Hope and healing a national priority

The Issues

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Drug Trends

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Press Room

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Make a difference

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The Big News

Our thoughts are with everyone as we collectively mourn the victims of mass shootings in Texas and Ohio, tragedies that continue a disturbing trend of normal, everyday American activities—like going to the store—becoming traumatic events

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. Let’s make a point to take care of ourselves and each other

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this week as we grieve and wrestle with the surrounding issues.

At Hazelden Betty Ford, the sad news was felt all-the-more bluntly on a weekend otherwise filled with celebratory events. One was our 18th annual summer picnic in Chicago’s Lincoln Park, hosted Sunday by staff, alumni and friends; it was our biggest summer picnic ever, and we were honored to have Jerry Greenfield of Ben & Jerry’s there to speak and help serve ice cream. The other big event was hazelfest! For the seventh year in a row on Saturday, our quiet campus in Center City, Minn.—home to our headquarters, research center, graduate school, publishing division and largest treatment facility—transformed into a spirited summer bash, bringing together people affected by addiction and the general public to celebrate recovery, spread hope, and smash the stigma associated with substance use disorders and mental illness. The beautiful sunny day also served as a 70th anniversary celebration for Hazelden Betty Ford. Huge thank you to all of the musicians, comedians (who were especially funny this year), speakers, exhibitors, vendors, partners, volunteers, staff and attendees who made the day a big success. Check out some photo highlights at the bottom of this email, and mark your calendar for hazelfest 2020 next Aug. 1!

What does someone’s DNA have to do with their drinking? Could blood tests help determine the ideal treatments for alcohol use disorder? We’re looking to learn more in an exciting new research project

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with Mayo Clinic. Our Joseph Lee, M.D., discussed

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the five-year, federally funded study Sunday on a Minneapolis TV station.

The Boston Globe published a very nice piece about recovery. We need more stories like this

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in the media to provide a balanced, complete narrative so that people understand addiction is something that can indeed be overcome like other health conditions. Without more recovery awareness and the hope that springs from it, our public consciousness will continue to be overwhelmed by stigmatizing police-blotter stories and sad stories like this next one that need to be reported, too…

According to a New York Times report, a granddaughter of Robert F. Kennedy

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died of an apparent overdose. Before her death, reports say, Saoirse Kennedy Hill also revealed mental health struggles

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One topic that has gotten very little attention in the presidential debates thus far is the opioid and other drug addiction crisis. It’s disappointing, given that the nation’s worst public health problem is still so far from over. Some of the candidates even have proposed solutions, and yet the issue has come up only tangentially on the debate stage. One commentator worries that the reason is stigma-driven apathy.

Read more →

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This week’s featured media is the latest in our Let’s Talk podcast series, with host William C. Moyers talking to Matthew Polacheck, Psy.D., about the growth of outpatient addiction treatment programs, the importance of individualized care, and the vital role of peer support. Watch

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, listen or read

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Share: Tweet

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| Facebook

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| LinkedIn

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Treatment Industry Issues and Reforms

Sober homes are in the business of housing some of society’s most vulnerable people as they navigate the delicate stages of early recovery. They’re an important part of the care continuum. Yet in many states, like Massachusetts, no one is watching. Anyone can open a sober home. Learn more →

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We have two William White blog posts to share this week—one at the end of the email, per usual, but another that fits in this section: a list of the addiction treatment practices that White suspects will be judged harshly

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by future historians.

A sober home owner in South Florida has been charged with patient brokering

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and other crimes. Elsewhere in the state, a treatment center owner pleaded guilty in a large money laundering

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scheme.

Cannabis

The FDA issued a warning

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to a CBD company for 'unsubstantiated' health claims. Meanwhile, the recently departed FDA chief says the CBD craze is out of hand and is urging his former agency to regulate. Learn more →

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Louisiana medical marijuana program to begin

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.

Iowa adds chronic pain

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as an approved condition for medical marijuana.

A new study published in the journal Addiction found that living near a marijuana dispensary increases the likelihood of marijuana use and frequency of use

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among young people aged 18-22 .

A “banking” bill that some see as a backdoor attempt to legalize

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marijuana at the federal level got a recent hearing

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Opioids

It appears now that generic drug makers played a central role in the opioid crisis after all. Learn more →

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Federal prosecutors are going after

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those who they believe conspired

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to overwhelm communities with opioids, as revelations continue to come out about their indifference

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to the risks.

Purdue Pharma wants a lawsuit against it dismissed

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in Massachusetts. Recovery advocates and grieving family members organized by Ryan Hampton were among those who showed up at the courthouse

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Friday to say heck no.

Arizona told the U.S. Supreme Court that the Sackler family, which owns Purdue Pharma, is looting money

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to avoid legal penalties in opioid cases.

The final arguments

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have been made in Oklahoma’s opioid case against Johnson & Johnson. A ruling is expected in about a month.

