Deadly Pill

Deadly Pill

This limited series explores the origins of fentanyl, and how it has surpassed methamphetamine, heroin, and cocaine as the illicit drug of choice. Deaths from the easily accessible opioid have reached record highs throughout the country. The series also features addiction specialists, a pharmacologist, a narcotics detective, a population health expert, a prosecutor, a licensed drug counselor, a federal agent, and the medical examiner for one of the most densely populated counties in the United States. Deadly Pill is hosted and produced by award-winning journalist Steve Gregory and is co-produced by award-winning producers Jacob Gonzalez and Alex Razo. The limited series is a production of the KFI News Department for iHeartMedia Los Angeles and the iHeartRadio Podcast Network.

Episodes

Deadly Pill - Podcast Trailer

October 29, 2022 • 2 mins
This limited series explores the origins of fentanyl, and how it has surpassed methamphetamine, heroin, and cocaine as the illicit drug of choice. Deaths from the easily accessible opioid have reached record highs throughout the country.

The series also features addiction specialists, a pharmacologist, a narcotics detective, a population health expert, a prosecutor, a licensed drug counselor, a federal agent, and the medical examin...
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Deadly Pill: Episode 1 - Surprise!

October 31, 2022 • 8 mins
We talk with Bill Bodner, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration in Los Angeles about how fentanyl caught everyone off guard. From nightclubs to high schools to homeless encampments, the highly concentrated and deadly pill seemed to have popped up out of nowhere.
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Deadly Pill: Episode 2 - History

October 31, 2022 • 24 mins
Dr. Melissa Durham is with the University of Southern California’s School of Pharmacy and is an associate professor of clinical pharmacy. She teaches the next generation of pharmacists. Durham gives us the history of fentanyl and how she’s helping future pharmacists look for the red flags of potential opioid abuse.
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Deadly Pill: Episode 3 - Attraction

October 31, 2022 • 14 mins
Why are people attracted to opioids, especially fentanyl? Dr. Joseph Palamar is an associate professor in the Section on Tobacco, Alcohol, and Drug Use in the Department of Population Health at New York University Langone. Palamar has also studied trends in drug use and the nexus between opioids and nightlife.
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Deadly Pill: Episode 4 - Manufacture

October 31, 2022 • 13 mins
Special Agent in Charge of the DEA in Los Angeles, Bill Bodner, talks about the shift in priorities for drug cartels and how easily and undetectable it has become to set up ‘pill mills’ and crank out millions of fentanyl pills.
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Deadly Pill: Episode 5 - Delivery

October 31, 2022 • 9 mins
The DEA’s Bill Bodner discusses just how easy it is to acquire fentanyl and other opioids. There’s been a new wave of illicit pills being bought and sold on popular social media platforms by young teenagers and middle-aged adults – all from the click of a button. And in some cases, the pills are simply shipped through the US Mail.
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Deadly Pill: Episode 6 - Addiction

October 31, 2022 • 16 mins
The ease of getting fentanyl, and its concentrated high, has led to record-breaking cases of addiction. And according to Dr. Rebecca Trotsky, there is a correlation between someone’s socio-economic status and addiction – add to that the mental health stressors of the Covid-19 pandemic, clinics and counselors have become overwhelmed. Trotsky is the Director of Addiction and Community Medicine with the Los Angeles County/USC Medical ...
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Deadly Pill: Episode 7 - Seizure

October 31, 2022 • 16 mins
The war on drugs has been around for decades and it never seems like law enforcement are making a dent in preventing the manufacture and selling of illicit opioids and fentanyl. Captain Brandon Dean is with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and is a narcotics detective. Dean has created a specialty unit dedicated to going after those who make, sell and traffic fentanyl.
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Deadly Pill: Episode 8 - Rehab

October 31, 2022 • 16 mins
Clinics have become overwhelmed with patients who need help to reverse their addiction to opioids. Prue Cooper is a Licensed Advanced Alcohol and Drug Counselor with Pacific Clinics, part of the largest non-profit organization in California that deals with outpatient mental health issues.
Cooper walks us through the steps of rehab. She also defines addiction as a mental health disorder.
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If you or someone you know is struggli...
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Deadly Pill: Episode 9 - Murder

October 31, 2022 • 14 mins
In Eastern California, the San Bernardino County District Attorney, Jason Anderson, has dedicated resources to prosecuting those who knowingly sell or facilitate fentanyl and other deadly opioids to someone who takes a fatal dose. Anderson gets into the background of an active case where he has charged an 18-year-old with the murder of a 17-year-old.
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Deadly Pill: Episode 10 - Death

October 31, 2022 • 18 mins
We end the journey of this miniseries with gruesome finality – death. We speak with Dr. Jonathan Lucas, the Medical Examiner of Los Angeles County. Lucas provides sobering stats on the number of deaths from fentanyl and how one of the nation’s largest morgue facilities had to deal with record deaths from the Covid-19 pandemic on top of record high numbers of overdose deaths.
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Deadly Pill: Bonus Episode 1 - Naloxone

October 31, 2022 • 8 mins
Dr. Melissa Durham with the University of Southern California’s School of Pharmacy gives the backstory of Naloxone, aka, Narcan or Evzio, the medicine that reverses a suspected opioid overdose. Durham also explains the push to make Naloxone available in every pharmacy without a prescription, so everyone can provide a life-saving dose in the form of a nasal spray or quick injection.
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Deadly Pill: Bonus Episode 2 - Warnings for Parents

October 31, 2022 • 9 mins
Various guests in this series provide candid advice for parents on how to deal with their children’s drug curiosities and other drug-related issues
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