STREAMING SCANDALS – August 16,2023 – Dopesick: The Crime of the Century: The Pharmacist: How to Fix a Drug Scandal: Painkiller, Netflix’s drama about the opioid crisis is currently the streamer’s #1 English-language show in the world. I should point out that the show has racked up so much viewership so fast that it actually debuted at the top of Netflix’s global Top 10 chart during its first week of streaming availability. And, really, if you paid attention to who’s behind the show, you’d have probably seen that coming. For example, the director of Painkiller — which presents the real-world origin story around OxyContin, its drugmaker Purdue Pharma, and the…
Author: Leonard Buschel
VIDEO – EPILOGUE – Aug. 14, 2023 – The series, which Netflix is careful to note is a fictionalized retelling of true events, concludes with Richard being beaten to a bloody pulp by the ghostly apparition of his legacy-obsessed father Arthur Sackler (Clark Gregg). Richard is merely trying to explain to his pops that the Sackler family and their Purdue Pharma company has cut a pretty good deal with the government to avoid criminal punishment for their role in developing the drug OxyContin and perpetuating the opioid crisis. But Arthur is just not having it. It’s certainly a cathartic…
TV DONE RIGHT – Aug. 17, 2023 – The desire to avoid eating informed almost every decision I made. I came late to dinner plans, parroting that “I wasn’t that hungry” or that “I’d eaten at home”. I’d shamefully tip full plates of food into the bin, pretending I hadn’t let any go to waste. But however hard I pushed myself to skip snacks or adjust the levels of what I was allowed – and not allowed – to eat, my struggle was an internal, quiet and solitary one. All of it was shrouded in secrecy because I worked hard…
KNOW THYSELF – Aug, 16, 2023 – Recovery is the experience (a process and a sustained status) through which individuals, families, and communities impacted by severe alcohol and other drug (AOD) problems utilize internal and external resources to voluntarily resolve these problems, heal the wounds inflicted by AOD-related problems, actively manage their continued vulnerability to such problems, and develop a healthy, productive, and meaningful life. This definition of recovery fits several quite distinct uses of the term: “1) recovery as a lived experience by individuals and families, 2) recovery experience as the connecting tissue within communities of recovery, 3)…
“The quieter you become, the more you are able to hear.” – Jelaluddin Rumi
I LIKE TO WATCH – Aug. 6, 2023 – Make no mistake about it, while there are tons of crud being shown on television these days, it still can be one powerful tool when it sets its mind to it. Case in point, TV shows that revolve around addiction and recovery. When handled properly, these series can highlight the brutal downfall of the addicted and the uplifting journey taken to sobriety. Some shows take place in the real world, while others are more fictional, even using humor as the backdrop to addiction. Here are seven of the best television…
SOUL MATES – Aug. 10, 2023 – There’s setbacks and there’s times you move forward and do great, and there’s times you set back,” he said. McGraw added, “And that’ll probably be a process throughout the rest of my life and something that I have to be diligent about and really continue to work at. And I think [‘Hey Whiskey’] is helpful in that regard. It was very cathartic to me, in a lot of ways.” Elsewhere in the interview, the country crooner spoke about life at home with Hill, 55, as empty nesters now that their daughters Gracie, Maggie…
COMMUNICATION & UNDERSTANDING – July 25, 2023 – “There’s been times where he’s drank too much and annoyed me,” Banks said of Tony. “But it happens so, so rarely that it tends to be more comical than annoying to me.” Stewart Lee, 41, who has been sober for 10 years and written a memoir about his recovery journey, has been in a relationship for about a year with his partner, Rosie Leigh, 32. She described her own relationship to alcohol: “I have very good control over the amount I drink. I’ll have a glass of wine — I’ll open…
VIDEO – FAMILY 4TH STEP – Aug. 9, 2023 – Before There Was An After is a powerful and emotional memoir by a mother and son that recounts their seven-year journey through his heroin addiction and multiple attempts at recovery. It’s honest, heartbreaking, and revealing. Gerad Davis and Lisa Mead share their very personal experience, mistakes and search for answers. They stopped by Morning Break Wednesday to explain how they hope their book can be a resource for families dealing with a loved one’s struggles by providing insight, explanations and validation that this insidious disease is a disease that…
CASH TALKS NOBODY WALKS – Aug. 4, 2023 – As reported in Mountain View Voice, Santa Clara County has been struggling with a significant drug-related issue, particularly methamphetamine, which accounts for more than 50% of all drug-related fatalities in the county. The pilot program is based on the concept of “contingency management”, which has shown positive results in clinical trials and has been used by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs since 2011. This method involves financially rewarding addicts each time they test negative for stimulant drugs. Edward Cohen, a social work professor at San Jose State University, said…
