One Nation Under the Influence

We are in the midst of the worst drug crisis in American history. What are we going to do about it?

Around 100,000 Americans died of a drug overdose last year – nearly double the number who died in Vietnam. More than 1,000,000 have perished since 2000, thanks largely to an explosion of fentanyl and other addictive opioids. But fentanyl, abundant methamphetamine, and other lethal drugs are not the only things that are killing us: our policy is. So far, America has lacked the will to do better. That must change, and this book tells us how.

No one is immune, which is why Kevin Sabet has authored this remarkable book. Sabet, dubbed the “the quarterback of the new anti-drug movement” by Salon, has spent most of his life battling the destructive effects of drugs. In One Nation Under the Influence, he asks hard questions and provides clear answers, taking readers from the streets of San Francisco and New York to the southern border, up to Canada, and across to Europe to show how we can chart a necessary way forward. The solutions are out there, if only we have the will to apply them.

“Kevin Sabet has dedicated his life to understanding America’s drug problem and finding solutions. One Nation Under the Influence is the result: a groundbreaking account that’s sorely needed at a time when we’re losing so many of our loved ones to overdose and addiction.”
David Sheff, author of Beautiful Boy: A Father's Journey Through His Son's Addiction

“The drug policy book we’ve been waiting for. Sabet seamlessly puts together the American addiction struggle with poignant stories from drug czars and law enforcement, those suffering from addiction and families alike, leaving us with an inspiring vision about what’s possible, if we apply ourselves to the task.”
Patrick J. Kennedy, former congressman and founder of the Kennedy Forum

“Kevin shatters traditional notions of drug policy. One Nation Under the Influence is Sabet’s magnum opus—the book he has always threatened to write.”
Dr Robert L. DuPont, Nixon, Ford, and Carter administrations, founding director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse

“A wide-ranging analysis of our country’s drug problem by one of its most influential drug policy advocates.”
Dr Keith Humphreys, Stanford University

“Kevin Sabet is one of the leading authorities on the ongoing US drug crisis and in this book lays out effective solutions to one of our nation’s greatest problems. I cannot recommend this book enough.”
Saagar Enjeti, host ofBreaking Points

“Dr Sabet’s timely and important work on addictive drugs portrays a realistic picture of the threat that is being faced.  More importantly, it provides a path forward on the conversations and policies that are critically important to reducing this crisis and improving lives and the economy.”
Gil Kerlikowske, former US Border Commissioner and US Drug Czar

"Kevin Sabet’s work rises above the landscape of existing books on addiction. Written with clarity, compassion, and a level of authority that reflects his vast experience in the field, Sabet’s insightful book is a must-read for anyone wanting to better understand the history of addiction and how contemporary issues provide both lessons learned and paths to more effective solutions."
Ken Winters, Oregon Research Institute & University of Minnesota

Kevin Sabet, dubbed a “prodigy of drug politics” by NBC News, is the only person to have been appointed by both Republicans and Democrats as an advisor at the White House drug policy office. He holds a doctorate from Oxford University and is the president and CEO of the Foundation for Drug Policy Solutions (FDPS) and Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM). His previous book, Smokescreen: What the Marijuana Industry Doesn’t Want You to Know, won a Next Generation Indie Book Award and was optioned for a documentary. His work has appeared in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, and numerous other publications. He writes a regular column on drug policy for Newsweek and is a fellow at Yale University.

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