Susan C. Boyd is a scholar/activist and distinguished professor at the University of Victoria. She has authored several articles and books on drug issues, including Busted: An Illustrated History of Drug Prohibition in Canada. She was a member of the federal Task Force on Cannabis Legalization and Regulation. She is a long-time activist who collaborates with groups that advocate for the end of drug prohibition and for the establishment of diverse services.

Susan C. Boyd's profile page

David Lester is a musician, graphic designer and graphic novelist. His most recent book is Prophet Against Slavery: Benjamin Lay, A Graphic Novel (Beacon Press) created with Marcus Rediker and Paul Buhle. He also illustrated “1919: A Graphic History of the Winnipeg General Strike”, (published in English, German and French editions). 1919 was co-winner of the 2020 CAWLS Book Prize. Lester’s poster of anti-war protester Malachi Ritscher was exhibited at The Whitney Museum of American Art in New York. He is guitarist in the rock duo Mecca Normal, cited as an influence on the founders of the feminist social movement Riot Grrrl. He lives in Vancouver, Canada.

David Lester's profile page

• Short-listed, Mary Scorer Manitoba Book Award for Best Published Book

“Susan Boyd’s book Heroin provides great insight into the early days of drug prohibition whilst also delving into questions of modern-day drug laws. Susan carefully articulates the history of drug user activism with a great understanding of racial and gender disparities that plague our community. The Canadian Association of People who Use Drugs fully endorses Heroin and believes its a must-read.”

Natasha Touesnard and Frank Crichlow, Executive Director and President of the Canadian Association of People who Use Drugs (CAPUD)

“In Heroin: An Illustrated History, Susan Boyd traces a compelling and damning portrait of the longstanding harms of drug criminalization in Canada. The work highlights the necessity of following drug-user led movements … to create a society geared toward collective health and well-being rather than punishment.”

Robyn Maynard, author of Policing Black Lives