WHY? – Aug. 8, 2023 – As street drugs have become ever more powerful and deadly, a small nonprofit in Manhattan dedicated to preventing overdoses has drawn politicians and health officials from around the country searching for possible solutions to the opioid epidemic. But now, Manhattan’s top federal prosecutor is warning that the group’s methods are illegal, and is suggesting that his office could crack down — and perhaps even end the effort. The group’s strategy — known as supervised consumption — is simple, but radical: Let people use illicit drugs at special centers, under the watchful eye of…
VIDEO – MORE WILL BE REVEALED – Aug. 7, 2023 – The number of physicians reported by the media who were charged relating to opioid-related offenses has tripled since 2000. Goldstein says that over the past five to six years, physicians have been trying to limit the number of narcotics for pain due to their addictive nature, citing that Tylenol is a strong painkiller as well.“I think some of it maybe gone a little bit too far that people that need narcotics aren’t getting them. People that need some pain management aren’t getting them just because we’re trying so…
ETERNAL SADNESS – July 24, 2023 – Two years later, Owens moved to Kansas City to be closer to friends and family. Immediately, Owens realized there was an issue. The closest group like GRASP was in St. Louis. Owens was motivated to get a group going and reached out to Jewish Family Services KC. Now, a local chapter of GRASP is up and running. “I know what it was like to live with somebody who was struggling and lost that fight,” Owens said. “We just want to be able to reach out and give somebody a place to be —…
MAGIC MOUNTAIN – AUG. 7, 2023 – Johnson is a certified mountaineer and rock climber in California, just outside Yosemite National Park – which is seen as a top rock-climbing area in America. The valley offers death-defying routes with views that marvel. For Johnson, an experienced climber for 32 years, Yosemite has become more of a sanctuary and place of healing, allowing him to grow in his faith one careful step at a time. “The Bible says the Earth cries out unto God – that the stones cry out,” Johnson told CBN News. He comes to this national park often…
REJOICING FOR LIFE – Aug. 8, 2023 – Lewis then reminded others, who may be dealing with substance abuse, that they are not alone. He also took a moment to share some advice while telling folks to “always stay true to yourself” in the process. “I just wanted to shed a little light. If there’s anybody out there who struggles with addiction or alcoholism, if I can do it, anyone can do it. There’s help everywhere,” Lewis said. “Also, if you just struggle with other stuff, I just want to let you know to always stay true to yourself. Always…
VIDEO – TALENT CAN BE DANGEROUS – Aug. 10, 2023 – 1, Demi Lovato. The pop star has long struggled with addiction and mental health issues, which stem from their childhood in the spotlight. Following a near-fatal episode in 2018, the singer has committed themselves to remaining sober. 2, River Phoenix. The highly regarded actor unfortunately became a symbol of celebrity drug addiction after his untimely death by overdose in a Hollywood hotel. 3, Shia Labeouf. In 2014, the actor was arrested and faced charges of disorderly conduct and criminal trespass. In response, he got treatment for alcoholism. 4, Lindsay…
POIGNANT and POWERFUL – Aug. 10, 2023 – One thing I had plenty of was time. When I was seeing patients, time had moved too quickly; I always ran behind. I had recurrent nightmares about charts piling up. Then, when records went paperless, my dreams did too, featuring screens of unpopulated templates. Now that I was a patient, time moved too slowly. Minutes seemed like hours — or became hours — as I waited for messages and phone calls to my doctors to be returned, waited for my next dose of pain medication, waited to be out of pain. To…
AUDIO – NO END IN SIGHT? – Aug. 9, 2023 – These numbers represent, as you know, sons, daughters, mothers, fathers, friends, brothers, sisters,” he said. “And these numbers have names and faces.” After a few years of what seemed like progress, overdose deaths are again rising across New Hampshire. Discussions of the state’s drug crisis often focus on cities, but rural areas have also been hit hard. Last year in Coos County, people died at twice the rate that they did in New Hampshire as a whole. And people here say they face outsized challenges as they try…
WHY IS THIS? – Aug. 7, 2023 – “Failing to use safe and lifesaving medications is devastating for people denied evidence-based care,” said Dr. Nora Volkow, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, which partnered on the study. Experts say stigma about addiction and lack of training among physicians and other medical workers often limits use of these drugs. According to the Food and Drug Administration, when these medications are used in combination with counseling and other therapies, they help reduce cravings for high-risk street drugs like heroin and fentanyl. “Everyone who seeks treatment for an [opioid use…
VIDEO – LAW OF ATTRACTION, NOT PROMOTION – Aug. 10, 2023 – Fortunately, Gad’s case caught the attention of attorney Kathleen Zellner, who is well-known for her work on wrongful conviction cases. She found Gad’s story to be touching so she offered her help and a position assisting at the law firm. Gad desperately needed this chance and accepted it. Gad worked at Zellner’s firm on the case of Mario Casciaro, a man whose murder conviction was overturned after a witness recanted their testimony. Even though she still had her own legal issues, it was a case that inspired…
