Obituary – Do Look Back – August 3, 2019 – Pennebaker made his first film, Daybreak Express, in 1953. In 1960, he worked on Primary, which captured John F Kennedy’s run in the presidential primary against Hubert Humphrey. He returned to politics with The War Room (1993), co-directed with his wife, Chris Hegedus, with whom he made most of his films. Their behind-the-scenes documentary looking at Bill Clinton’s presidential campaign received an Oscar nomination in 1994. Perhaps his most famous film, however, is Dont Look Back (sic), released in 1967, which depicts Bob Dylan’s last acoustic concert tour of…
Author: Leonard Buschel
Telling It Like It Was – August 4, 2019 – There is no shortage of drug memoirs in bookshops. We’ve all read examples of the genre. I’m convinced that, most of the time, the main thing that drugs can teach us about the universe is what it’s like to be on drugs. Mine is a particular kind of drug book. I am not Tony Montana and my story is not Requiem for a Dream … The fact, though I didn’t say as much, was that I did smoke crack, did almost die and had been through a fancy rehab…
Chemical Catastrophes – August 6, 2019 – Suicide was previously the leading cause of death for males in this age group for the past three years running. In 2018 there were 1,336 deaths attributed to accidental poisoning in men aged 35 to 49. This accounted for 12.5 per cent of deaths for men in this age group, up from 10.9 per cent in 2017. In contrast, in 2017, 1,163 men aged 35-49 took their own lives, amounting to 11.1 per cent of all deaths for men in this age group. Despite suicide now being the second-biggest killer of middle-aged men,…
Art Saves Lives – August 9, 2019 – Museum Director Denise Lebica hopes that the exhibit can raise awareness and start dialogue about the opioid crisis. It can also be a way to destigmatize addiction and foster compassion, she said. The artists are from Massachusetts and around the country. They participated in substance use training and met with the families to create their pieces. John Christian Anderson, who lives in Roslindale, made “Sacrificial Lamb.” It’s an upside down head nestled in drug containers, which represents how the urge to get high can turn a person’s life upside down. The arrangement…
Sh#%*y Police Work – August 9, 2019 – An officer then asked Werts, “What’s the white stuff on the front of your hood, man?” Werts quickly responded, “Bird shit.” The officer didn’t believe him, repeating again and again that the substance doesn’t look like bird poop and that it was tested positive for a controlled substance. “I swear to God it’s not [bird poo],” the officer said, “because I just tested it, and that turned pink.” The officer then explicitly says, “It tested positive for cocaine.” Werts was subsequently arrested and charged with misdemeanor cocaine possession and speeding, suspending…
Cracked Up at Reel Recovery Film Festival – Aug. 9, 2019 – Walking to the elevator, I feel ill from being so tired. But something is missing. I’m not plagued by a familiar question. It’s the same question that plagued comedian, impersonator, and actor Darrell Hammond for years. WHAT’S WRONG WITH ME? In my bones, deeper than my name, deeper than insomnia, lay a fault line. Mingled with my distinct awareness of self, I always knew there was something seriously wrong with me. I used what felt like scattered outbreaks of normalcy to convince myself that I was normal. Wasn’t…
So How Much is a New Lung? – Aug. 7, 2019 – The context here is, well, complicated. In response to a mounting number of state and federal investigations, Juul last year made it more difficult to buy some flavors in stores and sharply cut back on promotion on social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram. In March, the FDA proposed a limited crackdown on the sales of e-cigarettes that would have given Juul and other manufacturers until August 2021 to submit formal applications to keep selling their products. But anti-tobacco activists—who sued in federal court—won a shorter (ultimately ten-month)…
Twisted Journey Straightens Out – July 24, 2019 – “That was a turning point,” Vest said. “It was the first time I thought I could seriously attain a career beyond being a drug and alcohol counselor.” Vest earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology in 2013 and, five years later, a PhD focused on mental health and substance use disorder. Today, he’s a postdoctoral scholar in Stanford Medicine’s Systems Neuroscience and Pain Lab, working with Sean Mackey, MD, PHD, professor of anesthesiology, perioperative and pain medicine, and Keith Humphreys, PhD, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences. Full Story @ ScopeBlog.Stanford.edu
All Creatures Great and Small – August 11, 2019 – Celebrities such as Ashley Graham, Jameela Jamil and Ashley Tisdale have all spoken out on the toxicity that emerges when your body is in the public eye and under scrutiny all the time. “Why don’t you put on some weight?” “This dress would have looked great on you if you had lost some kilos.” “Your hair is too thin for this cut.” “This colour doesn’t suit your dark complexion.” We have all heard such comments. And if you have had such toxicity directed at you, you have been a victim…
Does Meat Kill? – Aug. 19, 2019 – Now, a new study appearing in the Journal of the American Heart Association strengthens these findings, as researchers find that eating more vegetables, legumes, nuts, and whole grains and fewer animal products correlate with a much lower risk of dying of a heart attack or other serious cardiovascular event. Casey M. Rebholz, Ph.D., who is an assistant professor of epidemiology at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore, MD, is the lead author of the new study … Rebholz and colleagues examined data from 12,168 middle aged people who had…
