Stephen Murray, MPH, NRP
@stephenHRNRP
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Husband/dad / #HarmReduction Program Manager /Paramedic from @ThisAmericanLife Ep809 TheCall /Director Mass Overdose Helpline. he/him. VIEWS MINE!
Plymouth, MA
Joined November 2012
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Friends in LA - there’s a flyer now! Come hang. Registration link:
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Today marks 11 years that I have been abstinent from meth, opioids, benzos and alcohol.
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Today, we made it official and I adopted my daughters. 09.26.22
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OTC oral contraceptive on shelves in Massachusetts is pretty awesome!
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It makes me so sad & angry that people don’t think we are worth saving. You’re looking at 8 combined overdoses in this pic. Surviving and thriving. Harm reduction saves lives.
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If you love someone who uses, it’s easier to get over your fears of watching them use at your dining room table than it is to bury them. Our people are dying behind locked doors w/ family only feet away every day. Make your home their safe consumption space.
#HarmReduction
#EMS
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This was me, an elected official, more than 2.5 years into using meth.
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Let me be perfectly clear here - fentanyl skin exposures are LESS dangerous than bee stings, poison ivy or sunburns. Police in your town are spending thousands on HazMat clean-ups of something that could be wiped down with a paper towel.
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Brief demonstration using turmeric and salt to show how I believe fentanyl contamination of cocaine occurs accidentally towards the end of the supply chain. Easy to do if using the same surface.
#HarmReduction
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To “overdose” you have to know what your dose is. To know what your dose is, you need to know what your concentration is. People using from the current supply aren’t able to discern either. That’s why this is a mass poisoning crisis.
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Thanks to everyone’s help on here, the RMV reversed their decision. Proud to help destigmatize a medication that has saved so many lives!
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When I entered tx, I was told I was an “addict & narcissist” and “prescribed” 90mtgs in 90 days. What I really needed was love, socialization, mental health counseling, primary care, sleep study, a dentist and a career . It took years to realize that.
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Yesterday, the girl who overdosed on Never Use Alone hotline joined my family for 4th of July BBQ. She is so strong, brave and inspiring. Compassion matters. Soon she will fulfill lifelong wish to become an EMT.
#harmreduction
/
#ems
in action
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I’m seeing a lot of meth shaming this week —> implying that certain “bad actors” in current events (Elon, father of Colorado shooter) are acting the way they are due to their use. Here’s your reminder that this isn’t the reason or an excuse for their behavior.
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@blondenerdx
I would just write in large front I HAD EXPLOSIVE DIARRHEA DO YOU WANT PHOTOGRAPHIC EVIDENCE NEXT TIME CAUSE IM HAPPY TO SEND IT
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We don’t “do harm reduction” to keep people alive and healthy until they’re ready for recovery. We do harm reduction to keep people alive and healthy.
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Harm reduction is about safety. It isn’t about keeping people safe “until we get them into treatment” and I will die on this hill.
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I no longer identify as a person in recovery. I have decided that my participation in abstinence culture, even on a personal level, is stigmatizing and causes harm.
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People who use drugs deserve the same level of consumer protection as everyone else. It’s that simple.
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Its heartwarming to go to a small town in rural Massachusetts, present to their Board of Health, and they unanimously vote to allow mobile syringe services in their town. One board member lost brother to overdose. Thanks for a tiny glimmer of hope.
#HarmReduction
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Methadone line @ 7am NYC during Nor’easter. Restrictions are 💯 stigma. My doc wants me to improve diet/exercise/salt intake to lower BP. Sometimes I get a 20 pc and 1/4 lb from McD. Still get to take lisinopril even tho I can’t make lifestyle changes. Gets delivered by USPS.
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Our
#EMS
agency’s Naloxone Leave Behind program goes live on Monday. Just finished putting the kits together. Includes Narcan, CPR mask, fentanyl test strips, Never Use Alone info and tele suboxone induction info.
#harmreduction
in action!
#AddictionChat
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Demonizing all people who use drugs because of the actions of some individuals is part of the prohibition narrative. We don’t demonize everyone who drinks alcohol when a drunk driver goes the wrong way down the highway and kills a family of 4.
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3,650 days (10 years) sober today!!! Day is over and I almost forgot!
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NARCAN IS NOT FOR PCP “13-year-old Georgia boy injured after reportedly smoking a drug-laced vape pen. EMTs administered Narcan at least three times but Zach’s body rejected the medicine…toxicology results returned positive for, at least, phencyclidine (PCP) and marijuana” 1/2
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@thattraumanurse
One person comes out saying they regret it
American news: “IS GENDER AFFIRMING SURGERY WRONG FOR EVERYONE?”
