VIDEO – DANGER ZONE – Oct. 30, 2024 – A lethal dose of Kratom discovered during a toxicology report prompted the St. Tammany Parish coroner to speak out about its potential dangers as an over-the-counter supplement. Dr. Christopher Tape said he’s taking a closer look at a recent report that revealed a 36-year-old woman died about two months ago from polydrug toxicity. His findings included an excessive dose of Kratom in her system. “Part of being the coroner is to alert the public about what might be dangerous and what might not be and this is one of those things…
Author: Leonard Buschel
WHY NOT? – Oct. 30, 2024 -Alcohol consumption is associated with an increased risk for several cancers, and it’s important to raise public health awareness about the issue, according to Timothy Rebbeck, Vincent L. Gregory, Jr. Professor of Cancer Prevention at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. “We used to believe that drinking alcohol in moderation—red wine, in particular—had cardiovascular benefits,” Rebbeck explained. “More recent studies, however, have found that the heart health benefit attributed to wine might actually be a result of some people having healthier lifestyles and higher incomes.” In a Sept. 27 Verywell Health article, Rebbeck…
VIDEO ONLY – AT ARM’S LENGTH – Oct. 31, 2024 – Utah might be considered the anti-pornography capital of the United States, and many locals would likely wear this badge with pride. Utah was the first state to pass a resolution declaring pornography a public health crisis. CONTINUE@YouTube
SNICKER SNICKER – Oct. 29, 2024 – The American Heart Association recommends no more than six teaspoons of sugar per day (for women) or nine (for men). That would translate to about 25-35 grams of sugar per day (100-150 kcal per day). The WHO (World Health Organization) recommends a maximum of 50 grams, but preferably no more than 25 grams per day. t sounds like a lot, but let’s change the math: a 350-gram can of the most famous caffeinated drink on the market contains about 39 grams of sugar, and other healthier foods, such as a granola bar, contain…
TAKE CARE – Oct. 30, 2024 – Miriam Cherry poses for a photo in her home where she uses a light therapy device to treat seasonal affective disorder, in Larchmont, New York, on Sept. 4, 2024’ People with SAD typically have episodes of depression that begin in the fall and ease in the spring or summer. Changing the clocks back to standard time, which happens this weekend, can be a trigger for SAD. A milder form, subsyndromal SAD, is recognized by medical experts, and there’s also a summer variety of seasonal depression, though less is known about it. In 1984,…
THE CYCLE OF LIFE – Oct. 30, 2024 – When my young friend Sebastian heard he had lost his biological brother to suicide—a brother he had never known—his life was temporarily upended. Soon after, we spoke about the many questions and concerns this news elicited in him. Sebastian related a complex family story that includes many of the greatest losses, failures, and traumas human beings can suffer. Sebastian’s father died when he was only 6 years old. He says his mother was not abusive, but her addiction to methamphetamine caused her to neglect her children, and she could not provide…
GENERATION DISCOMBOBULATION – Oct. 31, 2024 – My interest centers around the overuse of smartphones and other devices by children that can develop into what mental health professionals refer to as a “process addiction.” We become concerned when we see extensive attachment to the phone, including high rates of texting; addiction to online games, such as “Roblox,” or “Call of Duty”; and dependency on social media apps, such as Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok. In general, we can say that gaming addiction affects boys more, leading to issues of quality of sleep and academic performance, while for girls social media addiction…
LISTEN UP – Oct. 29, 2024 – In my sophomore year, I was attending a relatively large alternative high school in Seattle. It was April 2022, and a friend had taken fentanyl and was actively overdosing directly across from the school’s entrance. I had no idea what to do — I had never dealt with such an urgent situation. There are obvious problems here, though. The school had no Narcan in supply — Washington law dictates that high schools carry Narcan. Administrators and counselors weren’t always vigilant in helping students in use. We weren’t educated or aware that our friend…
WHY NOT? – 1/19/2024 – This conversation is a combination of two discussions, one on November 9th 2023 at the event of Philip Pullman receiving the Bodley Medal at the Bodleian Library in Oxford, and the other on November 10th 2023 at a launch event for Philip Goff’s book Why? The Purpose of the Universe at Blackwells bookshop. Nigel Warburton: Let’s begin with the obvious question. Philip’s book is called “Why?” I’d like to ask why did you write it? And what’s it all about? Philip Goff: Good question! It’s not a book I would have imagined myself writing five…
VIDEO – MUSICAL INTERLUDE – 1968 – Irving Berlin sings “God Bless America” on The Ed Sullivan Show on May 5, 1968. CONTINUE@YouTube
