Dreamland by Sam Quinones

This is an investigation into two converging events that can together to produce the opiate problem that is rampant throughout white middle class America.  The first is an extraordinary change in illegal drug delivery of heroin. A community in Mexico with access to black tar heroin.  They developed a network of men from the community who transported it to the San Fernando Valley, sold it to users in a concierge fashion, and returned home.  The drug dealers are not interested in immigrating to the United State.  They only want to make money and go home. They took the difficulty out of buying heroin by bringing it to the client.  No fear, no wrong side of the tracks.  When they got caught, they had very little heroin in their possession and were usually deported home.  They also had no interest in cornering the market, so when competition rolled into town, they let them. they spread out from Southern California, but to medium size cities without organized crime involved int he drug trade.  The other thing that happened was a massive increase in prescription opiates for chronic pain, which has led to widespread opiate addiction.  It is an interesting saga, told a little on the long side.