Dopeworld is a fascinating and informative exploration of the recreational drug trade around the world. The book is well-researched and written by a knowledgable author who manages to keep things light with a layer of humor. Highly recommended!

This is a very informative and horrifying book on drugs, their origins, the illegal activities involving them. I think the author’s story is the most interesting part of the book. It is very detailed and deals with a sensitive subject, but the author tells it all in a readable, enjoyable way. I think this book is really important and everyone can stand to learn something from it. I also highly recommend the first season of the podcast Last Day if you’re interested in hearing about drug addiction in America. A wonderful book (and a wonderful podcast). Please pick this up!

I found this book absolutely fascinating. It's a part of our world I knew nothing about and all of the stories had me completely shocked and amazed. I did find the book to be challenging to read and felt that it was confusing and hard to follow. The author's style of writing should not detract from the historical information and overall theme.

A fascinating in depth look into the world drug trade. Dangerous and sometimes even violent the author shows us the process and journey of drugs from start to finish. This book is not for everyone but for those who do read it, it will be eye opening.

Did you like Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas? Then do yourself a favor and read Dopeworld, the 21st century's answer to Gonzo journalism. Niko is audacious, precocious, and always entertaining. A refreshing look at all things underbelly, Dopeworld is the next chapter in dark tourism.

An interesting read with an even more interesting cover. Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to review, and also to have the opportunity to give away a copy on Bookstagram.

Received an arc from NetGalley.

I really liked Niko Vorobyov's humor and dry wise cracks. He made the history of drug trade interesting while challenging your notions of how we deal with drugs as a society. He points out (as POC already know) that laws and punishments involving POC communities are harsher than drugs considered ok by white society (alcohol, cigarettes, opiods, etc.). A lot of the politics and moral dilemmas caused me to audibly react, both because of how much the US government contributed to this issue, and how different countries try to handle solutions. For me (white non-drug user) it was thought provoking and made me reconsider how I perceived certain aspects of drug use.

I did not know what to expect when I read Dopeworld. Mr. Vorobyov does an excellent job of explaining the history of drugs as well as its origins and how each country has and continues to deal with illegal drugs. Mr. Vorobyov travels the world to interview people in all aspects of drugs, drug dealers, users, growers, police, and those impacted by friends/family of users and dealers. His witty banter keeps things light while he instills his extensive knowledge and research on drugs. I highly recommend this book. Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Mr. Vorobyov for gifting me an ARC of your book. This was my honest opinion. I look forward to reading more of your work.

An interesting, though somewhat disorganized, look into the world’s illegal drug culture. Dopeworld is the author’s personal experience with being a drug dealer in England. It is also a worldwide history of the gangs who profited by transporting and selling drugs for the last 50 years. Finally, the author interviews some of the world’s most famous heads of drug cartels.

I personally thought the author’s story was the best part of the book. Though some of the gangsters’ interviews were also interesting especially the comparison of the real Italian Mafia to the Godfather movies. The history section didn’t keep my interest. However, that might be because I lived through much of it. Younger readers may enjoy a brief look back at how the drug trade and then the war on drugs began.

The book’s long game is to make the case for legalizing drugs. From my own experience, here in California, legalization doesn’t really work the way you would expect. The illegal sellers can sell their marijuana at a much lower cost than the heavily taxed legal weed. Sure, if you are solidly middle class, you might buy legal. But the most frequent users just kept buying from their usual, illegal, seller. There have been several business articles written about the “surprising” lack of high profits from legalization. And not just in California.

If you are interested in the drug trade and/or the drug war, Dopeworld is very informative. The author’s black sense of humor suffuses this tale of one young man’s struggles with life as he laughingly labels himself “Narco Polo”. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4 stars!

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

Dopeword is a an interesting way of looking at the history and power of drugs throughout the world. I found it very eye opening. Readers will learnt about the history of drug use I never knew existed.

There is witty humor running through it. It's a page turner. Advanced electronic review copy was provided by NetGalley, the author, and publisher in return for my honest review

I really enjoyed this book. It showed me a view of life I had never seen from my sheltered bubble. It's eye opening and fascinating. Very informative and entertaining at the same time. Part journalism and part travelogue check it out. You might enjoy it as much as I did. Happy reading!

