Last Day

This week, Stephanie sits down with Garth Mullins, who hosts an award-winning podcast in Canada called Crackdown, which is also about drugs. The difference? Garth is coming at it from the perspective of a drug user. The plan was to talk about international solutions and Garth's recent reporting in Portugal (which they do discuss) but they also compare notes as two podcasters making shows based on...

This week, we talk about the variety of ways that children are affected by the opioid crisis. Also, Stephanie has a breakdown because it’s hard to accept the things you cannot change. In this episode, she sits down with Peter who describes the process of adopting three kids born with Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome; The Seattle Times’ Claudia Rowe who gives an overview of how this epidemic is impacti...

While “opioids” has become a political buzzword, national policy on opioids is virtually nonexistent. Our system is nowhere near able to meet the needs of those who desperately need help. So what’s it going to take to move the needle, so to speak? Stephanie sits down with Congressman Patrick Kennedy to talk about legislation and funding (see: lack of funding) for mental health and addiction; Sarah...

We’ve tried arresting people. We’ve tried shuffling them from place to place. We’ve tried shaming them into sobriety. What would happen if, instead, we met people where they’re at? Stephanie talks to Ithaca’s Mayor Svante Myrick and Bronx harm-reductionist Hiawatha Collins about the inequities of our justice system and how we can do better, including treating all people with dignity and respect, g...

Today marks the 2-year anniversary of Stefano’s death, and his family is still asking: “How did this happen?” For most families dealing with addiction, treatment can feel like a Rubik’s cube. What works? What doesn’t? Are there Yelp reviews? On this episode, Stephanie talks to David Sheff, New York Times bestselling author of Beautiful Boy: A Father's Journey Through His Son's Addiction, about the...

In this episode, Dr. Nzinga A. Harrison walks us through detox. Then, Stephanie is joined by Dr. Robert Meyers, the architect of Community Reinforcement Approach and Family Training (CRAFT), to discuss the “put your own oxygen mask on first” approach to interventions. Continue the conversation on your phone at https://flick.group/lastday. Last Day contains strong language, mature themes, and may n...

Most of us have seen an opioid overdose depicted on TV or in movies, but what happens in real life? On this episode, Stephanie talks to Karen Host, Senior Director at Cataldo Ambulance, and Dr. Jay, an emergency room doctor, about the anatomy of an overdose, what it’s like to save a life, the immediate aftermath, and the complexity of prescribing opioids for pain in the midst of an opioid crisis....

On this episode, Stefano Cordova Jr.’s family tries to make sense of Stefano’s overdose death and how they all got here. Then, Dr. Sam Snodgrass, a behavioral pharmacologist with a doctorate in biopsychology, explains how his own addiction to opioids is a disease and why understanding that is key to helping people with substance use disorders. Continue the conversation on your phone at https://fli...

On this episode, we retrace the steps of Stefano Cordova, Jr. on his last day of life. Stefano died of a fentanyl overdose on October 23, 2017 in Allston, MA. This is where our story begins. Continue the conversation on your phone at https://flick.group/lastday. Last Day contains strong language, mature themes, and may not be appropriate for all listeners.  Transcriptions available shortly after a...

Meet Stephanie Wittels Wachs, host of Last Day, and sister of the late Harris Wittels, comedian-writer-producer-actor, who died in 2015 of a heroin overdose. Harris’ close friends, Sarah Silverman and Aziz Ansari, also join Stephanie as she introduces the concept of the show and why it’s critical that it exists. Continue the conversation on your phone at https://flick.group/lastday. Last Day conta...

Let’s talk about what’s killing us, the stuff that’s hard to comprehend and getting worse every day. Lemonada co-founder and author Stephanie Wittels Wachs confronts massive epidemics with humanity, wit, and a quest for progress. Starting with overdose deaths and the opioid crisis, we zoom in on a person’s last day of life, exploring how they got there and how we, as a society, have gotten here. T...

Let’s talk about what’s killing us, the stuff that’s hard to comprehend and getting worse every day. Lemonada co-founder and author Stephanie Wittels Wachs confronts massive epidemics with humanity, wit, and a quest for progress. Zooming-in on a person’s last day of life, we explore how they got there and how we, as a society, have gotten here. Join the Lemonada/Last Day community on the Flick Cha...