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  6. NCITE Insights No. 40 — Fighting Fentanyl: A Book Talk with Jake Braun

NCITE Insights No. 40 — Fighting Fentanyl: A Book Talk with Jake Braun

On the latest episode of the podcast, listen in to a conversation with Jake Braun, author of the new book, "Fentanyl: Fighting the Mass Poisoning of America and the Cartel Behind It."

  • published: 2025/11/14
  • contact: NCITE Communications
  • phone: 4025546422
  • email: ncite@unomaha.edu
  • search keywords:
  • Cartels
  • Sinaloa
  • fentanyl
  • drug trafficking
  • overdose
A headshot of guest Jake Braun is on the right, with his new book, "Fentanyl: Fighting the Mass Poisoning of America and the Cartel Behind It", superimposed to his left, with the NCITE podcast logo and episode title text.

Guest Jake Braun (right), author of the new book, "Fentanyl: Fighting the Mass Poisoning of America and the Cartel Behind It."

"The thing that people don't get about fentanyl is that almost no one seeks it ... most people who use drugs are avoiding fentanyl like the plague."

NCITE Assistant Research Professor Alex Bruens, Ph.D., sits down with Jake Braun, member of the NCITE expert consortium and author of the new book, "Fentanyl: Fighting the Mass Poisoning of America and the Cartel Behind It." They discuss how the drug created a health crisis in the United States, the Mexican drug cartels (led by Sinaloa) developing the drug, the progress that has been made to combat its manufacture and dissemination, and what remains to be done to fight the health crisis.

About Jake Braun

Braun is the executive director of the Cyber Policy Initiative at the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy. He is also the CEO of Cambridge Global Advisors and served in the White House for over seven years in several capacities, including as the Acting Principal Deputy National Cyber Director and White House Liaison to the Department of Homeland Security. He holds an M.A. in both international relations and education and grew up in Omaha, NE. Inquiries regarding the book can be sent to jakebraun@uchicago.edu.

Inquiries for Bruens can be sent to ncite@unomaha.edu.


Disclaimer: The views and conclusions contained in this podcast are those of the authors and should not be interpreted as necessarily representing the official policies or views, either expressed or implied, of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the University of Nebraska, or guest-affiliated institutions.

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U.S. Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Grant Acknowledgement and Disclaimer. The material on this website is based on work supported by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security under Grant Award Number 20STTPC00001-05. The views and conclusions included here are those of the authors and should not be interpreted as necessarily representing the official policies, either expressed or implied, of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

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