Author: Leonard Buschel

EDITORIAL – March 4, 2025 – Contrary to popular rhetoric, drug addiction is not the cause of poverty but one of its chief consequences. Studying the dynamics of crack houses in New York and open-air drug markets in Kensington, Philadelphia, the ethnographer Philippe Bourgois found a pattern of lives scarred by a combination of state neglect and violence: abusive childhoods, crumbling schools, abandoned neighborhoods… This decades-long rise in drug mortality has yet to have any substantive influence on the United States’ sclerotic drug policy; the current crisis remains widely viewed as a discrete epidemic, disconnected from the history that precedes…

QUANTITY NOT QUALITY – Feb. 16, 2025 – THE ACTRESS was drunk. Again. She was trying to live sober after leaving Passages Malibu, a tony rehabilitation center nestled into the hills overlooking the Pacific Ocean west of Los Angeles, and it wasn’t going well. She wanted to go back. • Alex Shohet, of Red Door Life, defends his treatment of his clients. “I give a shit more than almost anybody I know,” he says. As a former addict, he says he cares deeply about helping people recover. … Southern California has long been home to some of the most high-end…

EYESIGHT IS ENDANGERED – Feb. 21, 2025 – Myopia is caused by having an over elongated eyeball and is a growing problem, with research suggesting about 40% of children and adolescents worldwide could have the condition by 2050. While genetics play a role in who develops myopia, other factors that increase risk include not spending enough time outdoors and focusing on things that are close up for prolonged periods, When the researchers delved deeper they found the risk of myopia rose steeply as daily screen time increased, with 5% greater odds of myopia for one hour a day of exposure…

AUDIO – YA THINK? – March 6, 2025 – Over the last decade or so, research has revealed a clear pattern: People tend to overeat ultraprocessed foods. This could be one reason they’re linked with weight gain and obesity. What isn’t clear is why we are so prone to overeating them. Dr. Robert Califf, the former commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, offered one hypothesis at a Senate hearing in December: “These foods are probably addictive,” he said, adding that they may act on the same brain pathways involved with addiction to opioids and other drugs.“It wasn’t some magical…

VIDEO – HULU HUSTLE – Feb. 29, 2025 – Hawaii’s chronic shortage of treatment resources may be one reason mainland drug rehab recruiters, known as “body brokers,” are working to lure patients to unregulated treatment in California. One mother told Hawaii News Now that her son flew to California on his own after unsuccessful treatment here, so the recruiters may be finding willing customers in Hawaii unable to find treatment. She said while he found quality treatment, he also had to be rescued from a clean and sober house where drug use was rampant. A former employee of the same…

AMAZING WOMAN – March 5, 2025 – A clinical social worker nicknamed by her co-workers as the “Five Minute Queen” who, at times, substituted a one or two sentence conversation for a billed 45-minute therapy session for her addicted patients has been sentenced to three years of supervised release … Mi Ok Song Bruining, 64, admitted that, while employed as a supervisor at Recovery Connections Centers of America, Inc. she helped devise and execute a scheme that … Bruining, and others working at her direction, routinely submitted false and fraudulent claims for psychotherapy and counseling services that did not occur…

WATCH – NEVER ENOUGH – March 9, 2025 – With Ryan Hampton! Cecilia Vega investigates how the Purdue Pharma opioid settlement— potentially one of the largest opioid settlements ever— will compensate victims of the opioid crisis and their families. CONTINUE@60MINUTES

DANGER AT YOUR DOOR – March 7, 2025 – The CSA states that narcotics can only be used for “a useful and legitimate medical purpose.” By filling prescriptions that were invalid, the pharmacies “made choices that caused these millions of violations of federal law,” the DOJ alleged in the Walgreens lawsuit. The FCA, for its part, states that entities cannot knowingly present a “false or fraudulent claim” for government payment—either due to “deliberate ignorance” or “reckless disregard” of the claim’s falsehood. The DOJ alleged that by requesting reimbursement from Medicare and Medicaid for illegitimate prescriptions, the pharmacies broke the law.…

VIDEO – CASH & CARRY –  March 4, 2025 – “When you’re in the middle of addiction, you’re lost,” said Mark Alan Cash. “You don’t think there’s a way out. That’s this disease. It’ll sneak up on ya and kill ya. You either die or get sober.” Mark’s family has given the world so much music, but he believes in addition to all the good, it’s important to talk about the struggles. “Addiction runs through my family like a fire,” Mark said. “People have approached me many, many times and said, ‘thank you for being open.’ So many framily members…

FAMILY FRIENDLY – March 6, 2025 – This is all a hacky way to introduce Al-Anon — a program that has helped to improve my life and the lives of many others. Al-Anon is not the same program as AA, and it’s not just a shortened way to say “Alcoholics Anonymous.” It’s a support group for people who have been affected by people who suffer from alcoholism, but may not necessarily be alcoholics themselves. Why the hell the founders of Alcoholics Anonymous decided to give their 12-step program for people who have been emotionally injured by alcoholism a name that…

