This podcast is Executive Produced by:

Bailey Sarian & Kevin Grosch and Joey Scavuzzo from Made In Network

Head Writer: Allyson Philobos

Writer: Katie Burris

Additional Writing: Emma Lehman

Research provided by: Coleen Smith

Special thank you to our Historical Consultant: Dr. Patrick Lockwood

Director: Brian Jaggers

Additional Editing: Maria Norris, Julien Perez

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