The Treat Addiction Save Lives Podcast

Three addiction medicine doctors in three different states share advocacy wins from 2025. Learn about the policies shaping addiction medicine across the country, and what helped push these legislative wins over the finish line.  Plus, discover highlights from ASAM’s new report on major state-level addiction medicine trends this year.  Featured in this episode:  Chad Elkin, MD, Tennessee Society of...

Author and journalist Maia Szalavitz - winner of this year's 2025 ASAM Media Award - sat down to talk about her career covering addiction and public policy, as well as her most recent book Undoing Drugs: How Harm Reduction is Changing the Future of Drugs and Addiction - 🏅 ASAM Awards & Recognition 👉 Maia Szalavitz Official Website 📕 Undoing Drugs: How Harm Reduction is Changing the Future o...

ASAM President Elect Tim Wiegand, MD, FACMT, FAACT, DFASAM, sat down with us at this year's 56th ASAM Annual Conference to discuss his road to addiction medicine and why he wanted to get involved in a leadership position with ASAM. - 🏅 ASAM Awards & Recognition

Grab your tissues for this moving and powerful episode! Flora Sadri-Azarbayejani, DO, MPH, FAAFP, FASAM, joins host, Zach, to talk about her path to and passion for practicing addiction medicine. During the conversation, she shares stories and experiences that have been impactful on her journey and shaped both how she practices medicine – emphasizing the critical component of compassion – and her...

Alta DeRoo, MD, MBA, FACOG, DFASAM, joins host, Zach, to talk about her experience in the US Navy (USN) and her path to practicing OBGYN and addiction medicine. She discusses the intersection of general medicine or primary specialty practice and addiction and shares her perspectives on stigma related to addiction. Dr. DeRoo explains the potential challenges of transitioning from active duty to vet...

Lipi Roy, MD, MPH, FASAM, shares what piqued her interest in the field of addiction medicine and how she expanded her work into media outreach and appearances. Dr. Roy talks about creating her YouTube channel,  Health, Humor, and Harmony , how she started her company,  SITA MED , and what it takes to prepare for a media appearance. She describes her experience as chief of addiction medicine at Rik...

Petros Levounis, MD, MA, DFASAM, talks with our host, Zach, about why he chose to practice addiction medicine, including an impactful experience at the Betty Ford Center (now Hazelden Betty Ford) as a medical student. He shares his thoughts regarding stigma and his extensive writing about addiction. Dr. Levounis speaks about how his fields of study and interest (including sociology, medicine, ment...

Marianne Fingerhood, DNP, ANP-BC, joins us to share her journey into the field of addiction medicine and discuss the importance of providing medication treatment for addiction within a primary care setting. She talks about the essential role nurse practitioners (NPs) play in treating addiction, how crucial it is for NPs to have proper support, and the benefits of a professional community. Marianne...

In this episode, Geri-Lynn Utter, PsyD, shares her personal journey from growing up as a child of parents who struggled with addiction to becoming a clinical psychologist and author. She discusses her documentary,  Utter Nonsense , her books,  Mainlining Philly  and  Aftershock , and her podcast,  Mind Over Mayhem . Dr. Utter offers insights on addiction, harm reduction, and her experiences in Phi...

In this episode, Jason Kirby, DO, MBA, FASAM, shares what led him to the field of addiction medicine and describes a particular turning point in his career path. Dr. Kirby discusses the importance of individualized treatment, the similarities between fitness and recovery communities, and how his interest in human behavior influenced his career journey. He stresses the critical importance of self-c...

In this powerful episode,  ASAM’s   2024 Training Directors Award  recipient Dr. Scott Teitelbaum shares his own journey with addiction and recovery. He discusses the importance of compassionate care, addresses stigma around addiction, and emphasizes the importance of recognizing addiction as an illness while also acknowledging the often hurtful behavior associated with it. Dr. Teitelbaum talks ab...

In this episode,  Dr. James Baker , MD, MPH, describes his experience with addiction both as an emergency physician and as a father who lost his son, Macky, to an opioid overdose. Sharing Macky’s story throughout, Dr. Baker emphasizes the evolution of his own feelings toward those who suffer from addiction, from anger to gentle compassion, and shares what inspired him to write  This Monstrous Obse...

In another special episode, we are joined by 2024  ASAM Media Award recipient Teri Sforza. Teri describes her journalistic approach as that of an "accountability reporter." In this conversation, she shares her journey to the field of addiction reporting and her thoughts about the need for potential legislation and oversight related to the addiction treatment industry. Teri discusses her work as a...