Dopeworld is in my opinion a well researched book told from the viewpoint of a Ukrainian born individual who is or was a convicted drug trafficker living in England. The author went to great lengths including traveling all over the world to put this book together. There is quite a bit of history of the use of drugs before and after prohibition along with how the different drugs came about.There is alot of history of the different groups that have done the trafficking from the mafia to Mexican Cartels and Russian Mafia. There are a couple of compelling arguments with in this book also concerning the use of drugs with in different cultures and race and economic levels. He also covers the history up to modern day about the war on drugs which for the U.S. started back in the Nixon era which just in case you have not noticed we are still not winning the war on drugs. The extent some countrys have gone to try and rid the use which is basically giving permission for all out legalized murder. This also covers some ideas that some countries have gone to with legalizing all drugs with the thought they control disease and crime related. Regardless with how much information or knowledge you have with this subject you should find some useful information from this well put together book. I received and ARC from St. Martins Press and Netgalley for a fair and honest review.

Not your average druggie lifestyle book. Much more than just one person's experienced it. I have read quite a lot of books on the subject and this would be in my top three. Highly recommend.

Written as a travel log meets commentary on the state of the global drug-trade, former drug dealer Niko Vorobyov weaves a true crime narrative that asks the age-old question: why aren’t drugs legal?

Born in Leningrad during the last days of the Soviet Union, Niko Vorobyov enjoyed a comfortable upbringing from two well-educated parents before falling into the drug trade in London. His crimes would take him all over the world from the streets of St. Petersburg to the mountains of Chile and into the suburbs of Colorado. Vorobyov weaves together his experiences with the history of drugs from around the world including the policies and laws that dictate them.
For years, the United States has had a war on drugs and has dealt out harsh punishments with most of our criminal justice system overrun with drug dealers and users, however, the US is still one of the hardest hit nations when it comes to the drug epidemic. Vorobyov brings to the forefront the fact that countries that have legalized drugs have lower drug-related offenses and even lower drug abuse overall which will leave you wondering…what is the “right” way to handle controlled substances?
In Dopeworld, we’re taken on a mixed ride of personal experiences, historical facts and the social and economic divides that make someone who is able to control a drug habit versus someone who is quickly labelled a crack whore and written off from society. Told in an Anthony Bourdain type of voice, Vorobyov blurs the lines between cultures and people, bringing to the light the taboo subject that has divided people for ages: drugs and how we use them.
About the Author
Niko Vorobyov is a former drug dealer turned writer who spent time incarcerated over his dealings with drugs. He has written several articles for numerous websites with Dopeworld being his first novel. Born in the former Soviet Union, he currently resides in the United Kingdom.
Book Information
Dopeworld by Niko Vorobyov is scheduled to be released on August 18, 2020 with ISBN 9781250270016 from St. Martin’s Press. This review corresponds to an advanced electronic galley that was received from the publisher in exchange for this review.

I'm not going to lie, I figured this book would be all about one man's drug adventures around the world. It's so much more than that. Niko travels the world to provide the reader perspectives from all sides that deal with dopeworld. He also did a great job in providing a lot of history and all with a sense of humor.

This was a brilliant and somehow incredibly funny tour through the world of drug trafficking, the war on drugs, and the substances we put into our bodies. Vorobyov manages to keep a light and conversational tone while frankly discussing matters of his own imprisonment, extrajudicial killings, and the difference between crack and cocaine. Does that seem weird to you? It might, but the narrative seems to fall in that sweet true crime spot (and what is drug trafficking if not - however rightly or wrongly - crime?) where the presentation of even the darkest facts sinks in a lot better if it sounds like it's being told by your slightly drunk friend at a party. Where it might otherwise come off as irreverent or insensitive, Vorobyov keep things from getting too heavy while simultaneously laying out the racism inherent in the war on drugs with all the gravity and absurdity it deserves. I'd hate to call this book a guilty pleasure, but at the same time, much like the substances discussed within, I can't think of a better term.

