High Truths on Drugs and Addiction

The headlines in 2017 was “Iceland knows how to stop teen substance use – but the rest of the world is not listening.” In 1997 – 40% of Iceland’s adolescents got drunk in the past 30 days, one of the highest teen alcohol problem in the world.  After a national prevention program consistent over 20 years, the trend has been reversed to just 5%. A side effect of the program also measured decreased t...

Michelle R. Peace, Ph. D. Forensic Toxicologist Dr. Peace received her B.A. in Chemistry from Wittenberg University, a Master of Forensic Science from George Washington University, and her Ph. D. from the Medical College of Virginia at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU). Dr. Peace is a forensic toxicologist and a Full Professor in the FEPAC-accredited Department of Forensic Science at VCU and...

Jason Graham, MD was appointed Chief Medical Examiner of New York City by Mayor Eric Adams in April 2022. In this role, he oversees investigations into deaths in New York City, and the operation of the largest public DNA laboratory in the nation. He previously served as Acting Chief Medical Examiner since December 2021 and as First Deputy Chief Medical Examiner, the second highest leadership posit...

Rosalie Liccardo Pacula   PhD holds the Elizabeth Garrett Chair in Health Policy, Economics & Law at the Sol Price School of Public Policy, University of Southern California and is a Senior Fellow with the Leonard D. Schaeffer Center for Health Policy & Economics, where she co-directs the RAND-USC Schaeffer Opioid Policy Tools & Information Center of Excellence (OPTIC) in addition to l...

Dr.  Roberto Olivardia is a Clinical Psychologist and Lecturer at Harvard Medical School. He maintains a private practice in Lexington, MA where he specializes in the treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD), Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Eating Disorders and issues that face students with learning disabilities. He is on the Professional and Sci...

Drugged Driving. 4/20 – the improptu national holiday for marijuana, and we want to bring about marijuana awareness.  Marijuana has many side effects and health consequences, but today’s focus is on drugged driving.   If you smoke weed for any reason don’t get behind the wheel for at least 4 hours.  If you use edibles, wait at least 8 hours.  Driving sober means no alcohol or drugs. Lesley Phillip...

How does journalism play a role in drugs and addiction? Eve Simmons is a British writer, journalist and health and wellness editor at  DailyMail.com . She is an award-winning health journalist with a dogged determination to sniffing out fake health news – especially when it comes to diet. Formerly the deputy health editor at the Mail on Sunday in the UK, continues to work on vital and entertaining...

The brain in neuroplastic – it can be directed towards great achievement as well as disorders.  Marijuana can cause synaptic reprogramming of the brain. Learn more from Dr. Kristen Gilliland who is a scientist who watched her own son’s synaptic programming, cannabis use disorder, and tra   Kristen M. Gilliland, Ph. D. Dr. Kristen Gilliland delivered a TEDx presentation titled Rewiring Revolution:...

Every Brain Matters – that is Aubree Adams mantra and purpose. Aubree Adams is a leading advocate who stands up against the predatory addiction-for-profit marijuana industry. She has a BS in Exercise Science and Health promotion but is most proud of her experience as a mom of two sons and two dogs and as a host mom for youth in recovery. She is the founder and director of Every Brain Matters , a n...

Peter Komendowski is one of Iowa’s leading advocates for healthy, drug-free communities.  In the face of the opioid epidemic, a resurgence of meth use, and a marijuana industry targeting Iowa youth he is a sought-after speaker as an expert in substance abuse prevention and high-risk behavior management. Peter serves as president of The Partnership for A Healthy Iowa and the Face It Together (PDFI/...

Special Agent in Charge Shelly S. Howe began her law enforcement career in 1999 as a Special Agent with the Iowa Department of Public Safety, Division of Narcotics Enforcement, where she worked with the local Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) office on numerous federal narcotics investigations. In 2003, Mrs. Howe began her career as a Special Agent with the DEA in the Minneapolis/St. Paul Dist...

Every Brain Matters Aubree Adams is a leading advocate who stands up against the predatory addiction-for-profit marijuana industry.  She is the founder and director of Every Brain Matters , a nationally trusted educational resource formed by families with loved ones who have been severely damaged or killed by the effects of marijuana. The stories of these families are featured on the Every Brain M...

