In this episode of The Opioid Matrix, host Michael Brown speaks with Adam Castillo, a former U.S. Marine Officer, Founder of AGS Myanmar, and former president of the American business community in Myanmar. Adam is also the author of Finding Our Voice: A Story of Leadership in Crisis and the American Spirit Abroad, a leadership memoir shaped by his experience guiding an American business community through Myanmar's post-coup collapse.
Drawing on his firsthand experience in Myanmar during a period of civil war, institutional breakdown, and economic instability, Adam explains how weak governance and diminished law enforcement can create the conditions for criminal networks and narcotics trafficking to expand. He and Michael explore the parallels between Myanmar and Mexico, and what those lessons mean for Americans trying to understand cartel power, fentanyl trafficking, and the broader opioid crisis.
The conversation also looks beyond geopolitics to the local level, emphasizing the importance of community leadership, trusted institutions, and public awareness in preventing addiction and social breakdown. At its core, this episode is about what happens when formal systems fail — and why communities cannot afford to wait until criminality and addiction become normalized.
Together, they explore:
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Views expressed in this material are opinions of the host and the guest, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Rigaku Analytical Devices.
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