The current opioid epidemic has roots in pharmaceutical companies, the medical establishment, drug cartels, the so-called War on Drugs, and the ups and downs of the illicit drug market. Prior to the recent dramatic uptick of opioid misuse, proponents of harm reduction led the way in overdose prevention. The staggering death rate and the new demographic of users has changed over the past three decades; now, treatment models are changing to reflect the enormity of the crisis. Opioid-related deaths now exceed automobile deaths. This narrative-driven oral history project examines the national opioid crisis from a Minnesota-based vantage point, in the period between 1980-2017, with as many diverse voices and opinions as possible.
Minneapolis-based historian Amy Sullivan is collecting audio interviews, writing a book, and developing an online archive of interviews, artifacts, and ephemera related to the history of opioid use, abuse, treatment and recovery in Minnesota.
Please consider sharing your story with her.
