Fentanyl, Inc.

How Rogue Chemists Are Creating the Deadliest Wave of the Opioid Epidemic

By: Ben Westhoff

Narrated by: Alex Boyles

A deeply human story, Fentanyl, Inc. is the first deep-dive investigation of a hazardous and illicit industry that has created a worldwide epidemic, ravaging communities and overwhelming and confounding government agencies that are challenged to combat it.

“A whole new crop of chemicals is radically changing the recreational drug landscape,” writes Ben Westhoff. “These are known as Novel Psychoactive Substances (NPS) and they include replacements for known drugs like heroin, cocaine, ecstasy, and marijuana. They are synthetic, made in a laboratory, and are much more potent than traditional drugs” - and all-too-often tragically lethal.

Drugs like fentanyl, K2, and Spice - and those with arcane acronyms like 25i-NBOMe - were all originally conceived in legitimate laboratories for proper scientific and medicinal purposes. Their formulas were then hijacked and manufactured by rogue chemists, largely in China, who change their molecular structures to stay ahead of the law, making the drugs’ effects impossible to predict. Westhoff has infiltrated this shadowy world. He tracks down the little-known scientists who invented these drugs and inadvertently killed thousands, as well as a mysterious drug baron who turned the law upside down in his home country of New Zealand.

Westhoff visits the shady factories in China from which these drugs emanate, providing startling and original reporting on how China’s vast chemical industry operates, and how the Chinese government subsidizes it. Poignantly, he chronicles the lives of addicted users and dealers, families of victims, law enforcement officers, and underground drug awareness organizers in the US and Europe. Together they represent the shocking and riveting full anatomy of a calamity we are just beginning to understand. From its depths, as Westhoff relates, are emerging new strategies that may provide essential long-term solutions to the drug crisis that has affected so many.

©2019 Ben Westhoff (P)2019 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

A thorough look into a crisis

I had no idea about fentanyl before reading this book, and the author opened up an entire world. Very thorough and detailed look into a national crisis. Recommend.

Meticulously researched and Comprehensive Book

This was a excellent listen for those the want a deep dive into this epidemic. It is nicely divided into sections on user, dealers, manufacturers, law enforcement, medical and social professionals. So there is something for everyone and pretty good scientific explanations. Bottom line: today’s dope ain’t your Grandpa’s weed from his hippie days. There is some scary and very, very dangerous shit out there. We can only take every approach possible to deal with this huge challenge. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to see the bigger picture.

Good broad insight to this industry

Very interested in opioids and addictive nature. Good slant on China’s lax laws and supplying a crippling drug to the US. Took some risks going undercover to gather info for this book. Why would anyone chance taking carfentanyl- an elephant tranquilizer?!! Crazy.

Extremely insightful

There is no shortage of information that is covered in this book. The author did an extremely thorough job of covering it from multiple angles and especially China’s involvement.

entry I needed to know

this was ax great book with a lot of information. it explains the epidemic of the drug crisis in America

very interesting book

It was definitely very much different from what I'd expected
Lots of fascinating characters, surprisingly, many of them weird and strange people on a genius level
A lot of captivating stories
Definitely worth your read & money

great listening

this is a good book that takes the reader on an international journey of the fentanyl journey and discovery. I'm glad I brought this book and I highly recommend it.

read/listen to this to understand what fentanyl is and how devastating it is.

gripping portrayal of the opioid crisis in America. terrifying and tragic with a glimmer of hope towards the end. I highly recommend this book.

Well researched

I like the scientific feel of this reporting, almost a presentation of facts to let us, the jury, decide what should be our drug policies. Funny how the loss of civility in today's world can be traced back to good-vs-evil drug types, all while politicians continue to choose the worst possible paths... like it isn't accidental.

Bigger than Fentanyl

This is a thorough survey of the new opiates, most prominently fentanyl, but also fentaltl precursors and derivatives. Many of these are orders of magnitude more powerful than heroin, are often mixed with other drugs, killing people who didn't even know they'd taken it.

The author covers many angles --users, addicts, enforcement, clinics, legislators, foreign governments/ policies/ subsidies/ protections, distribution and trade, corruption, cartels and more. It's all well researched; his interviews and often undercover investigations are as thrilling as they are revealing.

The book culminates in what amounts to recommendation for decriminalization and treatment centers, testing of drugs on street, publishing the results, rather that "just say no" and waging a war on drugs and stigmitization of users. It's been tried plenty, and seems to work.