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Our goal as
#EMS
in administering Narcan is to restore respiratory drive — not to “wake up” or “get rid of the high” for our patients. It is cruel to slam 8mg in 3 minutes. Fix hypoxia first with BVM, give small doses of Narcan, and be patient.
#HarmReduction
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When presenting about syringe programs, the
#1
question is around “syringe litter” which people allege they find “everywhere” — this morning on my walk I didn’t find any… but saw 26 nips, 9 coffee cups, and hundreds of cigs. Imagine the uproar if everyone had to 1 for 1 those.
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@jzux
My first therapist at rehab diagnosed me that I had Narcissistic personality disorder w/ delusions of grandeur because I told her that I was an elected official…Which I was… believed I had NPD and hated myself for the next 8 weeks until I met my new therapist who was like wtf?!
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I gave fentanyl via IV lines dozens of times as a paramedic. None of them overdosed. None of them died. It’s not the drug that’s the problem, it’s the inability for PWUD to accurately measure dose & concentration. Safe supply NOW.
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There's a major misconception that all PWUD have SUD. Drug use exists on a spectrum: the guy who uses cocaine on his birthday, a student buying an Adderall to study for an exam, my friends who take ecstasy when they go to a rave. All deserve access to
#SafeSupply
&
#HarmReduction
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In true 2022 form, court was via Zoom. This was a year long process and we are all relieved it is done!!
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I can never overstate how much grief is embedded in the lived experience of people who use drugs. Remember that when asking us to come to the table.
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It’s amazing, after years of referring to myself as an “addict” and then realizing the effect it had on my self-esteem, I now have such a visceral reaction when other people use it to describe people. I can’t help myself but to correct them every time. Language matters.
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@ZachWritesStuff
It’s such a convenient lie for the two who aren’t intubated to say they only overdosed after trying to help the others. And bc cops are fueling this myth around, of course they believe it and then regurgitate it to the media. Meanwhile, people will die thanks the lie.
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Your previous lived experience with substance use doesn't give you the license to further stigmatize people who use drugs. Lotta people in recovery contributing a lot of hatred towards people using....
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Officially bought some over the counter Narcan! Hopefully this is another step forward in improving access, especially in rural areas. We gotta get the cost down though
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I think it’s a nice addition to my uniform!! Thanks
@clairezagorski
#ems
#harmreduction
#decriminalizedrugs
#endstigma
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My wife decided to make a political statement this year in honor of those around the country who have lost their right to bodily autonomy. She was a victim of child marriage and this is an important issue to our family.
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As a parent of 2 teens, I believe it's time to normalize
#harmreduction
education in our high schools. Our pill/cocaine supply is fentanyl contaminated and teens deserve unrestricted access to overdose prevention education, naloxone, drug checking, safer smoking supplies & PrEP.
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Excited to announce that I have been promoted to Harm Reduction Program Manager at
@The_BMC
@GraykenBMC
- so thankful and excited for this next chapter!
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Calling it a fentanyl “exposure” rather than ingestion or overdose makes it sound like the general public or first responders were also at some sort of heightened risk. Let me be clear — fentanyl poses ZERO risk to you unless you’re shooting, smoking, snorting or ingesting it.
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Most importantly, if you’re actively using, I support you. You don’t have to want to stop, plan on stopping, or anything else. You do you. The only thing I ask if you’re using alone, call us or someone else to spot you
If you’ve got one day sober,
I support you.
If you’ve got one year sober,
I support you.
If you’ve got one day because you just came back after a relapse,
I support you.
Whether it’s your first or twentieth attempt at sobriety,
I support you. 🤍
If you can stumble or fall down…
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Selling fentanyl in 2023 isn’t some malicious act… in most parts of the country it is the only opioid available on the market. There’s no choice. They aren’t poisoning people, they’re just passing it along the supply line. This a prohibition issue, not a drug seller issue.
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Calling xylazine “naloxone resistant” is a bit silly, considering that it’s not an opioid and therefore not meant for it. Xylazine is almost exclusively found WITH opioids, and so if someone isn’t adequately breathing, should still be given naloxone along w other supportive care
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Harm Reduction is not a pathway to recovery - It is a movement to end Prohibition and its harms on our communities
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The response to this has been overwhelming and humbling. Thank you all! From my Facebook post to my friends and family, I usually share what I’ve been working on over the past year. Here is the list for year 11
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Just to clarify for anyone who is interested - these are my wife’s biological daughters. I have been their dad for about 6.5 years
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The fact that so many have interpreted my self identification change as that I’m using opioids or meth again tells you exactly what you need to know about why I don’t want to be associated with the label anymore.
I no longer identify as a person in recovery. I have decided that my participation in abstinence culture, even on a personal level, is stigmatizing and causes harm.
