Narcotica Podcast

The “war on fentanyl” is actually paving the way for even worse drugs to do even more harm to Americans because that’s how these things have always gone and nobody ever wants to hear that. If you haven’t heard of the Iron Law of Prohibition, now is a great time to look it up!

Once again I say: we need to reintroduce a clean heroin supply into the US as a public health initiative.

Weird it’s almost like you can’t win a war on drugs because it’s a natural human desire in lots of people to achieve altered consciousness especially when their material conditions suck ass

YouTube video by Narcotica Podcast Episode 94: The AI Dystopia Acid Test with Douglas Rushkoff

New episode of @narcocast.bsky.social is all about AI and psychedelics with Douglas Rushkoff. Probably one of the best interviews I've had all year.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=auFD...

MA Overdose Bills Signal Push Toward Nalmefene, Civil Commitment Taken together, four proposals under consideration would make the landscape of overdose response more hostile toward people who use drugs.

Taken together, four proposals under consideration would make the landscape of overdose response more hostile toward people who use drugs.

Standardized treatment for #substanceuse is always doomed to fail. Standardized treatment for anything is always doomed to fail!

Real care does not scale. As long as we keep focusing on "efficiency" or "streamlining" we are not providing real care.

#therapistsky #addictionmed #harmreduction

As the U.S. Cracks Down on Fentanyl, a New Opioid Is Emerging Nitazenes, less detectable and sometimes stronger than fentanyl, have been detected across more than a dozen states.

good piece

time.com/7317460/nita...

🧵Yet another study has found that life-saving #HarmReduction services reduce hospitalizations. Harm reduction, both as a philosophy & evidence-backed set of approaches to addressing the #OverdoseEpidemic & strengthening public health, saves lives &...
bit.ly/HarmReductionReducesHospitalizations

2 problems with attributing #substanceuse issues to trauma:

1) A lot of my patients say they have no trauma. Do we really want to keep claiming folks don't know their own experience?

2) It's still pathologizing--it just moves the pathology from the use itself to its (supposed) cause.

Over blue gradient, conversation bubbles in white and black with patterns at top right read, “FOUNDATIONAL FRIDAYS.” Below this, between black box outline, bold, all caps black copy reads, “THE BASICS OF SEX WORK”. Some words are highlighted in yellow. NHRC white logo at bottom left, smaller black font at bottom middle reads, "Nov. 28" and “12 p.m. — 2 p.m. ET”.

🧵 #SexWorkIsWork, & work should be safe. Join us next month for our free webinar, "Sex Work 101," win which we'll share an introduction to sex work through a #HarmReduction lens w/ a focus on addressing stigma people who engage in sex work face. Attendees will explore ways to..
bit.ly/2025SexWork101

Oregon Trying to Dodge Lawsuit on Dying Patients’ Psilocybin Access Plaintiffs say excluding disabled and homebound people from psilocybin services violates the ADA. OHA again seeks to get the case dismissed.

"Delay can mean patients who might have obtained relief will die in unrelieved suffering.”

The lawsuit seeks access for disabled or dying Oregonians who can't attend psilocybin service centers. The state is again trying to get it dismissed, reports @jackgorsline.bsky.social:

Episode 94: The AI Dystopia Acid Test with Douglas Rushkoff

New episode is about tech dystopia and psychedelics with Douglas @rushkoff.com
Find it on iTunes, Spotify, YouTube, etc.

open.spotify.com/episode/7779...

What gets called "resistance" in #substanceuse treatment is often in fact non-consent.

If someone enters treatment on a mandate--legal, employer, medication-related, etc--they did not consent freely, and it's no surprise if they act like it.

some good news

We seem to be getting a new flood of these stories... I searched all the available info — there is no discussion anywhere of the symptoms the officer allegedly experienced and no bodycam footage on any of the news stories. We can safely say that a wet soggy bag of dope is not going to go airborne.

👀

In-Hospital Drug-Use Study Shows Lived Experience Key to Better Policies It sought consensus from 38 experts on how to approach patient drug use. Responses from those with personal SUD history differed in key areas.

While the 38 experts consulted "broadly agreed in most cases, there were significant differences between those with personal experience of SUD and those without on 10 of the recommendations" for policies around in-hospital drug use.

Alison Knopf reports:

Episode 93: Veterans’ Harm Reduction Battle with Beth Dinges

New episode with the VA's Beth Dinges! All about veterans and harm reduction, the unique challenges faced and the work still to be done. Find it on Spotify, iTunes, YouTube and more.

open.spotify.com/episode/5b65...

BREAKING: The Trump Administration is "Reviewing" Abortion Pills The FDA and HHS just announced their next move in the war against mifepristone

if they 'review' this like they did acetaminophen, (a word the president can neither say or spell, so he says Tylenol), we are fucked

jessica.substack.com/p/breaking-t...

Opvee, High-Profile Overdose Antidote No One Used, Discontinues Marketing In a letter reviewed by Filter, Indivior said "business reasons," not an AG investigation, caused it to stop promoting the nalmefene product.

"Indivior has not taken this action due to safety or efficacy issues,” the company wrote in a letter reviewed by Filter. “Rather, the decision was based on business reasons and shifting our focus to other parts of our business.”

The history of how an unassuming plant became the root of B.C.’s drug crisis Black Press Media delves how the opium poppy sprouted into today’s deadly opioid crisis

this story is so bad that it begins, "Since the dawn of mankind...."

(the story is not just bad. its also stupid, wrong and AHISTORICAL)

www.saanichnews.com/news/the-his...

Alaska Campaign to Legalize Psychedelics Is Gathering Signatures It aims to get the measure, concerning psilocybin and DMT among others, on the 2026 ballot. Early responses—and polls—have been encouraging.

The measure - which concerns psilocybin and DMT among other substances, and protects traditional healers - needs 35,000 signatures to make the 2026 ballot.

The campaign is encouraged by early responses as well as past polls, reports Kyle Jaeger:

WI May Expand "Good Samaritan" Law to 911 Calls for Sexual Assault Most states don't extend these protections to sexual assault reporting, but Wisconsin wouldn't be the first to do so.

Most states don't extend these protections to sexual assault reporting, but Wisconsin wouldn't be the first to do so.

Episode 93: Veterans’ Harm Reduction Battle with Beth Dinges

New episode with the VA's Beth Dinges! All about veterans and harm reduction, the unique challenges faced and the work still to be done. Find it on Spotify, iTunes, YouTube and more.

open.spotify.com/episode/5b65...

YouTube video by Narcotica Podcast Episode 92: The Drug War’s Invisible Casualties with Sheila Vakharia

Overdose deaths are the go-to metric for how well drug policy is performing, but those on the ground know that harms from the drug war can include much more than the worst outcomes.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=uH8l...

YouTube video by Narcotica Podcast Episode 82: Drug War Activism and the Future of Harm Reduction with Louise Vincent

RIP Louise Vincent. Despite so much hardship, she was a tireless voice for others and will be deeply missed. You can hear our conversation from 2023 here:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=QG6E...

🚨🗞️ JOURNALISTS: As the criminalization of homelessness runs rampant in DC & across the country, it's more important than ever to rely on data to get the story right.

Here are some useful resources that can help you to fight through misinformation 🧵

New episode with @myharmreduction.bsky.social all about the victims of bad drug policy we don't hear about and how to face the attacks on harm reduction. Find it on iTunes, Spotify, YouTube, etc.

open.spotify.com/episode/2Lzx...

Loved the opportunity to talk with @narcocast.bsky.social about my new book, Policing Patients! ✨ They do riveting and important work—check them out

What's better? IM naloxone or Narcan?