NPR AUDIO – DRUGS CAN F##K YOU UP – Oct. 31, 2024 – During her pregnancy, Megan Norris struggled with addiction to fentanyl. During a relapse, she exposed herself and her fetus to the toxic animal tranquilizer xylazine, which has flooded the street drug supply in the U.S. “Xylazine is so addictive, so physically addictive, you…
RING A DING DING – Oct. 31, 2024 – “This past Friday was seven years to the day of my sobriety date. And you talked about it, we just kind of joked about it, putting the bread in the can down seven years ago. When I, by the grace of God … started on my sobriety journey, I had no idea what to expect. But early [on], I came to the real realization ‘Damn, I’m not just glad that, you know, I could start checking all the boxes. Hell, I’m lucky to be alive in so many ways.’ “So Conrad,…
VIDEO – MUSICAL INTERLUDE – FOREVER – For many years this song was taught as an anthem in American schools as a patriotic song, ‘this land was made for you and me’. I believe it was actually written as a patriotic song because Woody Guthrie genuinely loved his country. He just didn’t like the greed of the billionaires, the social inequality in the towns, cities and abject poverty of the farmsteads of America in the 1930’s and 40’s and the exploitation of people who happened to be alive during the Great Depression and Dust Bowl era. Woody became the voice…
AUDIO – ON THE STREET WHERE YOU DIE – OCT. 26, 2024 – A powerful animal tranquilizer-turned-dangerous street drug, xylazine — also known as “tranq” — is increasingly being mixed into New York City’s narcotics supply with deadly results. It’s known as the “zombie drug” for the gruesome sores it causes on people’s bodies and for how it knocks users out right in their tracks — in the middle of the sidewalk or even in the street. Despite xylazine’s spreading throughout the U.S. — it’s been found in the drug supply in 48 out of 50 states — New York…
GIVE US TODAY OUR DAILY GLUTEN FREE BREAD – Oct. 29, 2024 – The Archbishop of York has told Premier he believes the Lord’s Prayer should come with a health warning to emphasise its significance and power. To help avoid reciting it on autopilot, Most Rev Stephen Cottrell advises believers to slow down and take it “a phrase at a time” to reflect deeply on its meaning. He notes that the prayer is brief — less than 70 words — but reflects what it means to live as a disciple of Jesus. He made these remarks while sharing more details…
IS IT TOO LATE? – Oct. 31, 2024 – “It’s absolutely atrocious that methadone policies have not kept up with the evidence. If you look at other countries that have expanded their access to methadone, their overdose rates have fallen dramatically,” said Leslie Suen, MD. “Methadone is a very good medication that’s been shown over and over to be very effective and safe,” Alan Leshner, PhD. Methadone has been shown to be highly effective for opioid use disorder (OUD). So why is it still so difficult to prescribe in the United States and is that about to change? A recent…
OUT OF THE MOUTHS OF BABES – Oct. 30, 2020 – Noel said: “I was a chronic alcoholic, and lost everything. Sadly my sister and her husband were killed in a horrific car accident and a year after that, when I was at home for their anniversary mass, their daughter, who was really only a child herself called me aside and she said ‘Uncle Noel you have a problem you need to sort it out.’ “That coming from Tanya who had just lost both her parents, was powerful and painful. It was heartbreaking. It stopped me dead in my tracks…
YOU CAN’T RUN AWAY FROM YOURSELF – Nov. 1, 2024 – The Bachelorette star is running the TCS New York City Marathon to support underprivileged individuals on the path toward recovery. This year, he is running his 10th NYC marathon with Reebok to raise $1,000,000 to support individuals on the path to recovery. As Clark approaches 13 years of sobriety, he is inspired to give back to others through running. Clark’s journey began in Haddonfield, New Jersey, where he played baseball and developed a love for Philadelphia sports. However, his life took a challenging turn at 24 when he was…
VIDEO – PLAYING IT FORWARD – Oct. 30, 2024 – Vermont jam band Phish was back on the stage in Albany, New York, last weekend to raise money for a local substance abuse recovery center. Divided Sky is a residential retreat program that was cofounded by Phish member Trey Anastasio and Melanie Gulde, who helped Anastasio through his own drug addiction recovery journey. The money will go toward keeping the facility up and running. CONTINUE@WCAX
VIDEO – BETTER SAFE THAN STONED – Nov. 1, 2024 – The 26-year-old Canadian pop star has been in the spotlight since releasing his debut single, Life of the Party, aged just 15. In 2022, he abruptly cancelled a world tour just days into his planned run, revealing he needed to take time away from the spotlight for the sake of his mental health. Opening up to the New York Times in a new interview, the star said he realised he was at risk of entering a downward spiral towards drink and drugs that has ruined the lives of… CONTINUE@TheChronicle
