Michelle Smirnova Boeken

The book examines the intersection of the opioid epidemic and the criminal justice system, revealing how medicalization of suffering and criminalization of drug use create a harmful cycle, particularly for the poor. Through interviews with incarcerated individuals, it highlights the contradictions in medical and legal practices that exacerbate addiction and poverty. Smirnova critiques the blurred lines between treatment and punishment, emphasizing the need to reconsider the conceptualization of substance use disorders to address issues like relapse and recidivism effectively.

Michelle Smirnova argues that the ongoing opioid drug epidemic is the result of an endless cycle in which suffering is medicalized and drug use is criminalized.