High Truths on Drugs and Addiction

Drugged Driving is a national problem – both from legal and illegal drugs. Listen to High Truths Expert Dr. Phillip Drum discuss the problem with Dr. Lev. Phillip A Drum, PharmD, FCSHP Phillip A Drum, Pharm, D., FCSHP received his doctorate in Pharmacy from the University of California – San Francisco.  He is a 30+ year licensed pharmacist who has had a wide range of experiences – from community p...

There are thousands of publications each year, but the American Heart Association (AHA) publication stands out – it is special – a landmark article. The AHA has made a bold move in highlighting and sticking to the science when it comes to protecting the heart from marijuana. American Heart Association Statement: Medical Marijuana, Recreational Cannabis and Cardiovascular Health. A Scientific State...

What does law enforcement do beside arrest people for drugs?  You will be surprised about the collaboration of law enforcement with the medical community, drug treatment, and drug prevention. Listen to Dr. Lev talk with High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Director David King. DAVID L. KING Director of San Diego – Imperial Valley HIDTA   David King is the Director of San Diego – Imperial V...

Are safe injection sites good for public health? What is the line between harm reduction and drug normalization? Do people who inject drugs or use drugs prefer to go to a site or do they prefer use in the comforts of their residence wherever that is? Do safe injection sites decrease deaths? Do they connect people to treatment? Listen to Tom Wolf, a man with lived experience in injecting drugs, liv...

What is the aftermath of the COVID pandemic in terms of damage from drugs? What is the science behind helpful or harmful effects of marijuana? What are the strategies in treating methamphetamine use disorder? What is universal prevention in terms of protection from addiction. Learn all this and more from a key national leader, Dr. Wilson Compton. Dr. Wilson Compton Dr. Wilson M. Compton serves as...

Addiction is a treatable disease, but how can people differential between quality care and fraud? Dr. Rosenthal dispels the truth on quality treatment. Mitchell S. Rosenthal, MD Mitchell S. Rosenthal, M.D., the founder of Phoenix House, one of the nation’s leading non-profit substance abuse treatment organizations, is president of the Rosenthal Center for Addiction Studies . The Center plays an in...

The pain of stigma comes out as Gary Mendell, CEO of Shatterproof talks about his son Brian. It is now his life mission to make a difference, and Shatterproof is doing just that. Shatterproof, under Gary’s leadership shows that words matter. For example, addiction is not just a chronic disease of the brain – it is a treatable chronic disease of the brain. Treatment gives hope. But how do we balanc...

This episode starts with a game – Fact or Fiction on Medical Marijuana. Test your knowledge and then listen further to learn from Dr. Kevin Sabet whether the “war” or “battle” on marijuana legalization is lost, and what that means. KEVIN A. SABET, PHD Dr. Kevin Sabet is an affiliate of the Institution for Social and Policy Studies and the Medical School at Yale University, and dubbed by NBC News a...

This is most stimulating episode of High Truths. Seriously! We will be talking about a brain stimulator.  While it is not approved for use in addiction, is can help insomnia and depression. Not every problem needs a drug as a solution. It is refreshing to learn about alternatives. Charles “Chip” Fisher Founder Fisher Wallace Laboratories Charles Avery Fisher, known as Chip, is a lifelong New Yorke...

For every 1 adult who maybe stops smoking cigarettes by vaping, 80 new adolescents will take up vaping who would otherwise never have started. Let’s ban tobacco, but bring on vaping. These are frankly stupid health policies. Listen to what Aaron Byzak has to say on the manner.  A man who defeated the odds of a 9 on adverse childhood event (ACE) score to become a very successful man. Aaron Byzak jo...

Overdose deaths are escalating in the United States as our country is under attacked by illicit fentanyl. How do we get to the source of the killer drugs and prevent the devastation? James Rauh is the founder of Families Against Fentanyl (FAF), a national nonprofit organization with a mission to have illicit fentanyl declared a Weapon of Mass Destruction. Following the death of his son Tom from fe...

Alcohol Use Disorder remains the largest cause of substance use disorder in our country. Sadly, the COVID pandemic has exacerbated the problem. There are science based dietary guidelines for alcohol consumption with definitions on how much is one drink. Test yourself to find out if you are a High Risk drinker by using the ReThinking Drinking calculators . Listen to Dr. George Koob, the leading sci...

Some people say that it is inevitable that kids use drugs. They are wrong. Be inspired by Rebekah Jin and learn from Angela Ampomah how nation wide youth are taught resiliency and making good choices about drugs. Angela Ampomah, MPH is currently the Youth Leadership Associate and is responsible for interacting with youth in managing and developing CADCA’s youth trainers to ensure efficiency from t...

