Marshall Poe
Marshall Poe
P. E. Caquet, "Opium's Orphans: The 200-Year History of the War on Drugs" (Reaktion Books, 2022)
P. E. Caquet, "Opium's Orphans: The 200-Year History of the War on Drugs" (Reaktion Books, 2022)
P. E. Caquet, "Opium's Orphans: The 200-Year History of the War on Drugs" (Reaktion Books, 2022)
Wednesday 12th October 2022
P.E. Caquet discusses 'Opium's Orphans', unraveling the 200-year history of the global war on drugs and its societal impacts.
64 minutes
Informative
Thought-provoking
Raw
Educational
Engaging
Eye-opening
Honest
Insightful
About this podcast
Author:
Marshall Poe
Overview:
Categories:
Understanding Addiction & Recovery
Navigating Alcohol Dependency
Navigating Intimate Relationships
Family Recovery from Addiction
Relationships & Community
Links:
Visit site
Episodes:
240 (View all)
Do you want to link to this podcast?
Get the buttons here!P.E. Caquet's 'Opium's Orphans': Unraveling 200 Years of the War on Drugs
When we understand the drug war's true goals, that is, for example, control of minorities and dissenters, militarization of law enforcement, access to non-state actors, the drug war can be seen as a success in promoting these larger geopolitical goals.
Ever wondered how the global war on drugs really started? In this episode of 'New Books in Drugs, Addiction, and Recovery', host Marshall Poe chats with P.E. Caquet about his book 'Opium's Orphans: The 200-Year History of the War on Drugs'. The conversation kicks off with Britain's Opium Wars against China and traces the evolution of drug prohibition across the globe.
Caquet paints a vivid picture of how policies initially aimed at opium have been applied to various substances, leading to widespread and often unintended consequences. Caquet’s insights are particularly relevant today, especially with the ongoing opioid crisis in the US. He dives into how drug prohibition has disproportionately affected minorities and scrutinizes whether these policies have truly achieved their intended goals or merely served larger geopolitical interests.
The discussion also touches on harm reduction strategies and the challenges posed by recent moves to legalize marijuana in countries like Canada and Uruguay. Throughout the episode, Caquet's analysis prompts listeners to reflect on the lessons history offers us and to think critically about what future drug policies should look like. As he aptly puts it, 'We need to think more broadly about what we want to achieve with drug policies and what kind of society we want to build'.
If you're curious about the intricate history of the war on drugs and its far-reaching implications, this episode is a must-listen.