Brian Mann
Brian Mann is NPR's first national addiction correspondent. He also covers breaking news in the U.S. and around the world.
Mann began covering drug policy and the opioid crisis as part of a partnership between NPR and North Country Public Radio in New York. After joining NPR full time in 2020, Mann was one of the first national journalists to track the deadly spread of the synthetic opioid fentanyl, reporting from California and Washington state to West Virginia.
After losing his father and stepbrother to substance abuse, Mann's reporting breaks down the stigma surrounding addiction and creates a factual basis for the ongoing national discussion.
Mann has also served on NPR teams covering the Beijing Winter Olympics and the war in Ukraine.
During a career in public radio that began in the 1980s, Mann has won numerous regional and national Edward R. Murrow awards. He is author of a 2006 book about small town politics called Welcome to the Homeland, described by The Atlantic as "one of the best books to date on the putative-red-blue divide."
Mann grew up in Alaska and is now based in New York's Adirondack Mountains. His audio postcards, broadcast on NPR, describe his backcountry trips into wild places around the world.
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Deaths from street fentanyl have dropped more than thirty percent. That's good news. But it means cities and small towns face far more deeply ill people addicted to toxic drugs.
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In some parts of the U.S., drug deaths have plunged to levels not seen since the fentanyl crisis exploded. Addiction experts say communities still face big challenges. -
Trump continues to link his tariffs to fentanyl and overdose deaths — in his speech to Congress and on social media. But many of his statements about the fentanyl crisis aren't factual.
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Canadian and Chinese officials say they were already helping reduce fentanyl smuggling. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said fentanyl crossing the northern border is "near zero." -
President Trump cited outdated drug overdose data to justify tariffs against Canada, China, and Mexico. He also offered no evidence Canada is fueling the U.S. drug crisis. -
Snowshoeing in the Adirondacks on a winter day with chickadees for company -
Corruption charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams are on hold while a judge seeks legal input on whether the DOJ can dismiss them. -
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul will not remove New York City Mayor Eric Adams from office. He faces five federal charges of corruption and bribery -- charges which the DOJ says should be suspended.
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Mayor Eric Adams emerged as a key ally of President Trump on his immigration crackdown after Trump's DOJ agreed to shelve corruption charges. Gov. Kathy Hochul says Adams will remain in office. -
During a hearing on Wednesday, Judge Dale Ho questioned federal prosecutors over their decision to suspend criminal charges against Mayor Eric Adams. Judge Ho's ruling is expected soon.