As opioid lawsuits proceed, big questions remain over how to divide big settlements

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The CDC says drug overdose death rates were highest in the nation's cities

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in 2016 and 2017, reversing a trend of higher per-capita overdose mortality in less populated rural counties during the previous eight years.

A methadone clinic in Maryland has reopened

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after a recent fatal shooting there. Beyond the shooting, it’s an interesting glimpse into how methadone clinics are helping people.

Boston Globe reporter Felice J. Freyer writes about five things she has learned while covering the opioid crisis

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. Among other observations, she pleads for empathy, arguing that those who struggle with addiction are ‘still people, worthy of respect — and health care.’ Someday this needs to go without saying. Until then, we advocate.

A large NIH grant awarded to Brown University looks to really expand opioid addiction treatment and support for parolees and people on probation

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in Rhode Island.

Prescription drugs in the home are still a significant concern

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, according to a group of recent studies.

Alcohol

No one is more nervous about the legalization of marijuana than the beer industry, which helps explain why it’s pouring billions into weed drinks. Learn more →

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Alcohol is killing even more people globally than many researchers previously thought, according to a new study

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Binge drinking is on the rise

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among older adults.

And, in Canada, young women are binge drinking more

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and landing in the ER.

Joining the U.S., Canada sees a spike in alcohol-related emergency department visits

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, particularly in women and those ages 25 to 29.

In Costa Rica, 30,000 liquor bottles were confiscated after tainted alcohol

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was linked to 19 deaths over the past 2 months.

While legal beer sales have ended in Whiteclay, Neb., health concerns linger.

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Police in Virginia are no longer allowed to arrest and jail people designated as "habitual drunkards

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," and the attorney general says he has no intention of appealing the decision to strike down the archaic law.

The 'dual stigma' of alcohol-related brain damage

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Cruise alcohol packages

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are in the spotlight thanks to a recent brawl aboard a ship.

A study with some relevance to the new, aforementioned research we’re doing with Mayo Clinic found that neural patterns of activity in the medial prefrontal cortex associated with the intention to drink alcohol are influenced by the genetic risk

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for alcohol use disorder.

Take a look at what Iceland is doing

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to curb teen drinking.

Some researchers say England is failing to tackle its alcohol epidemic

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Midwives and nurse-midwives may underestimate the dangers of prenatal alcohol use, according to a new survey

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What’s a bartender to do when the woman ordering drinks appears pregnant

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?

A researcher says gorging on fatty foods like BBQ may flip the switch

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on our desire for alcohol.

In Australia, some want to raise the price

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of the cheapest alcohol for public health reasons.

A coffee-beer hybrid

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is not what the world needed.

Health Care Reform and Parity

While heated debates over reform continue, it’s worth noting that the U.S. health system now covers 90% of Americans. Learn more →

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Heath care continues to gobble up wages

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, though.

Advocate Spotlight

Elton John celebrates 29 years of recovery.

Learn more →

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Our friend and fellow advocate Jonathan Goyer from Rhode Island has an interesting role in the new A&E series 60 Days in Narcoland

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, which kicked off last week. He writes: “You can follow me in my adventures as I become acclimated to Kentucky life, search for reasons behind the high demand for drugs and encounter individuals who struggle to find recovery.

Four Minnesotans who participated in the recent Mobilize Recovery event in Las Vegas reflect on the experience

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A Twin Cities elected official opens up about initiating recovery

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It’s been a year since Demi Lovato

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was reported to have overdosed.

A former NFL player and recovery speaker who works in the addiction treatment field has been accused of dealing drugs

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and apparently was the reason Vice President Mike Pence had to abruptly cancel a planned trip to New Hampshire. A very disturbing story.

Miscellaneous Musings

Our Chief Medical Officer Marvin D. Seppala, M.D. (left), delivered the keynote at this year’s International Doctors in Alcoholics Anonymous meeting in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Like Hazelden Betty Ford, IDAA is celebrating its 70th anniversary in 2019. Joining Dr. Seppala at the four-day event last week was Jerry Moe (right), national director of our Children’s Program. As they have for several years, Jerry and his staff ran an Ala-tot Playroom for about 40 young children of attendees. By the way, our Children’s Program recently expanded to Minnesota; we’ll be having an open house to celebrate and introduce it to community members on Aug. 21 in Plymouth. Learn more and register →

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Nice to see the Red Sox backing an anti-stigma campaign

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in Massachusetts.

Benzo deaths have nearly doubled

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since 2003.

Juul's campaign to convince America it does not target kids to vape is getting crushed

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by lawmakers, attorneys general and the media.

Ohio’s first recovery high school

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is now open after three years of planning!

I can relate to this story about how cleaning

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is good for mental health.

Lawmakers in two states recently passed laws allowing students to take sick days for mental health concerns

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. And Florida officials signed off on mental health classes for students

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The NYPD has lost five officers to suicide

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since June.

A new study says people with gambling problems are much more likely to attempt suicide

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A blogger describes what it’s like

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to be involved in an intervention.

The USA Today published a list of the 25 most dangerous drugs

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with side effects and death rates.