VIDEO – CLEAN and SOBER – Oct. 30, 2024 – “Boredom is a relapse trigger,” he said. “And so, it just comes from my personal experience that you have to have find a purpose and stay busy.” This initiative is also healing for Guhl after struggling with addiction himself. “When I was using, nothing else mattered,” he said. “Everything was about getting the drugs, whether I had to steal, whether I had to do whatever I had to do.” Guhl started using drugs in his 30s before things escalated. “Started out just liking to get high, and then moved…
VIVAT ANIMA – Oct. 31, 2024 – If you’re going to have the same meal on repeat every morning, it’s worth it to make sure it’s one that adds years to your life, playing into the aforementioned stat. We asked top longevity experts what they eat for breakfast for inspiration, which they share here along with tips for ensuring your breakfast adds years to your life. “I eat baked, pasture-raised egg bites with mixed organic, colorful vegetables cooked with organic pure olive or avocado oil,” Ferree shared. Sehgal’s breakfast is similar: a veggie omelet made with spinach, tomatoes, mushrooms and,…
“I don’t really do endorsements. I’m not shy about sharing my views, but I hate politics and don’t trust most politicians. I will always be an American before I am a Republican. That’s why, this week, I am voting for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz.” – Arnold Schwarzenegger, California Governor (2003-2011)
THE LOSS LINGERS – Oct. 24, 2024 – Perry’s younger sister, Caitlin Morrison, 43, and his stepfather Keith Morrison, 77, have broken their silence nearly one year after the star’s tragic passing. The ‘best thing’ Matthew taught Caitlin was ‘that no matter how many times you fail, you haven’t failed until you stop trying.’ Along with Caitlin – who was his half-sister – Matthew had four other siblings: half-sisters Emily Morrison, Maria Perry, Madeline Morrison and half-brother, Will Morrison. In the late actor’s memoir titled: Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing, he opened up about his relationship with Caitlin, penning that…
AUDIO – PROFITS BEFORE PEOPLE? – Oct. 25, 2025 – Big addiction treatment “campuses” aren’t allowed in residential neighborhoods without special permits. But providers in California get around that by clustering many small homes together — one treating 30 users at a pop! — and regulators haven’t raised an eyebrow. It took almost three months for them to investigate serious complaints — like patient deaths in addiction treatment homes — and more than a year to probe less serious complaints. That lag means problems may fester and put patient safety at risk — but it’s a vast improvement over a…
VIDEO – MUSICAL INTERLUDE – 50,272,624 views – June 17, 2022 – As featured in Netflix’s series Stranger Things, season 4. CONTINUE@YouTube
VIDEO – JUNKIES LIVES MATTER – Oct. 25, 2024 – According to ChatGPT, Orange County, California, has a significant concentration of drug treatment facilities due to the high demand for addiction services. Estimates indicate over 460 treatment centers, making Orange County a central hub within the state for addiction treatment and rehabilitation services. State and local Orange County leaders Friday called on the need for better regulation of residential treatment and recovery facilities after a recent audit showed serious concerns with how the facilities are inspected and monitored. The audit found the facilities are sometimes concentrated in residential areas, which…
THE COMEBACK KID – Oct. 2024 – I celebrated my 70th birthday this year, on April 12th! I was as excited as a child the night before. I made it! I’m not dead! April 12th is also the anniversary of my receiving my HIV diagnosis in 1987 and what was then considered a death sentence. As a newlywed in 1987, I only got tested to get a clean bill of health so I could get pregnant. I was ready to begin this new chapter in my life and was about 18 months clean and sober after a wild fast ride…
ALL FOR LOVE – Oct. 26, 2024 – Bela Lugosi, who made his mark as Dracula in Hollywood, insisted to reporters he battled a crippling addiction to drugs for over two decades — but one author claimed he “deliberately exaggerated” his story for a heartbreaking reason. “What he said was that he had been dependent on drugs for 20 years, in some cases 25 years”… “But he greatly exaggerated the story… And this exaggeration of his dependency on drugs was aimed, in part, at [his fourth wife] in the hope that she would feel guilty, would reconcile with him and…
IT’S ALL IN YOUR HEAD – Oct. 21, 2024 – A headset that applies a small electric current to the brain can be used at home as an “efficient and safe” treatment for depression, a study has found. People with depression who used the device, which can be worn while sitting on the sofa, were more than twice as likely to report the improvement. Professor Cynthia Fu, from the University of East London, a senior author of the study, said she could see such devices being prescribed on the NHS as a “first-line” form of treatment for people experiencing their…