NOTHING TO LAUGH ABOUT – Aug. 10, 2023 – But as the youngster recently revealed to her 2.9 million fans on TikTok, the journey hasn’t been the smoothest – and one of her temporary tooth fixes is just proof. While the former drug addict thoroughly enjoyed the look of her dentures from the front, the story inside her mouth was a little different. Pose with a new smile, the social media star revealed in her video that the back of the implant is too large, causing discomfort. ”The teeth themselves – they are large in size.” Pointing to the…
YES, WE AGREE – Aug, 9, 2023 – Owen continued, “Trust me, there’s [probably] someone reading this that I affected in my days of being an idiot and I can never take that back … I said things I shouldn’t, as well as did things I would never do sober. I had to own up to those instances and the ONLY thing I could do was be a better person going forward.” “I just want to encourage any of you that might be considering quitting drinking, that you should!” he added. “Life is so much better. Sleep better. Feel better.…
WORDS OF LOVE – Aug. 11, 2023 – “Just try it and see.” I was not at all sure that God would want to write through me. And wasn’t it only normal to want to be a great writer? “In order to write sober, you have to let God take care of the quality,” my mentors sternly told me. “Your job is to take care of the quantity.” It was suggested that I post a sign in my writing area, “Okay, God, you take care of the quality. I will take care of the quantity.” Then it was suggested that…
BEWARE OF COPS – Aug. 10, 2023 – According to VinePair, the malt-based drinks are to be produced in collaboration with Harpoon Brewery. The two Boston-area brands originally paired up in 2018 to release seasonal beers every year. In 2020, their annual autumnal four-pack featured two brews — Harpoon Dunkin’ Boston Kreme and Harpoon Dunkin’ Jelly Donut — that were infused withactual Dunkin’ donuts during the brewing process. Last year’s Harpoon Dunkin’ Box O’ Beer included a new-recipe version of the popular Pumpkin Spiced Latte, along with Cold Brew Coffee Porter, Hazelnut Blonde Stout, and Coffee Roll Cream Ale.…
WRESTLING WITH DEMONS – Aug. 11, 2023 – So my roommate’s a doctor from Ft. Lauderdale that is there for digesting crystal meth anally,” Flair said. “That’s one roommate. Now what’s that got to do with me drinking? The other guy is a 23-year-old who was taking 40 milligrams of valium. At 23, you don’t think he was vibrating? The other guy, I don’t know what the hell he did but it was so far-fetched. “I get there and I go there and go through all the physicals and all that. The doctor checks me out … I wake…
MYSTERIOUS DEATH – Aug. 9, 2023 – In a phone interview with The Daily Beast alongside her mother, Angela Tian, Lil Tay said, “Right now I’m in a bad situation and I don’t want to talk about these things,” adding that her father had “filed something to the court and the court ordered us to go back here, and he said that I was in danger and stuff.” She said of Hope: “He was threatening to arrest — to have my mom arrested if we didn’t go back … I didn’t see him for multiple years. He never saw me…
PLANT MEDICINE – July 14, 2023 – “We are excited for Berkeley to join Oakland, San Francisco, and 16 other cities and counties nationwide,” said Larry Norris, PhD, Cofounder of Decriminalize Nature National and Decriminalize Nature Berkeley, which led the local decriminalization campaign, in a statement. “Berkeley is making a statement to the world to end punitive approaches to entheogenic plant and fungi practices, and allow for additional forms of healing as well as personal and spiritual growth for the community.” “Although I’m a little surprised it took Berkeley so long to get on board, I’m very excited to see…
AUDIO – IN WHAT WAY – Aug. 10, 2023 – The plant-based medicine is largely illegal in the United States—except for a few cities where it has been decriminalized—and in the United Kingdom, but is legal in Mexico, Costa Rica, Canada, Brazil and many other countries across the globe. Consumed by the Bwiti tribe of Gabon in central Africa, they believe that the medicine is of divine origin, and opens a pathway to connect with one’s “Mboumba Eyano,” or soul. The medicine is derived from scraping the membrane off the roots of the iboga tree, which is then dried and…
CRAWLING IN THEIR SHOES – August 9, 2023 – The state police and the DEA had recently raided my office. I had been charged, booked, fingerprinted, and the medical board had stripped away my hard-won license to practice medicine. The last time I sat at this table, I was one of the millions of Americans ensnared in an opioid addiction. In 2015, I looked back on eight years of sobriety and into the faces of the physicians who inhabited the hell I escaped. I had been hired as an associate director for the Massachusetts Physician Health Service to help doctors…
VIDEO – L’Chaim – Aug. 10, 2023 – InsiderMonkey notes Wisconsin has one of the lowest alcohol tax rates in the country, leading to lower retail and wholesale prices. Some of the drunkest counties in the country are located in America’s Dairyland. The state has seven of the 10 U.S. cities with the highest alcohol consumption per capita (“for each person”). InsiderMonkey concludes Milwaukee.. “with its sprawling beer gardens..” is the drunkest city in America in 2023. Milwaukee topped lists for excessive drinking in 2022 and 2021, too. Per InsiderMoneky, the drunkest cities after “Brew City” are Minneapolis (Excessive…