In this episode of the Cover2 Podcast, Greg continues his interview with Chico Lewis and Roger Lowe on-site at the Free Clinic Needle Exchange in Cleveland. They discuss the alarming growth of the opioid epidemic, particularly the effect which Chico has seen from the increasing use of fentanyl.

Episode 6 – Chico Lewis & Roger Lowe, Needle Exchange, Part Two

Greg interviews Emily Metz, program coordinator at Project DAWN, an opioid overdose education and naloxone distribution (OEND) program. The acronym DAWN stands for “deaths avoided with naloxone,” and that’s exactly what the program accomplishes. Naloxone, also known as narcan, is the antidote to any type of opiate overdose. The program distributes naloxone kits for free to those who need them, and it also educates community members on how to recognize and respond to an overdose.

Ep. 10 – How Narcan Is Saving Lives: Interview with Emily Metz, Project DAWN

Greg interviews Tom Stuber, president and CEO of LCADA Way Wellness and Recovery. Tom reviews the treatment records of Greg’s son Sam and talks about the process of relapse. Greg clarifies that this review is not for the purpose of blaming anyone, but rather to uncover any information that may help other families with a loved one who is addicted.

Ep. 11 – Fending Off Relapse: Interview with Tom Stuber, LCADA Way

Dr. Brown discusses the options of treatment for opioid addicts at Meridian HealthCare, located in Youngstown, Ohio. Dr. Brown is the Doctor of Osteopathic medicine and the Chief Medical Officer at Meridian HealthCare. The facility is a community based, integrated agency with a goal of serving individuals and families struggling with addiction. 

Ep. 22 - Treating Addiction Comprehensively: Dr. Brown, Chief Medical Officer Meridian HealthCare

Dr. Gary Martin discusses the opioid epidemic in Boca Raton. He is a Former Detective for the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office in the Department of Violent Crimes. He is also the founder of NOPE Task Force, the Narcotics Overdose Prevention and Education, located in Boca Raton. Dr. Martin has over 28 years of experience investigating narcotics related cases.

Ep. 23 - Voicing the Silent Epidemic: Dr. Gary Martin, Former Detective and Founder of NOPE

Greg talks with Ted St. John, the Director of Operations at First Step Recovery. First Step Recovery is substance addiction detox center located in Warren, Ohio. Ted himself is a recovering addict who has struggled with opioid and alcohol addiction. 

Ep. 26 - Finding Hope in the Darkness: Ted St. John, Director of Operations First Step Recovery

Dr. Christina Reyes discusses how she got into the field of psychiatry and addiction, as well as the severity of opioid addiction from a medical perspective. She is the Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Addiction at University Hospital’s Case Medical Center in Cleveland, Ohio. As an academic medical center, the hospital is dedicated to educating and training physicians and conducting clinical research.

Ep. 27 - Treating the Opioid Disorder: Dr. Christina Reyes, Assoc. Prof. of Psychiatry & Addiction

Travis discusses the stigma of addiction and how we can break it through unity and love. He is the founder of Breaking Barriers – Hope is Alive, located in Uniontown, OH. Breaking Barriers – Hope is Alive is a resource for people and families who are struggling with the disease of addiction. Through training, education and bringing awareness both locally and nationally, Breaking Barriers – Hope is Alive helps addicts get the resources and support they deserve. 

Ep. 29 - Break the Stigma of Addiction: Travis Bornstein, Founder of Breaking Barriers

Greg interviews Nicole Argenio, a former opioid addict. Nicole is an addiction recovery coach at the Oriana House in Akron, OH. The Oriana House is dedicated to assisting people in overcoming their substance dependencies and providing multi-step rehabilitation.

Ep. 32 – Getting Sober in Prison and Staying Sober: Nicole Argenio, Recovery Coach

Greg interviews Allyse Adams, a Clinical Administrator and Certified Counselor at the Oriana House of Akron, Ohio.

Ep. 36 - Benefits of Vivatrol MAT: Allyse Adams, Clinical Administrator

Dr. Nicole Labor, Addiction Medicine Specialist at Summa Healthcare in Akron, Ohio, once struggled with a heroin addiction that pushed her to pursue a career in addiction treatment. “At the end of school you choose the field you hate the least… [Addiction Medicine] is a field that requires you to be honest and set boundaries. Since those were things I was working on in my own recovery, I thought it would be good for me,” says Dr. Labor.

Ep. 45 – Treating Addiction as a Neurological Disease: Dr. Nicole Labor, Summa Healthcare

Greg interviews Michael, a Summit County Narcotics-Anonymous Member. Nar-Anon provides a community for those who have felt the agony of seeing a friend or family member struggle with drug addiction. The Nar-Anon program itself consists of twelve steps, centered around grace, wisdom and love.

