Author: Leonard Buschel

OBITUARY – June 9, 2026 – A famous figure who lives a very long life risks outliving his fame. That was the case for Robert Coles, the celebrated child psychiatrist and social critic, who died earlier this week at age 97. From the 1960s through the 1990s, Coles was revered by … succeeding generations of young people (including mine) for his empathic writings about everyday experience in an America divided by race and class. Many of these writings first appeared in The New Republic, where Coles was for many years a contributing editor. I encountered Coles in the spring of…

GREAT VIDEO – ROLE MODEL MODEL – June 2026 – Cara Delevingne opens up about the deeply personal journey behind her music. She talks about sobriety, mental health, vulnerability and why she waited until now to share this side of herself with the world. The star reflects on turning pain into art finding connection through music and creating an album that felt fully honest. She also discusses songwriting, her creative process, collaborators, live performance nerves and the artists who have inspired her most. Cara Delevingne: I didn’t wanna do this album unless I felt like I was metaphorically exposing my…

NO SURPRISES – June 10, 2026 – Nicotine pouches are small, microfiber satchels containing a pre-portioned powder doped with nicotine — a highly addictive chemical — flavorings and other ingredients. When held in the mouth between the lip and gum, the nicotine is absorbed into the bloodstream. Retail sales of nicotine pouches grew by more than 50% from 2023 to 2024. Last year, the global market for nicotine pouches was nearly $7 billion, with almost 80% of the revenue share in the United States. The pouches are among the “emerging nicotine delivery systems,” including electronic cigarettes and heated tobacco, introduced…

COMPLICATED – June 10, 2026 – Motions filed by Meta Platforms and Alphabet’s Google requesting a new trial have been denied by Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Carolyn Kuhl, who upheld a jury’s findings that both companies bear liability for building social media platforms with designs harmful to minors, Reuters reported. Kuhl ruled on the motions on Tuesday. At issue was a lawsuit brought by a woman who alleged that the deliberately stimulating design of Instagram and YouTube caused her to develop an addiction to both platforms while she was still young. The jury returned a negligence verdict against each…

ME NEITHER – June 2026 – Eight focus groups were conducted involving 37 students aged 18-22 to explore how smartphones support and undermine well being, with addiction emerging as one of the themes. The data were matched against the established six criteria of behavioural addiction. I find that five of the six criteria are widely met, thereby justifying the term ‘addiction’. The findings show that the multi-functionality of smartphones cannot account for smartphone addiction.  Read More

Favorite Gene Shalit line was from his review of Crazy Heart. “He even sings in bowling alleys. Spare me.” – Gene Shalit, 1926-2026

LESS PEOPLE ‘DOING IT’ – June 2, 2026 – Contrary to popular belief, at least in Western nations, mothers aren’t necessarily having fewer children compared with a decade or two ago. It’s that fewer women are becoming mothers in the first place … Lack of affordable housing, fear of the future and the rise of smartphones all play a role. Some factors are obvious enough — if people are struggling to find love, it means they marry later or at lower rates, and most people still have children after they get married, not before. A fertility-rate crisis is a marriage…

THE RETURN OF – May 31, 2026 – Dick, 60, was photographed at a booth at the Hollywood Show convention on Friday, May 29, where he was seen chatting with attendees and signing various pieces of memorabilia. He appeared to be in good spirits while signing autographs in a rare public appearance just five months after his alleged near-fatal drug overdose. Just five months before the outing, Dick was found unconscious after experiencing an apparent overdose in Los Angeles. The incident took place after years of Dick’s known struggles with substance abuse. Dick was filming with friends Adam Carbone and…

VIDEO – GRATITUDE – June 4, 2026 – Thanks Kenny. God bless you and your family thanks for all you’ve done for all of us! … Thanks Roy for a great interview with Kenny. I got sober in 2012 & one of my avenues of sobriety was ITR (intherooms). I met my beautiful wife there and I owe it to Ken & RT. Much peace to you Ken in the afterlife! WATCH

THEY’RE ALL IN A FANCY DRINK – June 1, 2026 – Although going sober is more popular than ever, there are still many who struggle with alcoholism behind the scenes. A dependence on alcohol can present itself in many different ways, whether it’s knocking back several beers a day, or whining every night before you go to bed. June 1, 2026 – Although going sober is more popular than ever, there are still many who struggle with alcoholism behind the scenes. A dependence on alcohol can present itself in many different ways, whether it’s knocking back several beers a day,…

READ THE LABEL TWICE – May 30, 2026 – “If 100 people were blindfolded and taste-tested the original Guinness next to Guinness 0, the majority of them wouldn’t be able to tell the difference,” she wrote. While we didn’t manage to recruit 100 people (and didn’t make our testers wear blindfolds), we did convince a few of our colleagues at the Guardian to participate in a blind taste test to see if she was right. In the end, only about half were able to tell the boozy from booze-free. Read on to discover the full results and which they preferred…