Crazy Question – AUGUST 11, 2019 – Opioid agonist therapy involves using long-acting opioid drugs such as methadone or Suboxone to replace other opioid drugs such as heroin or fentanyl. Because the replacement drugs act more slowly, they can prevent withdrawal symptoms for 24 to 36 hours without causing a person to get high. Kelly Reid, Island Health’s director of mental health and substance use, says there “absolutely” has been a push to put people on Suboxone, which he calls a “medical, evidence-based approach to addictions medicine” that can help people addicted to drugs stabilize and move on with…
Baby Got Back – August 11, 2019 – Jameela Jamil is urging celebrities and public figures to stop airbrushing their photos. In a series of tweets on Sunday, the activist and actress, 33, shared a new poster for her NBC show The Good Place, in which her “backfat” is clearly visible. “I’m aware this isn’t some huge victory, and not ‘brave’ but as someone who had such obsessive body dysmorphia and was so fixated on the embarrassment of what we perceive as ‘flaws’ this is just a little win for little anorexic teenage me,” she said. The Good Place star…
Ask For Help, No Matter How Often – August 10, 2019 – David Berman was born January 4, 1967 in Williamsburg, Virginia. His parents divorced when he was seven. His mother moved to Ohio. Berman moved with his father to Dallas. He went to the University of Virginia, where he met fellow students Stephen Malkmus, Bob Nastanovich and James McNew. The four formed an experimental music band called Ectoslavia. After college, the four moved to Hoboken, New Jersey. Bermanand Malkmus got jobs as security guards at the Whitney Museum in New York City and continued to make music with Nastanovich…
Good Natured? or Downright Greedy? – August 10, 2019 – According to court documents, the doctor, 72, was one of New York state’s 15 most prolific prescribers of opioids. The worst, Dr. Dante Cubangbang of Queens, was charged in 2018 with distributing 4.6 million oxycodone pills over six years. Olivieri was first arrested in 2018 for illegally selling an undercover cop steroid and testosterone prescriptions, according to court filings. The HIV-positive patient recalled waiting to see Olivieri in the doctor’s office. “On either side of me would be bodybuilders. I remember thinking that you never know who is HIV-positive,”…
Mass Decarceration – August 9, 2019 – The sweet tea and trap music lover’s goal today is to dredge up pro bono lawyers who are willing to work with some of the 1,600 people in the federal justice system who are serving life for drugs. Just getting that number was difficult enough: The Department of Justice wasn’t keen to share the information, Barnett says, and so her Buried Alive Project team had to piece together the records themselves. “If you don’t have a good counsel, it turns what is a difficult fight into one that is impossible. So the work…
When Will It End? – AUGUST 13, 2019 – If you or someone you know is considering suicide, contact the U.S. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255). It’s a free, 24/7 service that offers support, information, and local resources. You can also click here for additional hotlines within the tri-state area and the nation. Depression and suicidal thoughts are often exhibited in many ways. Warning signs for suicide can include, but are not limited to, talking about wanting to die; conveying feelings of hopelessness, worthlessness or being a burden; and displaying extreme moods. If someone you know exhibits warning…
Good News For…Everyone? – August 10, 2019 -“It’s important for psychologists to share our knowledge about stress with broad audiences: that stress is a given in daily life, that working at the edge of our abilities often builds those capacities, and that moderate levels of stress can have an inoculating function, which leads to higher than average resilience when we are faced with new difficulties,” she told the APA conference audience. Americans can learn to utilize stress in a positive way, it could not only help mitigate the negative outcomes people are experiencing, but lead to improved well-being, more productivity,…
Hard Drinking w/No Booze – Aug. 9, 2019 – As more people cut back on booze, non-alcoholic breweries, bars and spirits alternatives and are popping up to give the so-called sober curious a range of options beyond conspicuous non-consumption. The Wall Street Journal Full Story @ WSJ.com
Our Trusted Leaders – Aug. 9, 2019 – As he finishes up what may well be his last stint in office, Miller, a 74-year-old Democrat, has become an unlikely advocate for JUUL, which some consumer advocates consider the next iteration of Big Tobacco. This includes lavishly praising the company in public, setting up an advisory counsel for JUUL, communicating frequently with company representatives, and recommending a subordinate for a plum gig at the company. The relationship is especially surprising given Miller’s past as an anti-cigarette crusader, and his relationship with the scandal-laden private company is practically unprecedented for an elected…
