New York Post states, “John Temple’s thrilling account of America’s latest drug war centers around a Florida clinic called American Pain. The compelling, cinematic writing itself should earn it a much wider readership than it has. Temple follows the rapid rise and swift fall of Chris George, a 27-year-old son of a wealthy builder who ran one of the largest pill mills for five years, unleashing deadly quantities of OxyContin on thousands of patients, and in the process built himself an empire.” John Temple was inspired to write “American Pain” after reading an article about the country’s deadliest pill mill, he was fascinated by the story and wanted to uncover more.
The result was his third book, “American Pain: How a Young Felon and His Ring of Doctors Unleashed America’s Deadliest Drug Epidemic.” The book is the true story of twin brothers Chris and Jeff George, who ran an illegal painkiller distribution scheme through a Florida-based chain of pain clinics. The clinic’s physicians distributed massive quantities of oxycodone to addicts posing as patients—giving rise to a new drug industry that tipped the current opioid crisis.
Temple says it’s important to have a public conversation about painkillers because so many West Virginians have been affected by prescription drug abuse. “There’s not a person in Appalachia who hasn’t been affected by the painkiller epidemic in some way,” said Temple. “I’m hoping this event and my book will help educate the public about the deadly effects of opioids. Just because these drugs are prescribed by a doctor doesn’t mean they’re safe.”