About the book
NATIONAL BESTSELLER
SHORTLISTED for the 2021 BC Book Awards' George Ryga Award for Social Awareness in Literature
SHORTLISTED for the BC and Yukon Book Prizes, for both the Hubert Evans Non-Fiction Prize and Jim Deva Prize for Writing That Provokes
SHORTLISTED for the 2021 J. W. Dafoe Book Prize
SHORTLISTED for the 2020 Lane Anderson Award
“Overdose is a necessary and searching investigation into a devastating epidemic that should never have happened. Benjamin Perrin painstakingly shows that it need not continue if we, as a society, heed the evidence.”
—Gabor Maté M.D., author of In The Realm of Hungry Ghosts: Close Encounters With Addiction
An astonishing and powerful look at the ongoing opioid crisis
North America is in the middle of a health emergency. Life expectancies are declining. Someone is dying every two hours in Canada from illicit drug overdose. Fentanyl has become a looming presence—an opioid more powerful, pervasive, and deadly than any previous street drug.
The victims are many—and often not whom we might expect. They include the poor and forgotten but also our neighbours: professionals, students, and parents. Despite the thousands of deaths, these victims have remained largely invisible.
But not anymore. Benjamin Perrin, a law and policy expert, shines a light in this darkest of corners—and his findings challenge many assumptions about the crisis. Why do people use drugs despite the risk of overdosing? Can we crack down on the fentanyl supply? Do supervised consumption sites and providing “safe drugs” enable the problem? Which treatments work? Would decriminalizing all drugs help or do further harm?
In this urgent and humane look at a devastating epidemic, Perrin draws on behind-the-scenes interviews with those on the frontlines, including undercover police officers, intelligence analysts, border agents, prosecutors, healthcare professionals, Indigenous organizations, activists, and people who use drugs. Not only does he unveil the many complexities of this situation, but he also offers a new way forward—one that may save thousands of lives.
Editions of Overdose
- Hardcover
- ISBN 9780735237865
- Paperback
- ISBN 9780735237889
- EBook
- ISBN 9780735237872
- AudioStreaming
- ISBN 9780735240247
- AudioStreaming
- ISBN 9780735240254
Read an Excerpt
NATIONAL BESTSELLER
SHORTLISTED for the 2021 BC Book Awards' George Ryga Award for Social Awareness in Literature
SHORTLISTED for the BC and Yukon Book Prizes, for both the Hubert Evans Non-Fiction Prize and Jim Deva Prize for Writing That Provokes
SHORTLISTED for the 2021 J. W. Dafoe Book Prize
SHORTLISTED for the 2020 Lane Anderson Award
“Overdose is a necessary and searching investigation into a devastating epidemic that should never have happened. Benjamin Perrin painstakingly shows that it need not continue if we, as a society, heed the evidence.”
—Gabor Maté M.D., author of In The Realm of Hungry Ghosts: Close Encounters With Addiction
An astonishing and powerful look at the ongoing opioid crisis
North America is in the middle of a health emergency. Life expectancies are declining. Someone is dying every two hours in Canada from illicit drug overdose. Fentanyl has become a looming presence—an opioid more powerful, pervasive, and deadly than any previous street drug.
The victims are many—and often not whom we might expect. They include the poor and forgotten but also our neighbours: professionals, students, and parents. Despite the thousands of deaths, these victims have remained largely invisible.
But not anymore. Benjamin Perrin, a law and policy expert, shines a light in this darkest of corners—and his findings challenge many assumptions about the crisis. Why do people use drugs despite the risk of overdosing? Can we crack down on the fentanyl supply? Do supervised consumption sites and providing “safe drugs” enable the problem? Which treatments work? Would decriminalizing all drugs help or do further harm?
In this urgent and humane look at a devastating epidemic, Perrin draws on behind-the-scenes interviews with those on the frontlines, including undercover police officers, intelligence analysts, border agents, prosecutors, healthcare professionals, Indigenous organizations, activists, and people who use drugs. Not only does he unveil the many complexities of this situation, but he also offers a new way forward—one that may save thousands of lives.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Overdose about?
NATIONAL BESTSELLER
SHORTLISTED for the 2021 BC Book Awards' George Ryga Award for Social Awareness in Literature
SHORTLISTED for the BC and Yukon Book Prizes, for both the Hubert Evans Non-Fiction Prize and Jim Deva Prize for Writing That Provokes
SHORTLISTED for the 2021 J. W. Dafoe Book Prize
SHORTLISTED for the 2020 Lane Anderson Award
“Overdose is a necessary and searching investigation into a devastating epidemic that should never have happened. Benjamin Perrin painstakingly shows that it need not continue if we, as a society, heed the evidence.”
—Gabor Maté M.D., author of In The Realm of Hungry Ghosts: Close Encounters With Addiction
An astonishing and powerful look at the ongoing opioid crisis
North America is in the middle of a health emergency. Life expectancies are declining. Someone is dying every two hours in Canada from illicit drug overdose. Fentanyl has become a looming presence—an opioid more powerful, pervasive, and deadly than any previous street drug.
The victims are many—and often not whom we might expect. They include the poor and forgotten but also our neighbours: professionals, students, and parents. Despite the thousands of deaths, these victims have remained largely invisible.
But not anymore. Benjamin Perrin, a law and policy expert, shines a light in this darkest of corners—and his findings challenge many assumptions about the crisis. Why do people use drugs despite the risk of overdosing? Can we crack down on the fentanyl supply? Do supervised consumption sites and providing “safe drugs” enable the problem? Which treatments work? Would decriminalizing all drugs help or do further harm?
In this urgent and humane look at a devastating epidemic, Perrin draws on behind-the-scenes interviews with those on the frontlines, including undercover police officers, intelligence analysts, border agents, prosecutors, healthcare professionals, Indigenous organizations, activists, and people who use drugs. Not only does he unveil the many complexities of this situation, but he also offers a new way forward—one that may save thousands of lives.
What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in Overdose?
Health, Relationships and Personal development > Family and health > Popular medicine and health
Where can I read a sample of Overdose?
You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9780735237865
Who is/are the Author/s of the book Overdose?
Benjamin Perrin
What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?
Overdose is available as hardcover(ISBN 9780735237865) and paperback(ISBN 9780735237889) and ebook(ISBN 9780735237872) and audiostreaming(ISBN 9780735240247) and audiostreaming(ISBN 9780735240254)
Where can I buy Overdose online or support local independent bookshops?
You can buy Overdose from below
Where can I buy Overdose?