FRUIT LOOPED – May 6, 2026 – The evidence on flavors makes this story bigger than one company. Fruit and sweet flavors are positively related to moving away from cigarettes, and helping people select a flavor can improve the chance of switching. This difference was evidently resolved in favor of authorization. And this happened at a time when the pressure around the FDA has visibly shifted. Read More
Author: Leonard Buschel
140,000 US DEATHS PER YEAR – May 5, 2026 – As of 2021, there were over 28 million cases of alcoholism in people over 18 years of age and over 800,000 cases in teens between 12 and 17 years old. Moreover, the CDC states that alcoholism leads to over 140,000 deaths per year in the U.S. Unfortunately, quitting drinking alcohol may prove difficult due to the effects of alcohol withdrawal syndrome, a group of symptoms (like nausea, tremors, and sweating to hallucinations, seizures, or delirium tremens) which appear when someone with an alcohol addiction either abruptly stops drinking or significantly…
BRITISH TV IS BEST – May 6, 2026 – BBC drama Beyond Paradise fans have been speculating on Reddit about whether DS Esther Williams could face an alcoholism storyline in the next series. Fans see a heartbreaking storyline could be on the horizon for DS Esther Williams. In the closing episode, the fictional Shipton Abbott community came together for a touching send-off, during which Martha gifted Zoe with a cherished family heirloom in a poignant moment that struck a chord with audiences. For those who have followed Esther’s story from the very beginning, her tendency to keep people at…
AUDIO – LET THERE BE MUSIC – May 6, 2026 – Eggy’s approach to jamming rests on a foundation of mellow, sunny pop rock, songs with hooks that you can bring home to the parents, knowing they’ll charm the whole table before swirling up some deep improv with distinct zones that tell a full story. Beneath that sweet shell, there’s a teeming world of complicated and interesting ideas that Eggy has the patience and ability to fully mine before bringing it all back home. Their star has risen considerably since 2016. The crowds keep growing, and it seems like everyone…
AUDIO – DANGER STRAIGHT AHEAD – May 8, 2026 – There’s more medetomidine, a veterinary tranquilizer oft referred to as “rhino tranq.” It can lead to hallucinations and immobility and, like xylazine, it’s unfazed by Narcan. There’s more BTMPS, a plasticizer with a fishy smell that can gum up and cause irritation at injection sites, and in nasal passages if snorted, and in lungs if smoked. Testing found that some samples of street-sold fentanyl were up to a quarter BTMPS. “That’s a lot of plastic in your body,” said Traci C. Green, a research scientist at Brandeis and Brown universities.…
HE’S COMPLICATED – May 8, 2026 – “Alcohol abuse can sometimes be confusing and difficult to spot, especially if a person appears to be capable of doing everything they need to maintain core aspects of their lives. They may seem OK to the outside world, it’s likely that warning signs and symptoms are appearing elsewhere.” … And lastly, if you feel as though you are walking on eggshells around someone and ‘feeling the distance grow’ because of alcohol getting in the way, it might suggest they have a problem with booze. “You don’t need to lose your job or your…
OH OSCAR – May 9, 2026 – Kevin McEnroe, the son of actress Tatum O’Neal and tennis star John McEnroe, is reflecting on his relationship with his mom. In “Dear Tatum,” written as a letter addressed to his mother and published at The Small Bow, Kevin opened up about his early memories of his mother’s addiction struggles. Kevin recalled O’Neal’s sobriety journey, separating her identity as a mother from what he describes as her separate identity as “Tatum.” Although he “sometimes” still calls O’Neal “Tatum,” he mostly now calls her “Mama,” Kevin, 39, wrote. “When I was little, you were…
VIDEO – SONG OF THE WEEK – 1.8 million views – 7 months ago – In honor of its 60th anniversary, The Sound of Music has been newly restored and remastered in 4K! WATCH
STICK WITH THE WINNERS! – Seven Graham is an addiction and recovery professional specializing in LGBTQIA+ care, with a focus on trans and intersex clients. Drawing on lived experience and clinical training, he blends evidence-based practice with creative approaches, helping clients transform trauma, build resilience, and sustain meaningful recovery through authentic self-expression and holistic support. Q. If you are in recovery, what was your drug(s) of choice and when is your sobriety date?A. At the end I would take anything, classic poly drug user, including Dr’s drugs.The first drug I felt powerless over and LOVED was a stimulant. Uppers and…
CHOLINE – May 7, 2026 – Anxiety has become one of the most visible mental health problems in the United States, showing up not only in clinics but also in schools, workplaces, and everyday family life. Although therapy and medication can help many people, anxiety disorders often go untreated, and even those who receive care do not always recover fully. A new UC Davis Health study points to a possible biological clue: people with anxiety disorders appear to have lower levels of choline, an essential nutrient involved in brain function. The study, published in the journal Molecular Psychiatry, reviewed 25…
