AUDIO – LISTEN CLOSELY – Sept. 12, 2023 – Zanna is a low-rent South Florida outfit with almost no market share, putting everyone—including wannabe COO Pete Brenner (Evans)—in dire straits. All that changes, however, when Pete visits a local strip club and meets Liza Drake (Blunt), a dancer with a preternatural gift for reading people and convincing them to do her bidding. By the end of the night, Pete offers her a job. This stroke of luck couldn’t come at a better time for Liza, whose adolescent daughter Phoebe (Chloe Coleman) has just been suspended from school for igniting a…
Author: Leonard Buschel
A CASINO IN YOUR HAND – Sept. 9, 2023 – The State has considered problem gamblers by requiring the sportsbook companies and other forms of advertized gambling to put warnings on ads, usually in very small print, or quick quotes giving problem gamblers a solution. They also set aside 1% of revenues to address problem gamblers. On average, there are 1.2 billion transactions with New York residents loosing $4 million dollars a day. Nationally the MoffettNathanson Research estimates the sports betting market will increase exponentially in 2025 to $11 billion in revenue, from $1.13 billion in 2020. It is…
IT TAKES A CITY – Sept. 8, 2023 – The Philadelphia Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services is a co-sponsor of the event. “This walk really does give us that opportunity to talk about the hope that comes with recovery,” said DBHIDS Commissioner Jill Bowen, “and to really emphasize recovery is real, recovery is possible, and let’s share those stories of success and victory.” About 20.9 million adults in the U.S. who had ever struggled with alcohol or drug use reported that they are living in recovery, according to the 2021 National Survey on Drug Use and Health.…
AUDIBLE LIFE PRESERVER – Sept. 10, 2023 – The hotline serves people who worry using alone makes them vulnerable to dying by overdose. And there is reason for concern. Total overdose deaths have climbed to nearly 110,000 in 2022. Overdoses are often fatal, but the chances of survival go way up with urgent EMS care. Never Use Alone increases a caller’s chances of survival by promising to stay on the line while you use, and send you help if you become unresponsive. After Blanchard was finished with the call, she got dressed and met my colleague and me in her…
“Those who have endured some misfortune will always be set apart. It is just that misfortune that is their gift and their strength.” – Cormac McCarthy, b: 7/20/1933, Providence, RI—d: 6/13/2023, Santa Fe, NM
BIG MOVE – Sept. 12, 2023 – WERNERSVILLE, Pa. As President and CEO, Driscoll will be responsible for the overall leadership of Caron and serve as the organization’s primary spokesperson and advocate in the field of addiction treatment. Reporting to the Board of Trustees he will be charged with personifying and furthering the “Recovery for Life” mission and core values of Caron, Driscoll brings to the role a wealth of experience gained from more than 30 years in the addiction treatment field, starting as an alcohol and drug counselor in Chicago to his most recent role as Senior Vice…
ESSAY – Sept. 3, 2023 – She had to be strong and resolute, meaning she was often unable to talk about her feelings and mine. I can see the generational effect of addiction on us all. I became aware that my dad had a problem when I was around seven years old. I lived with him and my mum until I was about nine. His drinking was the reason for them separating. I had a very close relationship with him when I was a child – he gave me a lot of attention and was sensitive and affectionate. At the…
VIDEO – A TRIP WORTH TAKING – Sept. 7, 2023 – Real life Wolf of Wall Street Jordan Belfort has claimed that an illegal psychedelic drug cured him of his addictions and could be the answer to the opioid crisis. The 61-year-old told the New York Post that he recently went on an ibogaine trip that cured him of his vices. ‘When I woke up from the trip, I no longer craved opiates. I had no more physical addiction,’ he said. Earlier this year, Belfort – who spent 22 months in prison for a pump-and-dump stock fraud scheme -…
MADNESS IN AMERICA – Sept. 6, 2023 – More than 90% of the counterfeit drugs contained the extremely powerful synthetic opioid fentanyl, which has driven total US overdose deaths to more than 100,000 a year. Other fake pills contained illicit benzodiazepines, which are used in the Xanax, or a combination of the two. Fentanyl is frequently laced into heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine to boost their power and value without the user knowing. But because as little as 2mg of the drug can kill a person, it is easy to overdose. Many who buy counterfeit pills were seeking legitimate prescription…
THERE IS ALWAYS A DRAIN – Sept. 3, 2023 – I recently found myself wandering the streets of Brooklyn, clutching my tote bag. Inside was a bottle of oxycodone that I didn’t seem to be able to get rid of. A few weeks earlier I had been prescribed a small supply of painkillers for a surgery, but I was left with a handful of pills I no longer needed. Disposing of them was a challenge. I went to two pharmacies but was told they don’t collect leftover medicines. Instead, the pharmacist at the second drug store handed me a…