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Just saw on a Facebook memory that I quit smoking more than ten years ago. I went to rehab almost 12 years ago. I chose my rehab almost entirely on them letting me keep smoking. Remember that when you advocate for smoking bans in treatment facilities…
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Pretty amazing to be able to get same day Narcan delivery through Amazon now. The price is of course out of reach for many but this will adjust over time. The fact the access is at this point now is a major improvement.
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16 came home from school yesterday eager to tell me about her ongoing drug “education” in health class. I can tell you that nothing has changed in 20 years. She challenged her teacher on fentanyl exposure myths. Proud dad. No mention of
#HarmReduction
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94,134 parents, friends, neighbors, children died from overdose in 2020. Let that sink in. Prohibition has failed. Criminalization has failed. Abstinence only treatment has failed. We need safe supply, supervised consumption sites and patient centered treatment programs NOW.
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If you are standing on your own… you don’t need Narcan.
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On this Valentines Day, I just wanted to say: Loving someone and helping them survive is not “enabling” them. So many people have died because their loved ones were told by so-called “addiction professionals” to pull back support and to let them hit “rock bottom”
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Proud to announce that our godson, who we have had custody of for the last 6 years, has decided to enroll in
@UMassD
School of Nursing. He’s first gen and just an amazing guy. The school gave him a financial package he couldn’t refuse!
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Finally got to meet in person my forever MCM, the reason I joined this chaotic hellscape in the first place, the one and only
@RyanMarino
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Can’t stand seeing my peers in
#EMS
posting this crap. If you’re getting punched, it’s probably your fault for either: too much Narcan, not fixing hypoxia, or overbearing demeanor when the person is coming to. Take it from someone with more than 100 reversals and no violence.
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For me, opioids started off as a warm blanket I could wrap myself in to keep the cold world out. As time went on, the blanket was just to keep me comfortable, and eventually there were no amount of blankets that could keep me from shivering.
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If you need a spotter, we are ready for your call: 1-800-972-0590 - confidential, compassionate and safety-focused.
If you love someone who uses, it’s easier to get over your fears of watching them use at your dining room table than it is to bury them. Our people are dying behind locked doors w/ family only feet away every day. Make your home their safe consumption space.
#HarmReduction
#EMS
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Newest edition to our family - meet Bruce Willis 🥰😘
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We cannot involuntarily commit, incarcerate, or treat our way out of this overdose crisis.
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Now they’re making rainbow colored bagels to market them to CHILDREN.
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In 2011, I was pulled over after picking up drugs from my dealer. I was never searched, never ordered out of the vehicle, never even given a ticket for speeding. Privilege is at the root of my
#recovery
. Decriminalization is the only fair path forward.
#harmreduction
#ems
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An illustration of the harm that the anti-opioid narrative caused: recently I responded to overdose of a person in their 80s. Doctor cut off prescription opioids even though they were
#CPP
- grandson felt bad seeing them in pain and got heroin. This is not
#HarmReduction
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Back when I got elected 14 years ago while using meth and opioids. This is what I looked like while using drugs. 20 months later I went to rehab.
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Beware of bringing people with “lived experience” on board. There are huge pushes to include LE in policy development, but so much of the stigma PWUD face comes from the “recovery community” - also it’s funny they think harm reduction has funding.
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@DrSarahWakeman
Yeah…. Indoor dining should have been off the table since December 15. This is why I struggle with the school idea — the kids take masks off to eat.
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Fentanyl hysteria worsens patient experience in acute trauma — I have had pts in the ambulance refuse pain management when they had open fractures out of fear that the fentanyl I would administer “might kill” them 🤦🏻♂️
#cpp
#HarmReduction
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Saying that xylazine is “Narcan-resistant” is like administering an epi-pen to a diabetic and labeling their diabetic emergency epinephrine resistant when it doesn’t fix their blood sugar.
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@Stpolishook
@arby_em
@AngryllamagoERR
@DemoPat
@redheadmuppet
I used to dumpster dive in NYC late at night (made BANK on eBay). One time woman walked by me and saw guy was following her. I shone a flashlight in his face and asked if he was lost. He bolted. The woman said thank you & he was following her for the last 3 blocks. 1/
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Honored to have planted flags for many who I’ve lost to overdose, among the 22,357 flags in front of the Massachusetts State House in honor of Overdose Awareness Day.
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This is your pattern of behavior - you did the same thing with me. You do this “I’m innocent” routine, knowing well that your fans will harass the person you’re targeting. Your fans threatened my kids, me with violence, all over me criticizing your stance on a political bill.
I normally don’t let stuff bother me , sorry that was out of character- only human y’all. Sometimes I think I need to defend myself but like my Nan always said “you can reason with stupid”
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Early morning visit to Geneva drug consumption room. Only 50 overdoses per year. No naloxone on site - oxygen is all that’s needed. No fentanyl or xylazine. Supply is everything. Thanks for organizing
@INHepSU
#INHSU2023
#harmreduction
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Major news outlets should not be getting this wrong. This tragic case of overdose was not an exposure — it was an ingestion. Please do better
@CNN
— language matters and stigma kills.
