The Poisoning

When award-winning journalist Angela Kennecke lost her 21-year-old daughter Emily to fentanyl-laced heroin just days before she was set to enter treatment, her world shattered. Instead of retreating, Angela founded Emily’s Hope and turned her grief into a nationwide mission to remove stigma and save lives from the fentanyl and opioid crisis. In this powerful episode of The Poisoning Podcast, Angel...

Michael DeLeon, who shot fentanyl for years and spent time in prison, now speaks to over 1 million students annually (16M+ total) with his Steered Straight program. In this raw Poisoning Podcast interview, he reveals shocking realities: vapes collected from 6th–7th graders, THC vapes easier to buy than nicotine, and fentanyl as a “weapon of mass destruction.” DeLeon explains his “Trifecta Gateway”...

Texas needs more accredited sober beds — meet Nick Long, founder of Sharpen Recovery, the LARGEST accredited Christ-centered sober living network in Texas (17 homes, 1,800+ men & women served since 2019). In this raw interview on The Poisoning Podcast, Nick reveals: ✅ How Sharpen keeps rent at $650/mo (half the Houston average) with 57% on scholarships ✅ Why public-transit homes have waitlis...

Katie Herzog is a journalist living in the Pacific Northwest. She is the host of the podcast Blocked and Reported. After 20 years of fighting and failing to get sober using abstinence-based methods, journalist Katie Herzog found a simple, inexpensive, and effective way to take control over alcohol. During this conversation with Erin DeLullo, Katie talks about her new book, "Drink Your Way Sob...

Join host Erin DeLullo as she sits down with NPR’s Brian Mann to discuss the opioid crisis, addiction stigma, and personal loss. Brian is an award-winning journalist who currently serves as NPR's first national addiction correspondent. Brian shares how losing his father and stepbrother to addiction-related health issues shaped his compassionate approach to reporting on drug policy. From rural...

Join Erin DeLullo on the Poisoning Podcast as she talks with Lenette Serlo, founder of Generation O, about the challenges faced by babies born with neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) due to opioid exposure in the womb. Learn about the heart-wrenching symptoms, long-term effects like vision problems and anxiety, and how Generation O is advocating for these children and their families. Discover prac...

In this powerful episode of the Poisoning Podcast, host Erin DeLullo sits down with Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman to dive deep into the opioid crisis devastating communities across America. From his early days as an FBI agent confronting the pill epidemic in Indiana to his current role leading Kentucky’s fight against fentanyl and emerging threats like designer Xanax (bromazolam), Cole...

Join investigative journalist Shoshana Walter on the Poisoning Podcast as she dives deep into her book, Rehab: An American Scandal, exposing the shocking realities of America’s addiction treatment system. From unpaid labor in for-profit rehab facilities to barriers faced by mothers and people of color, Walter uncovers how the system often fails those it’s meant to help. Discover the complexities o...

Join Alexis Pleus, founder of Truth Pharm, as she shares her powerful journey from losing her son to becoming a leading advocate for addiction recovery and policy change. In this emotional episode of the Poisoning Podcast, Alexis discusses the challenges of navigating the opioid crisis, the stigma of addiction, and the urgent need for immediate treatment access, medical parity, and responsible use...

Uncover the dark truth behind addiction recovery scams in The Shuffle, a South by Southwest award-winning documentary. Director Benjamin Flaherty exposes a coordinated system of abuse targeting vulnerable addicts, exploiting insurance loopholes for profit through excessive drug testing and predatory sober homes. Follow heartbreaking stories of young people trapped in a cycle of relapse and financi...

In this eye-opening episode of the Poisoning Podcast, host Erin DeLullo sits down with Texas Tribune reporter Stephen Simpson to uncover the truth about Kratom – the controversial Southeast Asian plant hailed as an opioid alternative but plagued by rising poisonings and addiction. Discover the battle between natural Kratom and synthetic 7-OH (7-hydroxymitragynine), which the FDA cracked down on in...

Dr. Travis Harker, MD, MPH, joins Erin DeLullo on the Poisoning Podcast to unpack the escalating opioid crisis, spotlighting deadly emerging drugs like nitazines and xylazine. Learn about the alarming rise of these potent substances, the critical role of naloxone, and why Medicaid cuts could worsen overdose deaths. From ER challenges to prevention strategies, Dr. Harker shares vital insights for c...

Join Ryan Hampton on The Poisoning Podcast as he discusses the Campus Surge Tour, a bold initiative by Mobilize Recovery to tackle the rising overdose and mental health crises on college campuses. Learn how this tour brings training, peer support, wellness events, and surprise musical guests like Noah Thompson to engage students and build recovery communities. Ryan also shares his powerful story o...