Libby Jones is the Program Director of Global Health Advocacy Incubator , GHAI’s Overdose Prevention Initiative. Libby leads the Initiative’s advocacy efforts, advancing federal policies to reduce the overdose death rate in the United States by expanding access to treatment and promoting harm reduction. Prior to joining GHAI, Libby served as government relations officer at the Pew Charitable Trust...

Rodney Scott served nearly three decades in the United States Border Patrol building vast experience and knowledge in federal law enforcement and border security.  Chief Scott assumed command of the United States Border Patrol on February 2, 2020, becoming the 24th Chief.  Scott served as Chief during the Trump, and Biden administrations and retired in August 2021. Chief Scott began his career wit...

District Attorney Summer Stephan has devoted her life to protecting children and families, providing justice to the most vulnerable, and is a national leader in the fight against human trafficking and sexual exploitation. Summer rose through the ranks fighting for justice in the trenches before San Diego County voters overwhelmingly elected Summer as District Attorney in 2018 and again in 2022. As...

Is there treatment and hope for people with cannabis use disorder? There is always hope, and there are more treatment options on the horizon. Dr. Meg Haney shares information on AEF0117, an inhibitor of the CB1 receptor. We discuss a young man who struggles with cannabis use disorder and mental health that his parents attribute to high potent THC products.   Dr. Margaret (Meg) Haney is a Professor...

Can Marijuana cause Murder? In a landmark case, Bryn Spejcher was convicted of involuntary manslaughter after stabbing her boyfriend Chad O'Meila 108 times.  Heidi Swan and Dr. Christy Brown attended the trial and share their observations and perspective. Should Bryn be in jail? Is marijuana induced psychosis a get out of jail card for murder? Should the Marijuana industry and legislatures be in j...

Healthy Minds relates to addiction and mental health, it is also an Emmy Award program.  Dr. Borenstein shares his insights towards healthy minds. Jeffrey Borenstein, M.D., serves as the President & CEO of the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation, the largest private funder of mental health research grants. Dr. Borenstein developed the Emmy-nominated public television program “Healthy Mind...

San Francisco’s drugs and homeless crisis continues to get worse and community members are sounding the alarm. As San Franciscans raise issues of safety, the city has lost 2,859 people to fatal overdose since 2019.  Although San Francisco has poured millions of dollars into proposed solutions, our public systems continue to fail the community.  Many continue to deny the link between addiction, hom...

What can we learn from law enforcement and our current drug crisis? Derek Maltz has become a leading spokesperson on behalf of parents whose children died of fentanyl. Listen to what he has learned over a long career in law enforcement. What seems as compassion to people who use drugs can actually be cruelty to victims as well as the person with a substance use disorder. Derek S. Maltz retired fro...

Dr. Nora Volkow joins High Truths for the 4th time and 4th Season of High Truths to start the year with analysis of 2023 and hopes for 2024. Listen to see if she agree or not with Dr. Lev's assessments. Nora D. Volkow, M.D. , is Director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) at the National Institutes of Health. Dr. Lev called her a rock star of medicine. NIDA is the world’s largest funde...

Happy Near Year to 2024.  In this Season 4 Introduction Dr. Lev outlines her solution for the overdose crisis. Why are we spending a record billions of dollars on solution and no seeing decrease better results and decreased deaths? Dr. Lev states we are not spending money in the correct proportions to prevent addiction. Dr. Lev presents her outline for solutions based on the historical success of...

This is a recorded podcast from a live Season 3 High Truths Finale featuring Dr. Bertha Madras, Dr. Kenneth Finn, and Arianna Campbell. These national experts reflected on 2023, gave hopes for 2024, and answered audience questions. Bertha K. Madras, PhD (the honorable) Bertha Madras is a Professor of Psychobiology, Harvard Medical School (36 years), based at McLean Hospital, cross-appointed at the...

The harms of Pot. Jeff was Army veteran, paratrooper, law enforcement profressonal and avid surfer. He developed chronic pain after injured from a collision in pursuit of a drunk driver. He was convinced to try "natural alternatives" to opioids and used weed. He did not expect the hallucinations and psychosis that is associated with high potency THC. He was convinced the Hell's Angels were followi...