“Existentialism means that no one can take a bath for you.” – Delmore Schwartz, 1913–1966 

THE STORY UNFOLDS… – March 3, 2025 – The couple was found during a welfare check after their neighbor called in concerned about their well-being. The Academy Award-winning actor, who starred in “The French Connection,” “The Conversation” and “The Royal Tenenbaums,” among dozens of other Hollywood hits, was 95.  CONTINUE@PEOPLE

THE TRUTH SHALL SET YOU FREE – Feb. 20, 2025 – Myths and misconceptions increase stigma and decrease the likelihood that someone with an addictive illness will receive prompt, effective treatment. We need early intervention and treatment during the preaddiction phase. Bottom line: Preventing teen and young adult use is crucial. False Belief 1: Drug experimentation is normal for teens and shouldn’t alarm parents.  False Belief 2: Addiction is a personal weakness. False Belief 3: People must hit “rock bottom” to recover from addiction. False Belief 4: Addiction treatment never works. False Belief 5: Overdoses of drugs don’t cause brain…

ONLINE PIRATES – Feb. 24, 2025 – Among people trying to quit or reduce their use of alcohol or other substances, engagement with clinical treatment remains low. More typically, people with alcohol use disorder (AUD) or other substance use disorders (SUDs) seek community-based mutual-help groups (such as Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, or SMART Recovery). The researchers used large-scale data analytics to collect tweets posted in English during 2022 that contained certain keywords and hashtags relating to substance use recovery (e.g., #recovery, #sober, #wedorecover, #alcoholicsanonymous, #harmreducation). They retained 186,460 tweets addressing 18 relevant topics. A random 100 tweets from each topic…

VIDEO – MIDLIFE CRISIS –  Feb. 26, 2025 – According to the National Library of Medicine, more older adults in the 50s and 60s are turning to drugs, alcohol and potentially dangerous behavior to cope with mental health issues, and a facility in the Phoenix area is seeing that first hand. We sat down with Healthcare Executive Director Dr. Jerry Law and licensed professional counselor Jamie Vinck about the trend. CONTINUE@Fox

AND LESS MAKE-UP – Feb. 25, 2025 – Cooper was at the height of his rock n’ roll career in the 70s and found himself partying hard with other legends such as Jim Morrison and Jimi Hendrix. However, the other two singers did so much drugs and alcohol that they both died when they were only 27 years old. “I woke up one morning, threw up blood.” … “Most people I know, most young people think Jesus Christ is a swear word, they have no idea who Jesus Christ is. He is not preached enough. The most written-about character of…

VIDEO – MAN MAKES GOOD –  Feb. 25, 2025 – In this powerful conversation, Andrew takes us through his decades-long sobriety journey—from getting sober at 20, drinking again after 14 years over a single drink, and ultimately finding his way back to leadership, purpose, and service. High Watch Recovery Center, founded in 1939, is one of the longest-standing nonprofit addiction treatment centers in the U.S., rooted in the12-steps … Andrew shares: Losing his father at a young age—the trauma that set him on a path to substance abuse. Surviving the underbelly of 1980s New York, lost in addiction to crack…

MUFFIN MISTAKE – Feb. 22, 2025 – I see them poppy seed muffins and I (ate them). Horace Ballmer came into the room and said, ‘I’m disappointed in you.’ I tested positive for cocaine!”  As Shaq remembered, he immediately protested the results. He knew he never did drugs because his parents would have ‘killed him’ over it. The raucous was eventually sorted out when they found out a derivative of the poppy plant could cause a false positive in the tests. CONTINUE@MSN 

LABELS – Feb. 25, 2025 – Sublocade lets people get the injection after just one dose of buprenorphine (taken under the tongue or inside the cheek) and a one-hour wait to make sure it’s safe. This means treatment can start faster and gives more options for where the shot can be given, like the stomach, thigh or buttock. Sublocade is a buprenorphine-containing long-acting injectable medicine that reduces cravings and withdrawal by partially triggering opioid receptors and preventing stronger opioids from attaching to them. First approved in 2002, this once-monthly shot under the skin  starts after a week of treatment with…

NOT HOT AIR – Feb. 22, 2025 – For most people, living at high altitudes—where oxygen levels are lower than at sea level—can offer health benefits, such as reduced rates of heart disease and improved endurance. However, for individuals with inherited mitochondrial diseases, who often do not survive beyond childhood, low-oxygen environments like those at high elevations could be life-saving, potentially prolonging their lifespan and alleviating symptoms. Now, researchers at Gladstone Institutes have developed a drug that replicates the effects of low-oxygen exposure. In mice with Leigh Syndrome—the most common childhood mitochondrial disease—the drug, called HypoxyStat, extended lifespan more than…