By MARY ALEXANDRA CEE – May 7, 2026 – A new resource for combatting substance addiction couldn’t be more timely. A seasoned therapist releases her powerful new book In the Rooms as a candid, compassionate resource for those navigating the path toward sobriety. In the Rooms draws on nearly twenty-five years of professional experience treating mental health disorders and addiction to offer hope for those seeking recovery. Mary Alexandra Cee has spent over two decades helping clients find freedom from substance dependency. Today, she’s sharing her own journey of obtaining twenty-six years of sobriety. A licensed Marriage and Family Therapist,…
AND IT’S FUN – May 8, 2026 – Psilocybin recipients had a higher percentage of cocaine-abstinent day. Psilocybin recipients had a greater likelihood of complete cocaine abstinence. CUD affects millions of people worldwide, with an estimated 25 million individuals reporting use in 2025. According to Hendricks, the hypothesis was formulated considering previous studies that have shown anti-addictive effectiveness of psilocybin in smoking cessation and alcohol use disorder. Participants were randomized to receive a single oral dose of psilocybin, 25 milligrams per 70 kilograms of body weight, or an active placebo. Participants also received cognitive behavioral therapy one month before and…
EVERYONE ONE DAY – May 1, 2026 – I recently came across “The Smallest of Joys,” the new book by Diane Shiffer, the 69-year-old TikTok star known as Your Chubby Vintage Nana. In it, she writes that weirdness isn’t “a flaw to fix, but a thread to follow” back to “your truest self.” So I decided to ask her and a few researchers about embracing our “inner weirdo” as we get older. While “inner weirdo” wasn’t a term many of them used in their research (and they all cautioned that there’s no universal experience of old age), they did give…
MORE WILL DIE – May 6, 2026 – The Trump administration’s cuts to federal addiction programs are striking a blow to the U.S. economy, not just public health. Since January 2025, nearly two-thirds of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration staff have been eliminated, and over $588 million in addiction-related research grants were canceled. “The administration has reset national priorities in ways that have dramatically weakened the systems used to track, understand, and respond to endemic psychoactive substance abuse,” the report says. “The precipitous changes … threaten the viability of a network that has proven to be a…
AND DO WE EVER – May 2, 2026 – Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) make up about 70% of packaged food products on supermarket shelves, and even more in convenience stores. Our attraction to UPFs is no coincidence. UPF companies combine a range of tactics to drive up consumption. Many of these tactics exploit the ways we think, feel and behave. UPFs are the most processed foods on the market. According to the medical journal The Lancet, they are commercial formulations made from cheap ingredients extracted or derived from whole foods, combined with additives, but mostly containing little to no whole food…
VIDEO – NOTHING BUT NET – May 6, 2026 – The former Boston Celtics player visited Smith Academy to speak with students about the dangers of drug addiction. Imagine being or knowing someone dealing with drug addiction for so many years. That is what former Boston Celtics player Chris Herren experienced for several years of his life. Now, he goes to schools across the country to share his story. For Massachusetts native Chris Herren, his life has been full of twists and turns, “it was extremely lonely, isolating, a lot of shame, a lot of guilt, a lot of remorse.”…
SOBER CELEBRITIES – May 5, 2026 – Staying sober in Hollywood is no easy feat, but a number of female celebrities have successfully kicked alcohol to the curb, and for many of them, it has greatly paid off. Abstaining from alcohol is known to have a variety of health benefits, and practicing sobriety is a lifestyle habit that may even help you live longer. Limiting your alcohol intake can also have a noticeable effect on your physical appearance, particularly when it comes to your skin. A sober lifestyle has been linked to anti-aging skin benefits like increased hydration, reduced inflammation,…
DID THEY SEARCH HIM? – May 7, 2026 – Former President Bill Clinton was the guest of honor at the groundbreaking of a new drug treatment residence in central Brooklyn, where the legacy of the War on Drugs hung over an otherwise celebratory occasion. Local elected officials, clergy, providers and regulators broke ground on a 10,800 square foot expansion of a men’s residential program in Crown Heights run by the Methodist nonprofit Anchor House and paid for with $18 million from the state. The project, which is expected to take two to three years to complete, will add 20 beds…
7-OH – May 7, 2026 – Sold in some smoke shops, vape stores, and gas stations is raising major concerns among addiction specialists, who say the drug can trigger addiction within days.The substance is called 7-OH, short for 7-hydroxymitragynine, a potent kratom derivative…At the Henry Ford Health Maple Grove Recovery Center in West Bloomfield, addiction medicine physician Dr. Joshua Smith said the rise in cases has been dramatic. “Over the last year or so, we went from having virtually no patients coming in for this to having about 20% of our unit at any given time addicted to 7-Hydroxy,” Smith…