Tragic – August 11, 2019 – “I believe that they killed him,” Nina Kassel said.Forty-one people died in Utah rehab centers in 2017, according to a report by the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. That was up from 33 in the previous reporting period, 2015. Pete Kassel was ready to beat his heroin addiction, his mother says. Arpidet “Pete” Kassel, 29, was the father of three and had worked as a welder and laborer at a Clearfield trailer manufacturer. His death on Nov. 20, 2018, remains an event his mother and wife still cannot accept. Kassel’s…
Celebrate Recovery – August 11, 2019 – “A lot of people through the AA/NA/CA communities have it recognized at their local chapter meeting, with a cake,” she tells Bustle. “Sometimes a medal. Sometimes there are presents involved. I have seen its recognition as varied as any approach to a birthday.” Soberversaries are testaments to how far a person has come, and how far they have yet to go. In this way, soberversaries — particularly early markers of days, weeks, or months — can be complicated emotional processes. They can celebrate the forging of new identities and life adventures, but…
It’s a Family Affair – August 09, 2019 – “I woke up this morning feeling overwhelmed with gratitude. I can’t even put into words how much my life has changed over the last 2 years,” she captioned an Instagram of her Twelve Steps app. “To the friends and family that have supported me on this Journey thank you I love you all so much. If you are new to sobriety stick to it life really does get good.” Last year, Osbourne announced she was one-year sober by revealing she had relapsed after a long history with drug and alcohol…
Devices of Danger and Delight – Aug. 8, 2019 – All of the reported cases occurred between 2010 and 2019. Some people reported experiencing other serious neurological symptoms such as fainting or tremors, which may or may not be related to the seizures, according to the agency. “Additional reports or more detailed information about these incidents are vital to help inform our analysis and may help us identify common risk factors and determine whether any specific e-cigarette product attributes, such as nicotine content or formulation, may be more likely to contribute to seizures,” Sharpless said. “It is imperative that health…
Obituary: Toni Morison: February 18, 1931 – August 5, 2019 – AUGUST 9, 2019- When I was 10 years old, I borrowed my mother’s copy of “The Bluest Eye.” I was a gluttonous reader, consuming every book I could get my hands on. But that’s not why I chose Toni Morrison’s book. I had seen my mother, my aunts and their friends reading Morrison’s work. I listened silently, watching as they praised, argued and even gossiped over the layers and textures of Morrison’s words and stories. I wanted to be a part of that — not simply as a…
Double Heart Ache – AUGUST 9, 2019 – At the time, a concerned Robin asked John, who was down on the floor at the famous hotel, if he was okay. The comedian assured him he was fine and Robin left. Not long after, John overdosed on heroin and cocaine at age 33. “It was probably a horrible burden. It would be very difficult I think to move on and also to be such close friends,” Heather McDonald said. Full Story @ RadarOnline.com
Good Luck! – AUGUST 9, 2019 – Together, the couple is using his expertise in creating highly targeted vaccines with her expertise and experience treating and researching adolescent, teen, and young adult drug abusers and addicts. The Levys are developing the vaccine that’s intended primarily for use in that age demographic — adolescents, teens, and young adult. The couple is also working closely with their Boston Children’s colleague, David Dowling, PhD., in collaboration with the University of Houston and Innimune, a Montana-based company focused on immunotherapeutics. Full Story @ PIX11.com
Is it a Blackout or Alzheimers? – August 10, 2019 – “Binge drinking, even episodically or infrequently, may negatively affect other health conditions by exacerbating disease, interacting with prescribed medications, and complicating disease management,” Han said in a statement. Interestingly, the most common chronic diseases among the binge drinkers were hypertension, cardiovascular disease and diabetes. According to the data, binge drinkers were more likely to be male, tobacco users, or cannabis users, and African American, researchers said. As Han noted, they were also more likely to have emergency room visits in the past year. Joseph Palamar, PhD, MPH, the…
“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.” –Marcel Proust
Danny Trejo: Real Life Hero – August 8, 2019 – Trejo crawled into the overturned wreckage from one side, he recalled, but he couldn’t unbuckle the child’s car seat from that angle. The other bystander, a young woman, crawled in from the other side of the overturned vehicle and was able to undo the buckle. Trejo was then able to get the baby out of the car seat and pulled safely from the wreckage. While that was happening, the boy’s grandmother remained trapped in the driver’s seat. Firefighters had to use equipment to free her. Trejo says while the firefighters…
OPINION: By Ryan Hampton – July 30, 2019 – During that six-year period, parallel to El Chapo’s reign, pharmaceutical companies earned billions from manufacturing, distributing, and weaponizing the American medicine cabinet with narcotics. These drugs don’t arrive by mule; they’re prescribed by doctors, come in plastic containers, and can be just as addictive as heroin. They did it in plain view, without tunnels or guns, and legally in the eyes of the government. An effective drug distribution network of pharmacies, manufacturing companies, and doctors pushed billions of these pills into American communities every year. Only six companies distributed 75 percent…