Stephanie Weiss, MD, PhD, FASAM, joins us for this special episode recorded at  ASAM’s 55th Annual Conference . Dr. Weiss shares her experiences attending ASAM’s conferences over the past few years, including the virtual conference in 2020 when she was a  Ruth Fox Scholar . She talks about her extensive educational journey and the surprising path to her current job at  NIDA . She also discusses he...

Alexander Zotos, MD, FASAM, joined our host, Zach, live from  ASAM’s 55th Annual Conference  in early April. In this special episode, Dr. Zotos explains how his mentors and patients influenced his decision to pursue the field of addiction medicine. He talks about how perceptions surrounding addiction have evolved over time and efforts of the  Tennessee Society of Addiction Medicine  (TNSAM) to cha...

In recognition of Alcohol Awareness Month, we are joined by George Koob, PhD, director of the  National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) . Dr. Koob talks about his background and career journey, along with major insights made through his research, including regarding alcohol withdrawal. He addresses stigma related to alcohol use (or abstinence from) and offers advice for the next...

For this special episode recorded live at  ASAM’s Annual Conference , Kelly Ramsey, MD, MPH, MA, FACP, DFASAM, talks about her journey into the field of addiction medicine and how her early experience dispelled myths she previously heard about people who use drugs. She addresses stigma related to addiction, the prevalence of xylazine in the illicit drug supply*, and the need to recognize and treat...

Dr. Geri-Lynn Utter, PsyD, joined us from the ASAM 55th Annual Conference in Dallas, Texas, which took place April 4-7, 2024. In this special episode, Dr. Utter talks about her experiences at conference over the years and the relationships she has built over time at this annual event. She also describes some of her favorite memories from conference, what she loves about attending, and why she thin...

This episode of the Treat Addiction Save Lives Podcast features Anthony Albanese, MD, DFASAM. ASAM’s  2024 Annual Award recipient, Dr. Albanese reflects on personal memories about how he learned about addiction and aspired to be an endoscopist because of video games like Space Invaders and Pacman. Dr. Albanese discusses his approach to medicine, focusing on the mind-body connection. He also talks...

Dr. Jasleen Salwan stopped by to speak with our host, Zach, at  ASAM’s 55th Annual Conference . In this special episode, she talks about her journey into the field of addiction medicine and how it marries together her interests in both individual and population health, and mental and physical health. Dr. Salwan expresses how grateful she is for her mentors who have inspired her along the way and t...

Ian Latham, MD, sat down with our host, Zach, at  ASAM’s 55th Annual Conference . In this special episode, he speaks about his journey into the field of addiction medicine and his experience as an addiction medicine fellow at the University of Minnesota. Dr. Latham divulges what he enjoys about attending ASAM’s annual conference and his impressions from this year’s conference, in particular. He ta...

Dr. Jasmine Douglas joined us live from  ASAM’s 55th Annual Conference . In this episode, she shares a personal connection that brought her into the field of addiction medicine and her excitement about starting an addiction medicine fellowship this summer. Dr. Douglas also shares her thoughts about attending ASAM’s Annual Conference and perspectives regarding stigma related to addiction. She discu...

Dr. Chad Elkin joins us from  ASAM’s 55th Annual Conference  for a very informative conversation! He shares his experiences at ASAM conferences over the years and why he finds attending beneficial. He talks about his path into the field of addiction medicine and founding  National Addiction Specialists . Dr. Elkin, soon-to-be president of the  Tennessee Society of Addiction Medicine  (TNSAM), disc...

Dr. Kwadwo Owusu-Boaitey joined us live from  ASAM’s 55th Annual Conference . Dr. Owusu-Boaitey, who is in his first year of residency, shares how he became interested in the field of addiction medicine. He also shares the highlights from his experience at ASAM’s conference, generally and as a  Ruth Fox Scholar . He discusses the emphasis he places on treating patients holistically and the importa...

Dr. Michael Baca-Atlas joins host, Zach, from  ASAM’s 55th Annual Conference . After sharing his favorite breakfast food, Dr. Baca-Atlas talks about his journey into the field of addiction medicine and his pathway to currently focusing on the intersection of primary care, mental health, and substance use disorder (SUD). He discusses being a former  Ruth Fox Scholar  and the opportunities that expe...