SICK WORLD – Feb. 26, 2025 – When we visited Monday night, drug dealers hid in the bushes. A park ranger shuffled groups of users and illegal vendors around the block. People lay slumped in nearby doorways. All in, there were about 25 people using and selling drugs and trading in other wares. Drew Ersland, who is homeless and addicted to drugs, sold candy to other users between the rangers’ sweeps. “I got candy. Zoom zooms. Wam wams,” he told a passerby, using prison slang to describe his supply of Reese’s cupcakes, Mike and Ike, and Sour Patch Kids. “You…

VIDEO – HORROR STORY –  Feb. 26, 2025 – A man has been arrested for neglect after a three-year-old in his care died from a methadone overdose. CONTINUE@YouTube

ONE EVERY OTHER DAY AT A TIME – Feb. 23, 2025 – Google trends data shows “zebra striping” searches have surged 975% in the U.S. over the past year. The name effectively captures the essence of the practice–a consistent alternation between two types of drinks over time, creating a visual pattern much like a zebra’s alternating, black-and-white stripes. The pattern of alcoholic (represented by one color) and non-alcoholic (represented by another color) Younger employees are seeking personalized wellness options that they can easily integrate into their daily routines. And many people adopt “zebra striping” to improve physical and mental well-being,…

VIDEO – RUN LOLA RUN? – Feb. 25, 2025 –  A few years ago, a mentor challenged him to run a half marathon.  “Half marathon? I can’t even run like half a mile,” said Carlson, “All of a sudden I was running one mile, two miles, three miles and then I completed the half marathon.” It was all part of the climb out of his darkest hole.   “I started using when I was in high school. Marijuana, alcohol and then over the years it kind of progressed into harder drugs,” said Carlson, “I spent so long doing drugs that…

MOVIES MATTER – Feb. 24, 2025 – Grace Point premiered at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival. The independent movie is about a young man on his way to a remote drug rehab who then gets chased by locals in a strange town. The man also goes through a battle with his own personal demons. Frost watched Grace Point with family, friends and colleagues at the Metropolitan Metro 4 Theatre during the film festival. The highly-acclaimed event is considered one of the top 10 film festivals in the U.S. that attracts more than 100,000 movie-lovers with 11 days of 200-plus…

MAKES SENSE SADLY – Feb. 24, 2025 – “We’re living in a time of a lot of different uncertainties, and this is a story of hope,” said Becky Flood, interim chief executive officer. “People deserve that, too.” Limen Recovery + Wellness’s ribbon cutting and open house will celebrate the addition of its new substance abuse rehab center in downtown Wilmington. “There will be a spectrum of care, what we call a seamless system of care, where somebody could actually live with us for almost up to two years,” Flood said, “and by that time, should be ready to live in…

VIDEO – SCIENCE INTERLUDE –  168,621 views since Dec 19, 2012 – A visual response to the famed ‘Pale Blue Dot’ monologue, where Prof. Carl Sagan muses on Earth’s appearance in a photograph taken by the Voyager 1 space probe 3.7 billion miles away from our planet. The most distant photograph ever taken of Earth. I had wanted to bring visuals to these magnificent words for some time and finished this after working on it periodically for 4 months, for more than 250 hours. I created this piece almost 12 years ago now, it was my first (and only) time…

VIDEO – MUSICAL INTERLUDE – Feb. 24, 2025 – Ezra Uttal – keyboards-Ami Molinelli – percussion- Ben Leinbach – bass – Jai Uttal – guitar & singing – Deszon Claiborne – drums = Brianna Prajna Vieira harmonium & singing – Sandy Cressman – flute & singing – Peter Apfelbaum – sax & horn arrangements – Jeff Cressman – trombone CONTINUE@YouTube

STICK WITH THE WINNERS! – Mar. 4, 2025 – Ronald (RT) Tannebaum – InTheRooms.com Co-Founder RT is the Co-Founder of InTheRooms.com the Largest FREE Online Social Network for the Global Recovery Community for those already in Recovery, Seeking Recovery and their Family, Friends, and Allies from any addiction. InTheRooms.com has over 1,175,000 members in 136 countries and celebrated its 16th Anniversary online on October 6, 2024.  Q. If you are in recovery, what was your drug(s) of choice and when is your sobriety date? A. Heroin / 9/20/1983. Q. What do you like most about 12-step meetings? A. The people.…

STILL VITAL – Feb. 25, 2025 – She topped the charts, dropped the F-bomb on US TV, was ghosted by Jim Morrison and planned to spike Richard Nixon’s tea with LSD. Now 85, the legendary singer tells all! Rock’n’roll might not be advertised as being good for your health, but it’s worked out all right for Grace Slick. The former Jefferson Airplane singer is talking me through a life story that spans psychedelic drugs, free love, alcoholism, house fires and a high speed car crash. And yet, even at the age of 85, she sounds as perky, full of mischief…