Author: Leonard Buschel

LISTEN – PRAY THE SHOOTING STOPS – NO WINNERS EXCEPT PRISONS –  June 17, 2021 – In many parts of the U.S., some of the most severe policies implemented during the drug war are being scaled back or scrapped altogether. Hinton, a 37-year-old community organizer and activist, said the reckoning is long overdue. He described watching Black men like himself get caught up in drugs year after year and swept into the nation’s burgeoning prison system. “They’re spending so much money on these prisons to keep kids locked up,” Hinton said, shaking his head. “They don’t even spend a fraction…

WATCH – FORGIVENESS – June 15, 2021 – ‘In elementary school, when kids’ dads were showing up for soccer games and little league, my dad wasn’t there. As I got older, he missed more important things,’ … While they knew that Lawrence loved them, he worked the graveyard shift at a postal facility and was either sleeping or drinking during their waking hours. In his book, which he describes as an ‘exploration of fatherhood,’ Craig detailed instances in which his father failed him and his brothers, including the time he left Ryan at grade school. ‘Pops would pick…

LIVE LONG AND PROSPER – June 17, 2021- For lessons on longevity, you’d be remiss not to at least consider the morning habits of people from the Blue Zones (Ikaria, Greece; Loma Linda, California; Sardinia, Italy; Okinawa, Japan; and Nicoya, Costa Rica), where residents consistently live to see their 100th birthdays. Dan Buettner, the author and explorer who’s pioneered research on longevity hotspots, made it his mission to share exactly what people from these regions do throughout their lives that keeps them so healthy. 1. Find your ‘ikigai’ When you wake up in the morning, what gets you out…

DO YOU REALLY WANT TO TAKE THIS STEP? – June 18, 2021-More than 600 days after he underwent the experimental surgery, Buckhalter has not touched drugs again — an outcome so outlandishly successful that neither he nor his doctors dared hope it could happen. He is the only person in the United States to ever have substance use disorder relieved by deep brain stimulation. The procedure has reversed Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy and a few other intractable conditions, but had never been attempted for drug addiction here. The device, known as a deep brain stimulator, also is recording the electrical activity…

Erin Brockovich (born June 22, 1960) is an American legal clerk, consumer advocate, and environmental activist, who, despite her lack of education in the law, was instrumental in building a case against the Pacific Gas & Electric Company (PG&E) of California in 1993.

WATCH – WAR, WHAT IS IT GOOD FOR? IMPRISONING MINORITIES! June 17, 2021 – Despite a steep decline in illicit drug usage in the earlier years, drug use in the U.S. is climbing again and more quickly than ever. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the number of illicit drug users rose to 13% of Americans 12 years or older in 2019, nearly reaching its peak from 40 years ago. If the goal of the war on drugs was to decrease drug usage and prevent drug-related deaths, it hasn’t made much progress. “We are still in the midst…

WATCH – FATHERHOOD PRIDE –  June 16, 2021 – Have mercy on John Stamos because fatherhood isn’t as easy as it appears on TV. With Father’s Day just around the corner, the Full House alum gave E!’s Lilliana Vazquez a hilarious update on son Billy. According to the Big Shot star, 3-year-old Billy loves to hide things in his guitar. “I should do a show, like, ‘What’s in Daddy’s Guitar?’” John quipped on the June 16 episode of E! News’ Daily Pop. “Literally, I’ll find like a pair of sunglasses in there. He thinks it’s funny, and it is funny.”…

BOOK RECOMMENDATION – June 2021 – JESSE HARLESS is a leader and facilitator in the addiction recovery and mental health space. As CEO of Entrepreneurs in Recovery®, he facilitates highly experiential online and in-person events that help individuals and organizations harness their strengths and create purposeful visions. Jesse holds a MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Rivier University and is a HeartMath® certified trainer, Resilience coach, XCHANGE faculty member, and bestselling author of Smash Your Comfort Zone with Cold Showers. To learn more, visit www.JesseHarless.com … This is an easy read and a must have for anyone in recovery,…

TEENS KNOW BEST – June 10, 2021 – My relative passed away a few years ago from lung cancer. She had been a heavy smoker for years and was diagnosed shortlybefore her death. Yet, even though losing her was foreseeable, that didn’t make it any less devastating for my family. My relative and her spouse met right out of high school, marrying in their early 20s. Both were avid smokers and drinkers, living for the rush of dopamine and serotonin that came with drugs and alcohol. Not long after they met, they both suffered severe injuries – one was hit…

ALL PATHS TO SOBRIETY LEAD TO FREEDOM – May 23, 2021 – He broke free of the addiction at the age of 19 when he joined Teen Challenge, a Christian-based addiction service that offers rehabilitation from drug addiction by providing “transformation — not treatment.” His time spent at the Teen Challenge in Pennsylvania amounted to six months in the late 1960s, instilling in him the idea that was the foundation of his book — not all addiction needs to be treated with medication. “In the course of researching for my book, I found various studies that claim that over 65…