Alcohol is part of the culture in Latin America, but the countries suffer harm due to alcohol. CADCA works with Peru, Brazil, Honduras, and the Dominican Republic to prevent alcohol addiction and subsequent health effects. The pandemic has increased alcohol access and use in Latin Youth. Learn about CADCA’s effort with expert Eric Siervo. ERIC SIERVO, M.ED. Vice President, International Programs C...

Tobacco prevention has a proven public health strategy called also known as the “Vaccine”. It includes (1) Price increases (2) Smoke Free Policies (3) Media Campaigns, and (4) Cessation Access. Learn more from CADCA’s expert Andrew Romero. ANDREW ROMERO, M.ED. Director, GHEA ( Geographic Health Equity Alliance) BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION: Andrew Romero is the Director of the Geographic Health Equity...

Dr. Joy Wanner-Sweeney Deputy Director, Training, TA, and Outreach Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA) BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION: Dr. Joy Wanner-Sweeney serves as the deputy director of the Training, Technical Assistance, and Outreach Department at CADCA where she oversees, directs, supervises and monitors quality standards for the daily operations of CADCA’s training programs to deve...

CRISIS – watch trailer NICHOLAS JARECKI (Director/Producer/Screenwriter) is a best-selling author, screenwriter and award-winning director who has produced five films. Crisis is his second picture as writer/director. His last movie, Arbitrage, was made for $13 million and went on to gross over $52 million in international theatrical and simultaneous video on demand rentals, making it the highest g...

Robert L. DuPont, MD For 50 years, Robert L. DuPont, MD has been a leader in drug abuse prevention and treatment. He was the first Director of the U.S. National Institute on Drug Abuse (1973-1978) and the second White House Drug Chief (1973-1977). From 1968-1970 he was Director of Community Services for the District of Columbia Department of Corrections. From 1970-1973, he served as Administrator...

It can be confusing…. parents tell kids not to use drugs, but we also teach that we should not stigmatize drugs… are sending mixed messages? Listen to the discussion between Dr. Lev and Harvard Professor and former ONDCP Deputy Director Dr. Bertha Madras, expert in the addicted brain.   About Dr. Bertha Madras Current position.  Professor of Psychobiology, Harvard Medical School (34 years) with of...

What is scomiting? Dr. Jeff LaPoint explains scomiting, also known as cannabis hyperemesis syndrome. LaPoint is an emergency physician and toxicologist. He practices at Kaiser Hospital in San Diego and is the Director of the Division of Medical Toxicology. He extensive publications on Cannabis Hyperemesis Syndrome in peer reviewed research and medical textbooks.  LaPoint went to medical school at...

A Kaiser doctor gives a marijuana “medical prescription” to a young man with history of depression and PTSD. As a drugged driver he kills 1 person and injures 5 others. Is the doctor liable? The courts dismissed the case and the poor young man ended his life in suicide.  Edward Wood Ed Wood founded DUID Victim Voices after the death of his 33-year old son Brian at the hands of two drug impaired dr...

March and Ash is a legal recreational marijuana dispensary in San Diego. Dr. Lev takes a field trip with eye opening conversations. Is this the apple store or a pot shop? The difference is the heavy security, two ATM machines and shoppers leave with little bags instead of big boxes. Is the store manager practicing medicine? Would you want your doctor to be high on these drugs while treating you?

Medical Examiner  Dr. Steven C. Campman is San Diego County’s Chief Deputy Medical Examiner.  He earned his B.S. in Biology from Loyola Marymount University in 1987; graduated from Creighton University School of Medicine in Omaha, in 1992, and then completed residency in Anatomic and Clinical Pathology at the University of California, Davis Medical Center, in 1997.  Following fellowship training i...

Dr. Lev continued her visit at March and Ash marijuana store. After meeting Terry the store manager in Part 1, she meets sits with the store owner in Part 2. Brett, the owner tells stories of people who died after using marijuana, kids who need marijuana for pain, and teens who develop terrible addiction. Learn about the initiatives that are important to the legal marijuana industry. Listen to the...

The question posed to High Truths and Dr. Lev is “why do people use drugs?” To answer this question Dr. Lev interviews Robert, a young man who struggled with a deadly addiction to intravenous drugs while living on the streets. Be inspired by Robert’s journey from homeless and deadly. heroin addiction to becoming a straight A student in computer science. From Robert: My name is Robert.  I was born...