I came across an interesting story from San Francisco. I think it's important to note that sharing this doesn't imply that San Francisco's drug problem is representative or that the positions espoused by members of their recovering community are representative of other communities. However, it's an interesting story and, while it may not be representative … Continue reading “We need to just enforce the law” or “high-impact interventions”?

ANKORS Manual: Drug Checking at Music Festivals The NY Times published an article about the Shambhala music festival's approach to harm reduction 1: Shambhala’s harm reduction efforts go well beyond testing. It has a 12-bed field hospital, run by an emergency room doctor and staffed by 30 physicians; roaming teams of harm reduction counselors; and … Continue reading “Their drugs all tested as expected.”

Keith Humphreys recently published a reflection on the social roles of public health professionals. in response to a recently published memoir by Griffith Edwards, the former editor of the journal Addiction for 25 years. The contract to which I refer, roughly speaking, ran as follows. Researchers’ fundamental duty was to systematically and accurately describe the … Continue reading Science, policy, and the public trust

It seems to me that the 12 Traditions can serve as a bolt-on character structure. And that living within that bolt-on character structure (our own life on its own, our life in the fellowship, or both), can directly or indirectly result in character development that is helpful for recovery. A few points about personality As … Continue reading The 12 Traditions, character development, and personality

At this point in our field, tobacco use is on the checklist of topics barely addressed beyond the most mechanistic and minimal of ways – if at all. One evidence of this is a very large proportion of in-bound medical records I see from providers of all disciplines and settings where “Social History” is the … Continue reading Listing tobacco use in “Social History”?

Just over 2,000 years ago, the Roman poet Publius Ovidius Naso, penned the parable of Narcissus. To punish Narcissus for his vanity and rejecting all those who loved him, the goddess Nemesis cursed him to fall in love with someone he could never have. While hunting, Narcissus bent over to drink from a clear pool … Continue reading The Deadly Mirror of Validation in the Age of Artificial Community

Before we get to the results of this Cochrane Review, let's ask and answer one basic question. What's a Cochrane Review? A Cochrane Review is a specific kind of meta-analysis: a study of available studies. It's one of the most rigorous methods in the research arena. The Cochrane Review website provides an easy to understand … Continue reading Cochrane Review of cannabis-based medicines for chronic neuropathic pain in adults

On December 13, 2025 I posted about the emergence of Cychlorphine (N-Propionitrile chlorphine). Now we're hearing about another synthetic opioid in the group being called "orphines". This one is N-Propionitrile brorphine. It's been found as a contaminant in upstate New York. For a brief overview, check out this resource from the New York State Office … Continue reading N-Propionitrile Brorphine is here