LISTEN – OR MARIJUANA ANONYMOUS FOR A DOLLAR – June 8, 2021 – They’re among a handful of companies seeking to address what they see as a growing problem, particularly with no drugs approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for treatment. According to clinicaltrials.gov, 69 studies have been registered for drugs aimed at cannabis use disorder. Of those, around a third appear to be recruiting or enrolling subjects. Read More: Cannabis Almost as Addictive as Opioids Among Teens, Study Finds “Cannabis is the most common substance of abuse besides alcohol and tobacco, and there is no FDA-approved drug,…

HOLD THE PHONE – June 7, 2021 – The health department hopes the program, which was developed by the Partnership to End Addiction, will reach individuals at risk of suffering an overdose and alert them to overdose spikes. Health department epidemiologists will determine what constitutes an overdose “spike” by monitoring deviations from the ever-changing average of cases — with careful consideration to the geographic location and dates of overdoses. Spikes can indicate when drugs in circulation are laced with fentanyl, which is especially deadly, according to Trevor Henderson, the director of the health department’s overdose response program. “We have…

GIVING IT AWAY, NOT THROWING IT UP –    June 8, 2021 – The 29-year-old told Daily Mail Australia on Tuesday that she kept the reality of her dwindling health hidden to the point where, when she finally divulged her big secret at 19, her mother said she had no idea. ‘Mum was shocked. During that whole time, she only thought there was something wrong once but didn’t realise what it was,’ Ms Riley said. At 19, she thought opening up about her struggles would open the doors to recovery, but what the teenager didn’t know what that Australia didn’t…

EVERYDAY MIRACLE – June 8, 2021 – But homelessness and forced separation from her son followed before she began a recovery that continues. Today, Spiehler, 40, has gone from a homeless, couch-surfing alcoholic in 2015 to taking charge of her life and competing with hundreds of applicants to win a full tuition scholarship to the University of Mississippi in Oxford through one of the 2021 Lyceum Scholar Awards. “Stacey Spiehler is undoubtedly one of the most inspiring people I have ever had the privilege of working with,” said Amie Bernstein, transfer admissions counselor at Ole Miss. Spiehler was contacted on…

ZOOM GLOOM – June 9, 2021 – The International OCD Foundation states that about 1 in 50 people have BDD symptoms, many of whom suffer in silence, and that number is only increasing. A 2020 article in Vogue suggests that “in recent decades, dissatisfaction with body image in general, and by extension extreme body image disturbances such as BDD , have been on the rise”; Some experts attribute this to “social media and cultural shifts,” while others point out that continued webcam use could be one of the problems. Another expert mentions that some of the symptoms of this…

PROMISES FULFILLED – June 10, 2021 – He added: “But at the same time, it’s quite an important part because it’s given me such joy and happiness and peace in a way I didn’t have before I was sober. It’s interesting to do all those lines of coke and all those cigarettes and shots that Halston was doing and just being glad they weren’t real. Just being happy about that, but understanding it.” Halston is currently airing on Netflix. It was given a three-star review byThe Independent’s critic Kevin E G Perry, who wrote: “The show leaves us in no…

WATCH – ADDICTS’ LIVES MATTER – June 11, 2021 – “We are excited for the opportunity to offer these courses in which we provide nurses with essential information on substance use disorder and ways we, as a community, can effectively address this issue,” said Robin Newhouse, dean of the School of Nursing IUPUI and lead investigator for IU’s Responding to the Addictions Crisis Grand Challenge. “Stigma is one of the biggest barriers to people seeking treatment for this disease. Through conversation and courses like these, we hope to help eliminate stigma and assist one of our most vulnerable populations in…

WHAT WE DON’T KNOW WE DON”T KNOW – June 12, 2021 – It is a common myth that an alcoholic can’t be successful, but a person can make a proper balance between his work and his alcohol addiction. As mentioned earlier, an alcoholic doesn’t need to be drinking all day or every day; many alcoholics don’t drink during the day or even build a tolerance to alcohol. Thus, it is common for an alcoholic to skirt by seamlessly … Many people think that since alcohol is legal and its consumption is common, consuming it is not so bad, but…

WATCH – DON’T SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF – June 11, 2021 – “Fitness helped me recover from drugs and alcohol,” Turnipseed. “I lost a little brother and my partner to addiction.” Quinn said Gay & Sober have helped him recover from his loss. “I have had these demons too,” Quinn said. The duo said the “Sweat with Pride” fundraiser will be a fitness expo with booths and a raffle, but there will also be information on recovery support. One thing both men said they have faced is the fear of being gay at the gym, and they want to help…

REAL ROOMS – REAL HEALING – June 1, 2021 – This is a call to prioritization rather than prominence. Most AA members have a “favorite Step” (mine is Ten, because promptly admitting my wrongs seldom comes easy). Neither I nor anyone else has the right to rank Steps by their value for others (with the possible exception of Step One, since its consistent practice is a prerequisite for the program’s eleven ensuing suggestions). No, this is about a specific Step for a specific time in a specific place. As we reconvene in-person with green or recently returning members tainted…