VIDEO – STILL SOBER – June 1, 2026 – We must presume that there are readers who know the actor Robert Downey Jr. but who are unaware of the work of his father, Robert Downey Sr. Downey Jr.’s first two appearances in cinema are in his father’s films Pound (his first credit, when he was 5) and Greaser’s Palace. The latter, made in 1972, screens Wednesday at the ViFF Centre with an introduction by filmmaker, author, publisher, woman of taste and former Cinemuerte programmer Kier-La Janisse, whose imprint, Spectacular Optical, recently published a book, Truth & Soul: A Robert Downey…

STILL SMOKING? – June 4, 2026 – Emerging evidence suggests that breathing in polluted air is tied to a higher risk of developing dementia. For many city residents, that’s impossible to avoid, but other substances we inhale are more within our control. n analysis of self-reported health data in the United States, collected as part of a decades-long study, has now found that quitting smoking in later life is tied to a 16 percent lower risk of dementia. In fact, participants who quit smoking had a similar dementia risk in older age to those who had never smoked at all.…

NO MORE FREE SAMPLES – June 4, 2026 – “We stepped in to shut down deceptive tactics that put public health in danger,” Missouri Attorney General said in a press release Thursday. “This resolution protects consumers by taking these products off the shelves. Hanaway’s lawsuit alleged American Shaman advertised “free samples” of 7-OH, short for 7-hydroxymitragynine, despite its addictive nature and frequently without disclosing the risk of addiction in its marketing. American Shaman has agreed to stop selling any kratom product to Missouri consumers in stores or online, according to the release, as well as abandon Missouri-targeted retail advertising, including…

ME TOO! – June 4, 2026 – Days before President Donald Trump sparked the reorganization with an order late last year, the American Journal of Preventive Medicine published a study concluding that commercialization of cannabis sales may disproportionately affect adolescents with psychiatric illnesses or vulnerabilities, increasing psychiatric emergency incidents. A health article the National Library of Medicine published three years prior asserts that cannabis can trigger acute psychotic symptoms. Young people with preexisting mental health vulnerabilities may be especially prone to that psychosis, the study adds. State House Speaker Chip Neiman, R-Hulett, referenced accounts like these in an interview…

IT’S COMPLICATED – June 4, 2026 – Drug addiction in the US is a massive public health crisis, with nearly 49 million Americans or about 1 in 6 people aged 12 and older battling a diagnosable substance use disorder. Drug overdoses are a leading cause of accidental death in the country. Synthetic opioids like fentanyl drive an alarming portion of the tens of thousands of fatal overdoses recorded each year. Utah’s substance abuse statistics show a clear pattern: overdose risk remains serious, fentanyl has changed the danger level and alcohol-related harm is a serious risk. Utah substance abuse data shows…

SHREWD, SMART and GUILTY? – June 5, 2026 – The June 4 indictment charges Robinson with attempting to resell millions of dollars worth of tax credits. Robinson “knowingly, and with intent to defraud, devised and intended to devise a scheme to defraud and obtain money by means of materially false and fraudulent pretenses.” According to the indictment, Robinson leveraged an initial 2023 tax credit, which was contingent on the sale of Addiction Recovery Care to a separate buyer. When that sale fell through, Robinson “devised a scheme” to “unlawfully enrich himself” by selling those tax credits to a second party…

NONE IS BETTER – June 3, 2026 – Along with studying alcohol’s link to numerous cancers, the researchers also examined how low-to-moderate alcohol may impact the risk of many diseases. While risks are more pronounced at higher levels of consumption, findings indicate that low-to-moderate levels of alcohol intake are associated with substantial increases in risk. “This underscores the need for public health messaging that remains objective, while clearly communicating these elevated risks at low consumption levels.” Read More

AUDIO – RECALL THE BEANS – May 22, 2026 – Whether it’s beans, soda, or (surprisingly) watermelon, there are plenty of everyday foods that can leave us feeling bloated and uncomfortable. Over-the-counter (OTC) relievers are the easiest to reach for in times of gassiness, which is helpful when we’re farting at least 14 times a day. So if you’re stocked up on the popular (and aptly named) Gas-X for tummy troubles, you may need to check your stash. On May 19, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) issued a recall of over 285,000 packs of Gas-X softgels nationwide due…

VIDEO – SONG OF THE WEEK – 2020 – Une formation de pianiste classique , admiratrice de Claude Debussy . Aldo Romano, qui l’a accompagnée dès les années 1960, confiait à Renaud Machart : “Elle avait un art du “placement” des paroles et des accords extraordinaire, ce rapport espace-temps, qui ne se décrit pas mais se ressent. Il y avait son toucher moelleux, son swing, mais aussi son sens harmonique, aussi riche que celui de Bill Evans ou de Lena Horne à qui, seule, je puis à cet égard la comparer.” WATCH

