A colleague who specializes in working with at-risk youth was fond of saying that we could look at those kids as predators, victims or resources. Too often we fail to see them as resources. The same could be said of addicts and alcoholics. The NY Times shines a light on a recovering mayoral candidate who … Continue reading In Race for Boston Mayor, Former Addicts Back Candidate With a Past
Category: Policy
A chronic illness?
Bill White responds to a recent article that has gotten a lot of attention by Gene Heyman, a disease model critic. Heyman (and a couple of other recent articles) question whether it's accurate to call addiction a chronic illness. If there is anything that the full scope of modern research on the resolution of AOD problems is … Continue reading A chronic illness?
Binge drinking and rape
Slate has a point/counterpoint on the issue of alcohol and rape on college campuses that has gotten a lot of attention. Emily Yoffe, while placing blame on the rapists, points to binge drinking as an important risk factor for being raped. I don’t believe any of these statistics will move in the right direction until … Continue reading Binge drinking and rape
Voices of Recovery
Vermont Public Radio highlights, The Hungry Heart, a documentary on addiction and recovery in Vermont. The audio clips are really great.
Addiction and quality of life
David Best recently wrote a piece on addiction and quality of life. On the role of community in recovery: At the heart of the recovery movement is a shift of emphasis away from “treatment” as a model reliant on professionally delivered interventions. Rather, the movement sees the recovery journey an intrinsically social process and … Continue reading Addiction and quality of life
a relentless focus on high expectations
Roland Fryer recently published a report on the lessons that can be drawn from NYC charter schools. He found 5 practices that were associated with effective schools: ...five practices—more human capital or teacher feedback, data-driven instruction, high-dosage tutoring, increased time on task, and a relentless focus on high academic expectations—were consistently found in higher- achieving schools. Together, … Continue reading a relentless focus on high expectations
New drug bans
The European Union is banning menthol cigarettes. Are legalization advocates troubled by this? I'm asking sincerely. Same thing with K2 and Spice. They were banned in Michigan earlier this year, without protest. At what point does the conversation turn to the issue of eliminating restrictions on access to prescription drugs? If recreational use of pot … Continue reading New drug bans
How full do you want your recovery to be?
Bill White on the importance of primary care: The Philadelphia survey goes beyond affirming the significant prevalence of recovery in the general population to provide a detailed profile of the health of people in recovery. The results are sobering. People in recovery, compared to citizens not in recovery, are twice as likely to describe their … Continue reading How full do you want your recovery to be?
Worth Every Penny?
Preventing HIV is a very good thing. The Atlantic has a post about the role of needle exchanges in preventing HIV. It makes a pretty compelling case that needle exchanges reduce HIV infection rates among injection drug users. I don't doubt this. And, provided it serves as an engagement point for recovery, I have no … Continue reading Worth Every Penny?
If it wasn’t rational, cont’d
All right, last one. This time, Sally Satel makes the case that recovery comes down to choice and "grit and conviction." It's not just American Enterprise Institute fellows who make these arguments. I've heard people in recovery say to other AA members in relapse, "You need to make a decision!" Of course, the relapser has … Continue reading If it wasn’t rational, cont’d
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