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When I went to rehab in 2011, they said to us “look to the person on your left and the person to your right — in one year one of you will die and one will go to jail” — they were wrong, they are both dead.
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As a parent, I’m anti-homework. Our kids spend all day in school. When they come home, they need to recharge, see friends, spend time w/ family, exercise, play an instrument, watch TV & play video games. 1/2
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If you were wondering about the “chronic” and “relapsing” nature of addiction, my entire family forgot my sobriety date this year, something they all used to feverishly cling to as a milestone of my life progress. It’s actually kind of a relief?
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I’d like to propose we push back on using the number of doses of naloxone administered in an overdose as the benchmark of severity. How often have we heard people say “yeah it took 10
Doses of Narcan to bring him back!” 1/
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Why does the media implicitly trust cops for medical/scientific information about drugs? We don’t ask the average fisherman about marine biodiversity. Just because you work with something doesn’t automatically make you the expert in it.
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When I got to rehab and found out what “treatment” was — i quickly realized that this was just repackaged, old school alcohol treatment (rooted in 12steps)that was not really helpful or relevant to my opioid/stim use and it’s underlying causes.
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With my daughter vaccinated today we are now down to only 1 of 5 kids waiting to take the jab!!
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@billkinkle
@lockedoutofvenu
Bill… this treatment is incredibly evil and so disappointing to say the least. I’m so sorry you have experienced this. If this is how they treat YOU As an RN and Paramedic, and a cishet white man… I can’t even imagine what it would be like for further marginalized folx.
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Also a special shout out to
@The_BMC
for giving employees access to MetLife Legal!! I had gotten quotes for attorneys and it was ~ $5000 to do this. 30 days after becoming a BMC employee I was able to retain someone FOR FREE.
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@Stpolishook
@arby_em
@AngryllamagoERR
@DemoPat
@redheadmuppet
I asked if she wanted me to escort her home — not realizing this concept that I’m now another dude in the middle of the night that could be dangerous — she looked uncomfortable and I realized why so I asked if there was anything else she needed, she said no, I turned and left
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Not at all what an overdose looks like.
His symptoms did not improve, and eventually he was given Narcan for a suspected fentanyl overdose.
Video:
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Oklahoma out here making pretty good lookin vending machines. Thanks for sharing
@IcyCroissants
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@ChristianTams
Yeah, I just can't subscribe to this notion that it is a lifelong identity. I got through a period of chaotic drug use, I have moved on from that, and I have taken opioids a few times during/after medical procedures, had a couple sips of alcohol, and lived to tell the tale.
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When I left AA in early 2012, I had been abstinent for 6 months. I was told by everyone there that leaving put me on a certain path to relapse, jail & death. My “friends” would pretend they didn’t see me. I was already dead to them. Still abstinent 9.5 years later
#NotTheOnlyPath
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Overdose Awareness Day 2023 in Dartmouth, Massachusetts. Delivered the keynote. Thanks for having me ❤️ off to Boston in AM to plant flags tmw and then Worcester to speak at their event.
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"You're going to end up in jail or dead" is used to describe the ~danger~ of continued drug use, when really these are both consequences of Prohibition
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Very thankful for
@julianbuchanan
who has spent decades fighting prohibition. He always captures the phrasing and messaging perfectly.
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I also just think the word choice of the body “rejecting” naloxone is so frustrating. That is not how it works. The body doesn’t “reject” a whole lot except like organ transplants and foreign bodies
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One of the hardest parts of drug use for me was not feeling comfortable enough to tell anyone how bad things were - I feared the legal and social ramifications of being outed. I became more and more isolated. Be the person who can give someone that space to share.
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Tonight we (and the perfect
@jesiblanchard
) will be on
@ThisAmerLife
with
@iraglass
and
@marysdesk
talking about this experience. Tune in 8pm EST to WBEZ ()
It makes me so sad & angry that people don’t think we are worth saving. You’re looking at 8 combined overdoses in this pic. Surviving and thriving. Harm reduction saves lives.
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Happy anniversary to my Narcan license plate. It’s amazing how many people driving behind me take pictures of it - legit every time I’m on the road.
Thanks to everyone’s help on here, the RMV reversed their decision. Proud to help destigmatize a medication that has saved so many lives!
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My parents made me do this and I was in opioid withdrawal and they didn’t know.
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Don’t agree with
#safesupply
? Next time you drink coffee, imagine it had 2 grams of caffeine in it (25x normal) without you knowing. You would be sweating, having palpitations, anxious and maybe even having a heart attack. Would be terrible, even deadly.
#harmreduction
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