Ep. 47 – Helping Those Addicted to Another’s Addiction: Michael, Nar-Anon Member

Greg interviews Garrett Hart, the Creative Content Director for Summit Radio Station and the Host of Rock and Recovery. Behind the music, Rock and Recovery enables the community to heal together through the therapeutic power of music. With messages of hope and inspiration, the specially chosen music provide encouragement for each individual journey. Garrett describes it as, “A mix of positive upbeat songs along with short messages meant to inspire people who are in a recovery program or dealing with any trauma in their lives...to hit that restart button in the brain, to think more positively, to think what in your life is of value and what you enjoy.”

Ep. 48 – Reaching the Recovery Community Through Music: Garrett Hart, Rock and Recovery

In this episode of the Cover2 Resources PPT Podcast, Greg interviews Sam Quinones, author of the best-selling book Dreamland. Sam found the title for his award-winning book when he investigated the origins of the opioid epidemic in Portsmouth, OH. The town used to have a gigantic swimming pool called Dreamland, where the whole community would come together to watch each other’s kids and socialize. The pool was eventually dug up, and a strip mall took its place. “[The pool] was almost a stand-in for the communities we’ve destroyed in so many parts of the country,” Sam says. 

Sam traces the causes of America’s opioid epidemic. He discusses the role that prescription oxycodone played, as well as the cheap heroin from Mexico that people could get on the street once their prescriptions ran out.  

Sam is a true expert on the opioid epidemic. Listen to his analysis here, and check out Sam’s book for more information.

Ep. 57 – Digging up the Roots of America’s Opioid Epidemic: Sam Quinones, Dreamland

In this episode of the Cover2 Resources PPT Podcast, Greg interviews Sarah Nerad. She is the Program Manager for the Ohio State University Collegiate Recovery Community in Columbus, Ohio, and the Director of Recovery for the Higher Education Center for Alcohol and Drug Misuse Prevention in Recovery. Sarah struggled with addiction herself at age 15, and she describes herself as in recovery. She credits her high school community in Houston, TX, for helping her enter recovery. “I never stopped receiving services, and that’s what made it so successful for me,” she says. 

Now Sarah is giving back. She has built an incredible recovery community at OSU for students struggling with substance abuse disorder. 

To hear how Sarah is fighting the opioid epidemic one life at a time, check out the episode here.

Ep. 61 – Building Student Peer Recovery Communities: Sarah Nerad, OSU Collegiate Recovery Community

Greg interviews Lisa Roberts, a Health Department Nurse for the city of Portsmouth, Ohio. She’s been working as a Portsmouth nurse for the past 29 years. She also worked with Sam Quinones on his highly-acclaimed book Dreamland. This episode is Part Three in a series of podcasts that will explore life after Dreamland for those who helped Sam with his book.

Ep. 69 – After Dreamland Pt. 1: Portsmouth’s Prolific Pill-Mill Past, Lisa Roberts

Greg interviews Dr. Geoffrey Capraro, an assistant professor of Emergency Medicine at Brown University. Dr. Capraro has developed an emergency kit, called NaloxBox that makes Naloxone publicly available to bystander rescuers.

Listen to the podcast to discover how Dr. Capraro and his team are installing these NaloxBoxes in public areas and training people to administer the drug along with life-saving assistance.

Ep. 112 – Helping a Community Help Themselves: Dr. Geoffery Capraro, Brown University

Greg interviews Dr. Alan Goodwin, a psychologist from Palm Beach, Florida that has spent decades in the field of addiction treatment. Dr. Goodwin recently appeared in a New York Times article titled “A Doctor with a Phone and a Mission,” about his work investigating rehab facilities in Florida, who are part of the increasingly competitive, $35 billion drug and alcohol treatment center industry.
Listen to the podcast to discover what else Dr. Goodwin discovered through these calls and what can be done to combat the hard sell tactics many big businesses use in running their treatment centers.

Ep. 158  – The Cash Drive of the Treatment Industry: Dr. Alan Goodwin, Psychologist

This is the second podcast in a five-part series on the Showtime original program “The TRADE,” a docu-series that provides a front row seat to the grim realities of the opioid epidemic through the eyes of those most affected: the growers and cartel bosses, addicts and their families and law enforcement. Each podcast features an introduction by veteran documentary producer Pagan Harleman who serves as Executive Producer of The TRADE and offers backstories for each episode. She is followed by interviews with subject matter experts on issues related to each TRADE episode.

In this episode, Pagan shares additional insight into the back story behind the drug cartels in Guererro, Mexico, the primary location for shooting conversations with growers. Next, Greg speaks with Brian Bailys, founder of Ascent, who together with Dr. Joan Papp from Cleveland MetroHealth, created a program to fast track overdose victims from the E.D. into treatment. Next, Greg interviews Judge Tony Capizzi, who runs a family court that is reclaiming futures for parents with opioid dependence in Dayton, Ohio. We close out this episode with Richard, who founded a successful treatment center in Dayton, Ohio when he could not find a program to help his daughter recover.  

Listen as Greg explores these emotional stories that cover a wide stretch of territory on the opioid epidemic battleground.