In this heartfelt episode of the Poisoning Podcast, Erin sits down with Gregory Tatro to discuss the inspiring story of Jenna’s Promise, a community-driven initiative born from the tragic loss of Gregory’s sister, Jenna, to an overdose at age 26. Learn how Jenna’s family transformed their grief into action, creating a recovery village in rural Vermont that addresses the gaps in traditional addicti...

In this episode, Erin DeLullo and Kassidy Arena of Nebraska Public Media dive into the controversial veto by Nebraska’s governor of a bill that would have allowed individuals with drug convictions to access SNAP benefits (food stamps). Despite the legislature’s vote to pass the bill, the governor’s veto upheld Nebraska’s strict policy — one of only two states with such lifetime bans for drug-relat...

Join Jaime Puerta and Erin DeLullo on the Poisoning Podcast as Jaime shares his heartbreaking story of losing his son to a counterfeit fentanyl-laced pill. Discover how Jaime, through his nonprofit Victims of Illicit Drugs (VOID), is advocating for stronger policies, drug-induced homicide laws, and increased naloxone access to combat the fentanyl crisis. Learn about the dangers of social media pla...

Join Erin DeLullo as she sits down with Dave Aronberg, author of 'Fighting the Florida Shuffle, 'to uncover the shocking truth behind the corruption in the drug treatment industry. Learn about the "Florida Shuffle," a scandal where well-intended federal laws, like the Affordable Care Act, incentivize relapse over recovery, trapping vulnerable individuals in a cycle of addiction f...

Join Erin DeLullo and Christine Minhee, founder of OpioidSettlementTracker.com, as they dive deep into the opioid crisis, focusing on how opioid settlement funds are being used to address this public health emergency. In this episode of the Poisoning Podcast, they discuss the importance of transparency in tracking these funds, the challenges of preventing supplantation, and the need for equitable...

In this compelling episode of The Poisoning Podcast, Moe Egan, a former addict with 19 years of sobriety, shares his journey from homelessness to leading 'The Other Side Academy' and 'The Other Side Village.' Discover how these innovative programs tackle addiction, mental health, and homelessness with a unique, self-sustaining model that boasts a 70-80% success rate. Learn about th...

In this powerful episode of The Poisoning Podcast, we sit down with Jonathan Holth, a North Dakota restaurateur and Cabinet Secretary for Recovery and Reentry, to explore his innovative workplace policies that support employees in addiction recovery. As the owner of two restaurants and a coffee shop, Jonathan is transforming lives by offering paid leave for treatment, maintaining health insurance,...

Erin DeLullo sits down with Glen Muse of Texas Pictures Documentaries to uncover the devastating impact of the fentanyl and opioid crisis. Through raw, personal stories shared at storytelling summits nationwide, these documentaries shine a light on fentanyl poisoning, addiction recovery, human trafficking, and domestic violence. With millions of views, their work is breaking stigmas and inspiring...

Join us on this special Substack LIVE with Erin DeLullo and Ben Westhoff, author of the book 'Fentanyl Inc.,' as we dive into the alarming rise of benzodiazepine (benzo) use in America, with over 24 million prescriptions fueling a silent addiction crisis. From Xanax, Lorazepam, and Valium to dangerous knockoff benzos flooding the dark web, we explore the risks, including deadly combination...

Award-winning journalist Mary Hennigan talks about her reporting for the Arkansas Advocate, including a recent piece on how the "high cost of naloxone prompts rural Arkansas pharmacists to keep life-saving medicine behind counter." Read her piece here: https://arkansasadvocate.com/2025/04/22/high-cost-of-naloxone-prompts-rural-arkansas-pharmacists-to-keep-life-saving-medicine-behind-coun...

Join Erin DeLullo on The Poisoning Podcast as she talks with Rob Port, a veteran North Dakota columnist, about the state's ongoing opioid crisis. From the impact of the oil boom to the rise in fentanyl overdoses, Rob shares insights on addiction challenges in rural communities and the innovative laws signed by Governor Armstrong to tackle reentry and recovery. They also dive into vaping regula...

Join Erin DeLullo on The Poisoning Podcast as she dives into the hot trend of banning artificial food dyes with nutrition expert Dr. Marion Nestle, a Professor, of Nutrition, Food Studies, and Public Health, Emerita, at New York University (NYU). From West Virginia to California, states are cracking down on petroleum-based food colors linked to behavioral issues in kids and cancer risks in animal...