Presenting: Drug Story - On Xanax and Anxiety episode artwork

EPISODE · Mar 20, 2026 · 46 MIN

Presenting: Drug Story - On Xanax and Anxiety

from Cautionary Tales with Tim Harford · host Pushkin Industries

This episode comes to you from the new podcast Drug Story, which investigates the origins, workings and cautionary tales behind today's medical interventions. In this episode, host Thomas Goetz investigates the rise of Xanax, a drug used to treat anxiety that has become one of the world's most counterfeited and abused drugs. What happens when a drug works too well, and how do we manage anxiety in an environment that seems to fuel it?  Listen to Drug Story wherever you get your podcasts. This episode mentions death by suicide. If you are suffering emotional distress or having suicidal thoughts, support is available - for example, from the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline in the US, or the Samaritans in the UK on 116 123.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Mar 20, 2026

Embed this episode

NOW PLAYING

Presenting: Drug Story - On Xanax and Anxiety

0:00 46:28

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

No similar episodes found.

No similar podcasts found.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of Cautionary Tales with Tim Harford?

This episode is 46 minutes long.

When was this Cautionary Tales with Tim Harford episode published?

This episode was published on March 20, 2026.

Is there a transcript available for this episode?

Yes, a full transcript is available for this episode. You can read the complete transcript on the episode page.

Can I download this Cautionary Tales with Tim Harford episode?

Yes. Use the download control on the episode player to save the publisher-provided media file.
URL copied to clipboard!