VIDEO – FACEBOOK IN THE MIRROR – May 6, 2026 – Common signs someone may be struggling with their mental health include changes in sleeping patterns, changes in eating habits, and extreme mood changes. On someone’s timeline, those signs can include an abrupt change in the style, tone, or subject matter. “And frequently these days you may see very nihilistic memes or things coming to nothing or, you know, references to songs or media. And that’s part of their background where it hasn’t been,” Dr. Smink Sangsura, a psychiatrist with Ochsner LSU Health, explains. If you are growing concerned about…
“Loneliness is not the absence of people around us, but the inability to express what truly matters within us.” – Carl Jung, 1875–1961
IT’S TOO EASY – April 25, 2026 – Retired firefighter Glenn Perkins died in January this year after suffering with alcoholism for more than three decades. Shocking photographs taken inside his flat show dozens of discarded beer bottles in torn-open delivery and supermarket bags. Daughter Connie Perkins, 30, tried to contact the delivery company in 2022 requesting they blacklist her father, who would answer the door in hospital pijamas, from ordering any more bottles. But, the company cited its privacy policy and said it could only deal with requests from the account holder. Glenn’s order history shows he would place…
GOOD MAN – April 25, 2026 – He confessed that he was initially “nervous” about sharing his sobriety journey. “I was nervous because relapse is a big part of my story,” the actor, 47, told Page Six. “I spent the first four years of my journey in and out of AA, and relapsing and struggling.” The “American Pie” star added that he spoke out to be “accountable” and to possibly “motivate some people.” Last year, Biggs appeared on the “Well with Arielle Lorre” podcast and revealed that during the throes of his addiction, he found himself climbing into a trash…
AUDIO – THE LIGHTER SIDE OF MM – April 25, 2026 – I have a confession to make. Some of you may have known this, but I did in fact like the drugs [referencing his track “I Don’t Like the Drugs (But the Drugs Like Me).” Manson went on to discuss cocaine and how drugs “loved” him so much that they wanted to “marry” him. Then, though, his tone shifted a little. One day, I had to teach drugs a lesson. I said, ‘Hey, drugs, you want to go for a romantic ride into the desert with me?’ In the…
VIDEO – IT CAN HAPPEN TO ANYONE – April 21, 2026 – The social media ad for a 2-ounce tonic called “Feel Free” caught Melanie Clark’s attention because it promised she could eliminate drinking from her life while still feeling a buzz. “It was just advertised as a healthy, natural botanical drink.” It spoke to the 35-year-old Upper Peninsula woman’s healthy-living sensibilities. But the ingredients in the tiny shot-size bottle almost killed her, according to Clark and her family. Feel Free is a brand of kratom, an unregulated substance derived from a tree plant in Southeast Asia that is sold…
KEEP AN EMERGENCY STASH – April 28, 2026 – The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration works with states to ensure that access to opioid use disorder medication isn’t disrupted. States can approve emergency measures to allow people more flexibility to obtain their treatments. Cordelia Stearns, another co-author of the editorial, saw these access issues play out in the wake of Hurricane Helene. Stearns, the chief medical officer at High Country Community Health in North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains, said the first calls to her clinics were for buprenorphine. She said people who needed the medication traveled over mountains…
REVOLVING DOOR? – April 28, 2026 – The United States is a global leader in mass incarceration. It holds nearly 2 million Americans in prisons and jails, and it costs a whopping $445 billion annually to do so. About 65 percent of people in American prisons have an active substance use disorder (SUD). For inmates with an SUD, incarceration usually means immediate, forced abstinence. This might sound like a good thing; isn’t the best way to help an addict to stop their access to the drugs to which they are addicted? The answer, it turns out, can get complicated. Forced…
VIDEO – POLICE CAN HELP – April 27, 2026 – Police said there were seven suspected overdoses in just 20 hours. WATCH
ONE GRANULE AT A TIME – April 29, 2026 – If you consume a decent amount of sugar, going on a sugar detox can seem like a good idea. After all, most health experts liken sugar to a drug that doesn’t really offer any health benefits. In fact, it’s already equipped with a “highly effective detox system,” aka, your liver and kidneys. “What does happen is your body adjusts to lower added sugar intake, and that can feel dramatic, especially at first,” she says. Here is what happens to your body when you stop eating sugar. Read More
VIDEO – HE LIVED – April 30, 2026 – Dr. Jeremy shares insights after 1,500 days alcohol-free, emphasising improved mental clarity, emotional stability, and reliable routines. But it is a no-brainer that alcohol does lead to several health concerns. In a video shared on April 29, Dr. Jeremy London, a board-certified heart surgeon with more than 25 years of experience, highlighted the profound benefits he experienced after quitting alcohol for over 1,500 days to urge others to quit the habit. In the video, he also reflected on how removing toxins led to consistent mental clarity and a more reliable daily…