ONE OF 180 NATIONS! – June 12, 2021 – Heavy drinking also contributes to illness in each of the top three causes of death: heart disease, cancer, strokes. Almost half of all South African traffic fatalities are also alcohol-related, and around 170 people die every day of alcohol-related illnesses in the country. The negative impact of an alcoholic in the family is no less troubling. According to AA, for every one alcoholic, 16 people’s lives are adversely affected. Nearly 20% of children under 18 live with a parent (or responsible adult) who drinks heavily or has an alcohol problem. Many…

USE CLEAN ADVERTISING – June 10, 2021 – The company branded its websites as impartial resources to find “the right treatment center for you,” without clearly disclosing that much of their content was paid advertising. In fact, when people called Recovery Worldwide for help finding treatment, they were routed to directly to sales representatives for substance abuse treatment facilities that paid Recovery Worldwide to forward calls to them, without any consideration for the consumer’s preferred location or treatment needs. Ferguson’s complaint, filed in King County Superior Court, asserts Recovery Worldwide’s conduct violates the Washington Consumer Protection Act. As a result…

WATCH – ON A BOAT AT SEA? –    June 10, 2021 – ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – The man accused of trying to break into the cockpit of a Delta flight will be released to a sober living house. Passenger video shows Asiel Norton being restrained by a flight attendant and fellow flyers after he rushed the cockpit door. Norton can be heard saying “you’ve got to stop this plane.” The plane made an emergency landing in Albuquerque. Norton faces federal charges that carry up to 20 years behind bars. He went before Magistrate Judge Laura Fashing on Thursday who…

VIDEO – NOW EVERYONE KNOWS HIS NAME – June 11, 2021 – Digital Underground founding member Shock G, best known as his alter ego, MC Humpty Hump, died from an accidental overdose, medical examiners said today. The initial case summary released by the Hillsborough County Medical Examiner’s office in Florida said Shock G (real name: Gregory Jacobs) died from an accidental overdose of fentanyl, ethanol and methamphetamine. He was buried in Tampa, Florida on May 1. “The Humpty Dance” hit No. 11 on the Billboard 200, nearly matching its lyrical boast, “All the rappers in the Top 10, please…

MUSICAL INTERLUDE – “One” is a song written and recorded by Harry Nilsson and made famous by Three Dog Night whose recording reached number five in the U.S. in 1969. more@YouTube

OUR LEADERS ARE BUT TRUSTED SERVANTS – June 8, 2021 – A.A. has always relied on its many nonalcoholic friends to provide professional expertise, sound business judgment and balance to the dedicated group of trustees who donate their time and interest in service to Alcoholics Anonymous. Importantly, of the 21 members of A.A.’s General Service Board, seven are specifically designated as Class A (nonalcoholic) trustees and can provide services that the 14 Class B (recovering alcoholic) trustees cannot, particularly in the area of providing public information about A.A. where they can face the camera head-on or use their last names…

Stick with the Winners – Q. If you are in recovery, what was your DOC and when did you discontinue its use? A. Quaaludes/Alcohol/Mushrooms. December 7, 1982 is my clean date. Q. At which classes or workshops did you learn the most? A. Barry University Q. Do you believe artists are made or born? A. Born All Answers HERE

VERY STRESSFUL WORK –    June 4, 2021 – In a 2019 incident that resurfaced in state court in April, an LAPD detective who’d been drinking with subordinates for hours in downtown bars allegedly shot a homeless man on skid row before being badly beaten himself. The officer claimed self-defense. In a 2020 case reviewed by the Police Commission in April, an LAPD officer who’d been drinking whiskey and beer while shooting targets with two fellow cops at a remote Apple Valley campsite imagined they were under attack and allegedly shot one of his friends. He later claimed the shooting…

LISTEN – A REAL FAKE LIFE – June 8, 2021- we need to recognize that it’s OK to seek mental healthcare.” Hemendinger hesitated when asked about body positivity. “I prefer body neutrality,” she said after a beat. “I think body positivity is a great idea, but I don’t feel like that’s a place we can live in all the time. There are going to be days where we don’t feel great about our bodies.” For all the dangerous parts of social media, Hemendinger noted a few bright spots. Social media can help build community with like-minded people, stay in contact…

MAKING A PARADIGM SHIFT – June 9, 2021 – “A different reality—one where we treat people who use drugs with dignity and respect, and one where drugs are no longer an excuse for law enforcement to surveil, harass, assault and even kill Black, Latinx and Indigenous people—is 100 percent possible, and these results clearly prove that,” Kassandra Frederique, the executive director of the DPA, told Filter. “Fifty years later, it is no secret the devastation the drug war has caused to our communities, and yet drug possession still remains the most arrested offense in the United States. And so,…