Mark Kleiman

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, a scholar who influenced a lot of new thinking about crime and drugs, has died.

Quentin Tarantino says Leonardo DiCaprio's character in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is bipolar

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. Though I haven’t seen the film yet, a loyal reader writes that Tarantino also “vividly portrayed the ‘cunning, baffling and powerful’ nature of alcohol in certain personalities. He actually juxtaposed that to the normal drinker.”

How many psychiatrists are enough? In Oregon, there are only 10 per 100,000 people

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. Is that why emergency rooms are so full?

Our friend Jocellyn Harvey wrote, “The Ultimate Guide for Women of Color Seeking Therapy

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.”

In his most recent blog post, William White discusses explanations and implications for the reality that some people—indeed, many—overcome their substance use disorder without the benefit of specialty addiction treatment

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Trivia question: Which hazelfest performer and former finalist on The Voice is married to a Hazelden Betty Ford counselor? Send me the answer and win a fancy advocacy pen!

What else do you think? Send me a note, and have a great week!

Photo Highlights

(L to R) Our colleague Jean Vukas Roberts; Jerry Greenfield, co-founder of Ben & Jerry’s; Hazelden Betty Ford trustee Lester Munson; and our colleague Moira McGinley (and son Ryan) were among those at our annual Summer Picnic in Chicago on Sunday.

Our colleague Bill Hoffman successfully reached the 19,341-foot summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro, an adventure he undertook in support of women’s recovery. You can still support the cause

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, too.

Grateful to see so many friends at hazelfest 2019, including Kim Anton of Minnesota Adults for Recovery and John Magnuson of the Minnesota Association of Resources for Recovery and Chemical Health (together in foreground).

Chris Kroeze, runner-up on NBC’s “The Voice,” was among the performers Saturday at hazelfest 2019. He was joined by other “The Voice” finalists Jesse Larson, Kat Perkins and Nicholas David, all sharing a stage for the first time.

Kat Perkins!

Headliner Jeremy Messersmith!

Sophia Lavigne, 14, kicked off hazelfest 2019 on the LifeTake2 stage. She is the grandaughter of the late Dan Anderson, longtime Hazelden president and one of the most influential people in the history of addiction treatment.

Will & A.P. of Journeyman Ink traveled all the way from Dallas to talk to patients and perform at hazelfest—sporting shirts from the church of our friend and fellow advocate Joe Powell, who leads the Association of Persons Affected by Addiction in Texas.

Jesse Larson! (fun fact: his wife Katy also happens to be a Hazelden Betty Ford counselor)

All kinds of fun at hazelfest!

Another hazelfest highlight was musicians (L to R) Mark Mallman, Katy Vernon and Laura Hugo talking to popular host and podcaster John Moe about sobriety and creativity.

Hazelfest emcee David Campbell (right), a longtime Twin Cities disc jockey who is now a Hazelden Betty Ford addiction tech, talked about recovery in an on-stage Q&A with fellow “deejay” Tom Barnard (left), whose KQRS Morning Show has been one of the top-rated programs in the country for years.

Our colleagues (L to R) Kim Becker and Kelly Gieser at a “She Recovers” Creating Connections Tour

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stop in Nashville this past weekend. We are sponsoring the tour.

North Dakota First Lady (and Hazelden Betty Ford trustee) Kathryn Burgum introduces and greets our own William C. Moyers at his recent TedX Talk for an audience of 2,200 in Fargo.

William, First Lady Burgum and Gov. Doug Burgum made several appearances in Fargo ahead of William’s recent TedX Talk there.

After the trip to Fargo, William wrote: “If we had 49 other ‘First Couples’ like them, we'd have eliminated the stigma of addiction in America and solved the public policy issues to expand access to treatment and promote recovery support for everyone in communities everywhere.”

Our colleague Heidi Wallace (right), and Oregon state Rep. Rachel Prusak participated in the first of three Addiction Recovery Planning Commission sessions, providing feedback on the strategic plan for addiction recovery in the state of Oregon. Colleague Tessa Voss participated in the second session.

Joseph Lee, M.D., talks to WCCO-TV about our new research project with Mayo Clinic.

“Let’s Talk” podcast host William C. Moyers

“Let’s Talk” guest Matthew Polacheck, Psy.D.

Hazelden Betty Ford:

Est. 1949

Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool…photo by our Emily Piper

Please share questions, thoughts and ideas. Plus, follow us on Twitter

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for daily updates.

Jeremiah Gardner

Director, Communications and Public Affairs

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mailto:[email protected]

1-651-213-4231

tel:1-651-213-4231

LinkedIn

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ISSUES WE CARE ABOUT

Industry Reform

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| Fighting Addiction Stigma

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| Opioid Epidemic

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| Access to Treatment

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| Marijuana Education

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| Criminal Justice Reform

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| Alcohol Prevention

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Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation

15251 Pleasant Valley Rd.

PO Box 11 RW19

Center City, MN 55012-0011