A SAD TALE TO TELL – Sept. 6, 2023 – He also founded The Prodigy Foundation, a non-profit organization that aimed to end mass incarceration and expand literacy in American prisons. He was engaged to Karina Franco, who confirmed his death on Facebook. Ryan Leone was born on August 3, 1985, in Framingham, Massachusetts. He became involved with drugs at a very young age and dropped out of high school. He went on to become part of the Mendoza Clan, an infamous drug cartel that operated a heroin ring out of Mexico. He was arrested and sentenced to five…
FULL VIDEO – AMAZING SHORT FILM – Sept. 5, 2023 – For most of my adult life, I’ve struggled with an opiate addiction of some form. But I’m one of the lucky ones, because I’m still here. The dark descent into the nefarious underworld of heroin addiction is well documented, but the challenging and deeply personal world of recovery and hope is rarely seen. This short documentary is a collaboration between my husband and me as we turn the camera inward and document my attempt to say a final goodbye to the synthetic opiates that have kept me off heroin…
COURT CARDS SAVE LIVES – Sept. 3, 2023 – Recovery was difficult for Gordon, who said she relapsed right away. Given a second chance, she never looked back. “They gave me a second chance and I put my nose to the grindstone,” Gordon said. “DWI court is not for the faint of heart. It’s very structured and it showed me how to be accountable for my actions. I had a curfew, I had to call to tell them where I was going, who I was with and what I was doing. Kind of made you feel like you were 16…
THEN THEY OWE ME A FORTUNE – Aug. 29, 2023 – “It’s really a brave choice of California to try this against potential backlash and misunderstanding,” said Catherine Teare, an associate director at the nonprofit California Health Care Foundation, noting that stimulant use is a particularly severe problem among the state’s growing homeless population. “This isn’t going to solve it,” she said, “but I think it’s well worth trying.” There aren’t any targeted medications to combat addiction to stimulants, as there are for opioids and alcohol, so stimulant addictions are among the hardest to treat. That’s why state officials…
DON’T DRINK AND DRIVE – Sept. 2, 2023 – Rex grew up in large town in Australia, one within the reach of a capital city, but still small enough away to feel comfortable and welcoming. By his own account: “I didn’t have a bad upbringing. Played up at school a little, left at 15, got a job straight away, just like many of us. At 18, I found alcohol, just like many of us as well.” As time went on though, Rex found himself drinking more and more to get through the day. Coming home from work, drinking from the…
YOU’RE SWEET? – Sept. 6, 2023 – How To Curb Sugar Cravings – If your cravings strike in the afternoon (when the munchies start around 3 p.m.) Bandier suggests switching to larger, nutrient-dense lunches that are balanced with protein, fats and complex carbohydrates. “This will keep you satisfied for longer and power you through the afternoon,” she shares. If your sugar craving comes at night (midnight snack, anyone?), identify whether you ate adequately throughout the day or are over-exhausted. READ@Parade
AND SO THEY CAN – Sept. 6, 2023 – Results of a recent poll revealed that 71% of U.S. adults believe know how to get a friend or family member help with addiction, while 73% said they would refer a loved one to recovery treatment and 74% would initiate a conversation. According to results of the new Healthy Minds Monthly poll by the American Psychiatric Association, 65% of U.S. adults reported that recovery from substance use disorder or other mental illness meant a person would be better able to function in life, when prompted to choose among different options.…
BRAVE NEW WORLD – Sept. 8, 2023 – When I turned 21, I fell in love with dive bars, fancy cocktail lounges, and everything in between. It wasn’t just the taste of alcohol. It was the history, the culture, and how alcohol made me feel. It was as if I had opened a portal to a more fun, more courageous version of myself. It took the edge off those big feelings and situations you navigate when coming of age. For the next 15 years, my drinking was moderate to heavy, always trending upward when hard times hit. To keep myself…
SCIENCE GONE MAD – Sept. 6, 2023 – WILLOW GROVE, Pa. (CBS) — The Center for Forensic Science Research and Education in Willow Grove, PA. was the first in the world to identify a new synthetic opioid that researchers say is more potent than fentanyl. A researcher opened a safe they said contained a dangerous drug. “So, this is a powder that we received from Ohio,” lab associate director Alex Krotulski said. “That contained N-Pyrrolidino protonitazene.” Also called a “nitazene analog” or “zene” for short. This is a synthetic opioid. The center found the drug autopsy samples taken nationwide. “We…
ONE CLASS AT A TIME – Sept. 9, 2023 – Ashley Kibler, 31, is a recovering addict whose story of recovery and redemption took her from homelessness to working toward her degree at Ferris State University. Originally from Cedar Springs, Kibler was introduced to drugs and alcohol in high school, which continued more acutely when she began college. “I experienced drugs and alcohol right away, and I was partying at the time, hanging out with friends, doing the party scene,” Kibler said. “At some point, I crossed an invisible line of ‘it’s no longer party and it’s no longer…