The book is part travel log by the author and part history lesson about the history of drugs. He believes that all drugs should be legalized. Although I do not share this particular viewpoint it was an interesting history of the drug trade.

Synopsis: Just as Anthony Bourdain did for the world of food, in Dopeworld, writer Niko Vorobyov travels the globe to find out more about the war on drugs and how it affects global politics and our day-to-day lives.


I am interested in everything drug related. Not in the actual consumption of them.... calm yourself. But I am fascinated by the importing/exporting, selling, legalities, everything surrounding the world of drug dealing and how the government uses drugs to target black and brown communities. This book was fascinating. Niko does a great job at detailing a lot of things that I had been fascinated by for a long time. a very timely book

This was certainly a unique way of looking at the history and place/power of drugs throughout the world. I found it very enlightening, learning a huge amount about the history of drug use I never knew or would have thought would all be real.  

Author/journalist Niko Vorobyov delivers his work in a way that kept me returning for more of the edge of witty humor running through it.  I couldn't stop until I reached the end, and was left thinking about it afterward.  Advanced electronic review copy was provided by NetGalley, the author, and publisher in return for my honest review.

This book ventures over broad territory while maintaining a tight focus on recreational (and, mostly, illicit) drugs. It is -- in part -- an autobiographical account of the author’s short-lived career as a drug dealer and his subsequent prison experience. It’s also a global microhistory through the lens of drugs. It’s also a travelogue for the narco-curious who wonder things like: what the drug scene is like in Iran; or: what life is like on either side of the war on drugs in the hotspots of supply and demand. It’s also a gonzo policy tract, presenting scenes from the good (e.g. Portugal and New Zealand), the bad (e.g. the U.S.,) and the terrifying (e.g. the Philippines) of national policies on drugs, taking that knowledge into the author’s advocacy of legalization and other policy changes.

The book’s thirty-six chapters are arranged into eight parts. The first part is where one will find the autobiographical account of the author’s life as a street-level drug dealer. Part two is largely about the history of illegalization of various drugs (including America’s experiment with alcohol prohibition,) but it also has a chapter on the author’s experience with ayahuasca (a potent psychedelic substance historically used by shaman of tribes in Peru, but which has spawned a touristic cottage industry in Peru in recent years with the resurgence of popularity of psychedelics.)

Part three is about the rise of organized crime’s involvement in drugs in the Americas, and it includes a particular look at how Cuba was involved with (and touched by) the drug trade. The four chapters of Part IV focus on the United States, a reasonable distinction given not only America’s prominent demand-side dominance but also its ineffective, yet extremely costly, war on drugs [and the influence that was exerted globally in that pseudo-war’s name.] These chapters look at a collection of intertwined problems that America has experienced around the drug war, including: poor race relations, high imprisonment costs, and unnecessary loss of life. Part five shifts from the 800-pound gorilla of the demand side to its suppliers – notably Columbia and Mexico. There are extensive explorations of the Medellin and Sinaloa cartels and the fates of famous drug lords such as Pablo Escobar and El Chapo.

Part six shifts back to the individual as the primary unit of investigation (as opposed to the regional, the national, or the international levels.) However, this time the author, himself, is not the central character. He focuses on the story of a junky who managed to lead a normal life and of parents who lost children to overdose. A major theme of this book is countering the popular societal narrative that if one ever tries any illicit substance one will have a brief and miserable life as a drug-addled addict (as well as countering the fallacious belief that illicit drugs must inherently be more dangerous than legal one’s – alcohol being more damaging than a few illegal drugs along several different dimensions of danger – e.g. addictiveness, bodily damage, and encouragement of aggression.) The last chapter in this part is a fascinating look at how drug dealing via the dark web (anonymous online marketplaces that work on cryptocurrency) works in Russian (and how this could be improving safety.)