STICK WITH THE WINNERS! – June 9, 2026 – Mr. Buschel is Philadelphia native and now a happy Angeleno. He is a California Certified Substance Abuse Counselor with years of experience working with addicts struggling with life on the natch. He founded the REEL Recovery Film Festival which played in 7 cities around the country for 13 years. He is publisher/editor of the Addiction/Recovery eBulletin. Q. If you are in recovery, what was your drug(s) of choice and when is your sobriety date?A. Marijuana, MDMA, Percodans, Absolute Vodka…Clean & Sober since August 4, 1994Q. Is there anything special in your sobriety…

AUDIO – A MEANINGFUL LIFE – June 1, 2026 – In 1994, Eric Zimmer walked through the doors of Maryhaven, an addiction treatment center in central Ohio, as a client seeking help for heroin addiction. Today, he is an author, teacher, speaker and the creator of “The One You Feed” podcast. Fifty million podcast downloads later, Zimmer shares what recovery really teaches. Zimmer has a new book called How A Little Becomes A Lot: The Art of Small Changes for a More Meaningful Life. He joins All Sides to talk about his new book. He will also discuss his journey…

DOING IT ALL – June 3, 2026 – The model and actor also discussed her infamous 2022 Burning Man photos, revealing that she’d been experiencing seizures at the time. The actor, musician and model spoke candidly about her substance abuse… “When I first started doing drugs, I was seeking connection, and I felt like I found myself,” she recalled. “I loved fun, and I loved dancing, and I was like, ‘Oh, this someone I really like. This is really cool.’ It was at a pretty young age that I started buying drugs to sell them and to do them.” Read…

POT LUCK – May 27, 2025 – Young adults 19 to 30 are nearly three times as likely to use cannabis daily than drink alcohol daily, while adults ages 35 to 50 use both about equally. And as daily cannabis use becomes more common, it’s natural to wonder what such frequent consumption may or may not be doing to our health. Some people like to compare cannabis to other widely used substances, such as caffeine. “If you drink too much coffee every day, there’s a tipping point, but research has shown that about two to three cups of daily caffeine…

YOU FEEL GOOD – June 1, 2026 – Drinking green tea every day can offer a calm lift in energy and focus while also supporting heart, brain, liver, and overall metabolic health. The nutritional benefits of green tea (derived from the Camellia sinensis plant1), are primarily tied to its plant compound, or polyphenol, content. “Green tea is very low in calories and isn’t a major source of vitamins or minerals, but it does contain several bioactive compounds that may support health. These include caffeine, L-theanine, and antioxidants called catechins, especially epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG),” registered dietitian Jackie Bridson, MA, RDN explains. These…

RUE DIES, FEZCO LIVES – June 2, 2026 – At a screening of the finale in New York City on Sunday night, the HBO series’ creator Sam Levinson dedicated his opening remarks to the late actor, who died at age 25 in 2023 from an accidental overdose. “Moments like these are rare. This season we lost Angus. Many of you loved him the way I did. He deserved more time, a longer, fuller life, ” Sam Levinson said while speaking about Angus Cloud, who played drug dealer Fezco and died in real life from an accidental overdose, at a screening…

I JUST CAN’T – June 6, 2026 – I first realized my phone had become a problem when my dreams began mimicking the endless scroll of Instagram Reels. I thought deleting the app might be the solution, but instead I traded my social media habit for doomscrolling the news, which left me too depressed and anxious to fall asleep. So I tried something else: I bought an alarm clock for my bedside and started leaving my phone in the kitchen overnight. But after a week or so, it was back in my room — a source of mindless comfort after…

KEEP COMING BACK – June 2, 2026 – Karamo Brown shared he relapsed while filming the show’s third season after 12 years of sobriety, telling People in an interview published June 2 that “a drink would lead to weed, cocaine, pills.” The TV personality shared how it was also hard to maintain a positive façade on camera while he was struggling behind the scenes. “I wasn’t coping right, but I pretended like I was,” he explained. “I was so broken.” These days, Brown confirmed he follows a 12-step program and regularly attends meetings to maintain his sobriety. “I’ve not had…

USE IT or REFUSE IT? – June 2, 2026 – AI is a drug. But if history has taught us anything, it’s that drugs need to be researched. Research, subsequently, will shine a light on its ills. Scientists thought cocaine was good for the body… Researchers claimed cigarettes could reduce stress before they realized it caused cancer. The AI companies don’t want you to know about AI’s harms. They don’t want you to be aware. Every ruling class in history has understood that a literate population is a dangerous one. The AI companies don’t want you to know about AI’s…

AUDIO – BET YOU DIDN’T KNOW THIS – June 4, 2026 – If you believe the multibillion-dollar firms behind “prediction markets” and the individuals who are handsomely paid to promote them, two things are absolutely clear: These exchanges are not gambling, and they certainly don’t prey upon young or vulnerable people. But many lawmakers, as you might suspect, don’t seem convinced. Undeterred, the industry has been furiously adding to its roster of lobbyists and advocates over the past year, hoping to build on the Trump administration’s support, which is no doubt founded partially on Donald Trump Jr.’s positions at both…