A review by anniebenj26
Dreamland: The True Tale of America's Opiate Epidemic by Sam Quinones

3.0

This book tells an important tale of two simultaneous phenomena that brought about the nationwide opioid epidemic. However, the tone of the book is incredibly stigmatizing throughout—from use of the word “junkies” to overemphasis on people (rightfully) using Medicaid to pay for their prescriptions. Quinones consistently refers to drug users as junkies throughout the book, which to any advocate of/person who works with drug users knows is absolutely harmful and stigmatizing. While he briefly touched on the role of Purdue Pharma in lighting the match that sparked the epidemic, the tone throughout the book suggests that despite pill mills and overprescribing, it was on the drug users themselves whether they became addicted or not. The book was eye opening and told the stories of various parties impacted by the epidemic, but the stigmatizing tone throughout weakened its potential further advocate for people who use drugs.