The penultimate part explores four prominent fronts in the War on Drugs. Here we see countries that are making all the costly mistakes of the United States, but – by virtue of weak governance – many additional ones, as well. Each of these locales shows the reader some new facet of the drug trade. With Russia we learn about how soldiers returning from the Chechen War brought with them a growing drug problem. In the chapter that deals with Iran [and its drug growing neighbors (e.g. Afghanistan)] we see an interesting twist in which hard drugs aren’t as challenging to acquire as one might expect under an Islamic theocracy. The Philippines has become the proverbial wild, wild west with police going Judge Dredd on drug dealers (Dredd is a comic book in which law enforcement, judgement, and punishment are all in the same individual’s hands.)

The final part shows some of the progressive shifts of recent years – moving away from a war on drugs and toward a tailored management of drug problems. The case of Portugal, a country that found itself with a huge drug problem but chose to handle it as a health rather than criminal justice issue, is highlighted. There is also a chapter on the wave of decriminalization and legalization of drugs (particularly of marijuana) in the US and elsewhere. The final chapter both discusses the drug issue du jour (the opioid crisis) and then finishes with an argument for why legalization combined with certain other policy changes would make for better outcomes.

The approach of this book is largely gonzo journalistic. It’s written in a humorous and self-referential fashion, and is not shy about taking a particular stance. It’s a fun and interesting read, and is conversational in style. The book is at it’s strongest when it’s telling personal stories – both the author’s own and those of the individuals that he meets in his journeys and in his life. As with gonzo journalism, more generally, its weakness can be seen in the reporting of the facts, in which it can be a little deceptive, lazy, or oversimplifying of complex problems here and there.

To avoid being gratuitous, I’ll give an example of each of those three criticisms [with the proviso that I read a review copy and they might be changed by the final published edition.] With respect to being deceptive, an example would be Vorobyov’s discussion of Albert Hofmann’s discovery of LSD. The author simply says that Hofmann “took” the substance (the phrasing implies he did it on purpose, but several other accounts I’ve read suggest Hofmann was accidentally exposed and didn’t know what was happening to him [such a smart fellow probably wouldn’t ride a bicycle home if he consciously took the substance.]) This may sound like nit-picking. I wouldn’t doubt that the author knows that detail, but was paying more attention to how he was expressing himself than fine details. An example of laziness with facts is seen when he discusses the cost of the drug war. He gives a dollar figure for Portugal, proposing that that has to be a better path than the US, which has spent a tremendous amount on the war on drugs. I suspect this is right, but he doesn’t offer a comparative figure for the US cost [just superlatives,] and so we are left to suppose it is the right conclusion. (Who knows, the relative size of both the populations and economies of the two countries might result in this assumption being wrong.)

To get to my last critical example, I have to first offer a bit of praise for something that the author does well. He often anticipates the opposing view and provides both evidence that supports his point and that supports the counterclaim. As an example, in the chapter on race relations he does point to the counter-point to his own that more police officers are killed by suspects than cops kill suspects during arrests [in the US, not necessarily the case in other places addressed in the book.] However, the ultimate point Vorobyov dismisses the discussion on is that cops (as opposed to suspects) sign on for that risk. [I feel I can safely say that no one applies to be a police officer with the idea that they will not have the best possible opportunity to defend themselves.] I’m not saying there isn’t a problem. There certainly is. However, attempts to reduce the issue to cops-are-all-just-racists-eager-to-get-their-guns-off (not this author’s stated argument, but at times the rant does seem to swerve into that territory) don’t get us anywhere.

While that may sound like harsh criticism, I wasn’t too concerned about such matters. As I mentioned, this reads like gonzo journalism, and such works are famous for not hiding bias, and – in that regard – I found this book more balanced than many. The form attempts to entertain, to present a personal argument, and to not get caught up in the minutiae of conveying precise facts. I wouldn’t quote fine detail or assume my interpretation of what was written was correct without fact-checking, but I don’t think there was any matter of fact that was far off the mark. And the fact that the author has a point-of-view that he’s advocating is par for the course.

This book was a fun and fascinating look at the narco-world. I was intrigued, educated, and sometimes horrified by what I learned. I’d highly recommend this book if you [like I] are curious about what goes on in the dark corners of the world beyond one’s everyday world.