VIDEO – HARM REDUCER? – Sept. 3, 2023 – On a recent episode of his “Joe Rogan Experience“ podcast, Rogan told a story of his friend who was drunk and could not form sentences. He said, “I had a friend recently that got off the rails drunk. It was so sad to watch, he was so debilitated that I was like, I think I might be done”. He spoke about the disgust he felt about drunk people when he got sober. Rogan’s view on marijuana has sparked controversy. Some have attacked him for advising drug usage, while others have…
VIDEO – HOW BAD IS IT? – Sept. 8, 2023 – The film was released Aug. 25 on VOD and digital from Saban Films. In the film from director Nicholas Maggio, deep in the heart of Dixie, in a small town struggling with the ravages of addiction, a local sheriff (Travolta) tries to maintain the peace when desperate family man Shelby (Shiloh Fernandez) robs a pill mill with his reckless brother-in-law Trey (Kevin Dillon). But the supposedly easy score takes a violent turn, alerting the New Orleans mafia’s revenge-seeking enforcer (Stephen Dorff), who threatens Shelby’s wife (Ashley Benson) and daughter.…
TO SERVE AND PROTECT – Sept. 8, 2023 – KALKASKA COUNTY, MI – A Michigan State Police trooper is being recognized for saving the life of a man suffering from a suspected heroin overdose. According to troopers in Houghton Lake, the incident occurred when trooper Michael Burnside responded to a home in Kalkaska County at approximately 7:25 p.m. on Wednesday. Upon his arrival on scene, Burnside located an unresponsive man lying on the ground displaying agonal breathing. Burnside immediately began conducting sternum rubs, but they had no impact. Burnside administered one dose of Narcan and the man immediately opened his…
BRAIN SALAD SURGERY? – Sept. 8, 2023 – “Nurses, physicians and patients could inadvertently touch blood or bodily fluids containing dangerous pathogens. Custodians and sanitation workers could be stuck by a used needle. An aerosol can that wasn’t fully empty could explode and start a fire in a trash can, or in the back of a garbage truck making its way through neighborhood streets.” Though Bonta said the waste included body parts, Kaiser Permanente said in a statement that it was not “aware of any body parts being found at any time during this investigation.” The health care provider…
VIDEO – ALL LIVES MATTER – Sept. 6. 2023 -With all the resources going into reducing the open-air drug markets in San Francisco, NBC Bay Area’s Investigative Unit has been looking into the data to find out if the stepped-up effort is getting results. The numbers show that drug crackdowns in San Francisco are yielding unprecedented arrests and seizures. Most are related to opiates, at least, that’s the case in the tenderloin and south of market. Just in the last three months, San Francisco Mayor London Breed’s office announced that, local and state agencies have confiscated 103 kilos of opiates.…
AUDIO – TRIBES STILL UNDER ATTACK – Sept. 2, 2023 – FORDHAM: Then last year, a cousin of hers back on the Navajo Nation in New Mexico was approached by a similar van. She was struggling with alcoholism, and the driver offered her a drink and a place to go. When she sobered up, she was in Phoenix. And when she managed to contact her family, Stewart picked her up and heard she’d been taken to a place calling itself a sober home. Things fell into place. STEWART: This is why there’s white vans. This is what’s going on.…
THE REAL HORROR STORY – Sept. 7, 2023 – All the Beauty and the Bloodshed is a gripping documentary that focuses on Nan Goldin’s activism against the powerful Sackler family, who profited from the opioid crisis. Goldin’s personal experience with opioid addiction fuels her determination to hold the Sacklers accountable, using art as a powerful tool for activism. The documentary explores the role of art in confronting the rich and powerful, shedding light on the ways it can memorialize, shame, and confront those responsible for harm. READ@Collider
VIDEO – GIRLS SHOULD WANNA HAVE FUN – Sept. 2, 2023 – It is a major topic among moms: daughters struggling with anxiety or the effects of anti-anxiety medications, which can include weight gain and loss of libido. Many young college women are ping-ponging between anxiety, without pills, and numbness and body insecurity, with them. These young women seem to have everything, yet they are unable to fully enjoy a stretch in their life that should be sizzling with adventure and promise. “Back-to-school was always a time of excitement about where the future was headed — new notebooks, fresh…
VIDEO – ADDICTS STOCK UP – Sept. 8, 2023 – For the first time ever, you can buy Narcan without a prescription. The drug will be available in stores like CVS, Walgreens and Rite Aid this week. Many are calling it a gamechanger in the U.S. opioid crisis. NBC10’s Karen Hua spoke to Philly advocates about how this can be part of the solution. WATCH@NBC10
A LEGACY OF DEATH – Sept. 1, 2023 – The V&A Dundee has become the latest UK museum to remove a reference to the money it received from the Sackler family amid continuing anger over its central role in the opioid epidemic in the US. The £80m museum, Scotland’s first devoted to design, opened in 2018 and had among its donors the Sackler Trust, which gave £500,000. The contribution was recognised by a plaque in the entrance hall, which includes the names of major donors. It has now emerged that the Sackler name was last month removed, erasing any public…