Ep. 169 – Part 2:  Podcast on Showtime Series: “The TRADE”; a front row seat to the opioid epidemic

In part four of our five-part “Dopesick” series, we have an extensive conversation with Sister Beth Davies. With the help of Dr. Art Van Zee, the two established a community coalition which laid the groundwork to file the first lawsuit against Purdue Pharma. A Staten Island native, Sister Beth is a member of the Congregation of Notre Dame. She has served as an advocate to the exploited, addicted and impoverished for more than forty years. 

Through her efforts, Sister Beth has developed a network of medical clinics, worked for environmental protections and built numerous substance abuse and addiction programs. After years of dedicated service, she has helped transform the Virginia criminal justice system to improve treatment for inmates. Hear more about these pivotal programs and the many causes she has taken up that have helped combat the epidemic in the Appalachia region.

Ep. 223 - Dopesick: Humanitarian Sister Beth Davies Inspires a Community to Take on a Giant – Part 4

On December 19th, 2018, the Energy and Commerce Committee released a long awaited report titled “Red Flags and Warning Signs Ignored: Opioid Distribution and Enforcement Concerns in West Virginia”. The purpose of the report was to investigate allegations of “opioid dumping” in West Virginia. 

Today, we begin a 4-part series with Joseph Rannazzisi, who for over a decade, was the front man in the government’s battle against the opioid epidemic. Mr. Rannazzisi provides in-depth commentary on the Energy and Commerce Committee’s eye opening report, which, notably, is no longer available on the department’s website. 

Prior to the passage of the Ensuring Patient Access and Effective Drug Enforcement Act in 2016, Mr. Rannazzisi warned congress that passage of the bill would cripple their ability to regulate rogue distributors who were dumping millions of opioids across the country. Today, you’ll hear Mr. Rannazzisi’s unfiltered comments on this game-changing piece of legislation. 

As head of the Office of Diversion Control for the Drug Enforcement Administration, he was responsible for cracking down on doctors, pharmacies, drug manufacturers and distributors who did not follow the nation’s prescription drug laws. You may recall him from the 60 Minutes story titled “The Whistleblower” last fall.  

Greg is joined on this episode by guest, Pulitzer Prize winning journalist, Eric Eyre. Mr. Eyre received the distinguished award for courageous reporting, performed in the face of powerful opposition, to expose the flood of opioids flowing into depressed West Virginia counties with the highest overdose death rates in the country.

For more on Mr. Eyre’s award winning work go to: https://www.pulitzer.org/winners/eric-eyre

Listen to this podcast to learn more about who was behind law changes that helped fuel America’s opioid epidemic.

Ep. 229 - Part 1; Diversion Out of Control: Joe Rannazzisi Shares What Went Wrong

This is the 2nd in our 4 part series with the former head of the Office of Diversion Control for the DEA, Mr. Joseph Rannazzisi. We began this series by talking about the surprisingly candid report released on December 19th, 2018 by the Energy and Commerce Committee titled “Red Flags and Warning Signs Ignored: Opioid Distribution and Enforcement Concerns in West Virginia”. The purpose of the report was to investigate allegations of “opioid dumping” in West Virginia. 
In today’s podcast with Mr. Rannazzisi, who for over a decade was the front man in the government’s battle against the opioid epidemic, you’ll hear an in-depth conversation about how the diversion controls, that were supposed to be in place to protect the public from “opioid dumping”, failed in epic proportions. He gives a candid account of the friction and distrust that emerged between DEA and the DOJ that resulted in a breakdown in their ability to protect the American public from shipments of mass quantities of opioids, previously flagged as suspect. He’ll share his unfiltered comments on the passage of the Ensuring Patient Access and Effective Enforcement Act, a game-changing piece of legislation and you’ll learn about the people who were responsible for the legislative win for the pharmaceutical industry.
Mr. Rannazzisi offers his insights into the inter-workings of the Office of Diversion Control. As the department’s former leader, he was responsible for cracking down on doctors, pharmacies, drug manufacturers and distributors who did not follow the nation’s prescription drug laws. You may recall him from the 60 Minutes story titled “The Whistleblower” last fall.  
Greg is joined on this episode by guest, award winning investigative reporter, Pat Beall from the Palm Beach Post. Pat won Journalist of the Year for her work on The Post’s coverage of the heroin crisis, including profiles of the 216 people who died in 2015 from heroin-related overdoses, calculation of the cost of hospital care related to heroin treatment and a story linking Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi to a fraudulent drug-screening company.
Listen to this podcast, the second in our 4 part series, for a behind the scenes look at who was behind law changes that helped fuel America’s opioid epidemic.

Ep. 230 - Part 2; Diversion Out of Control: Joe Rannazzisi Shares What Went Wrong

When a key member of the government’s legal team went to work for the pharmaceutical industry, the job of diversion control enforcement changed dramatically. In this episode, Mr. Joseph Rannazzisi, who for over a decade, was the front man in the government’s battle against the opioid epidemic, shares a first-hand account of what happened when Congress took the word of an industry attorney over an agency that was actually enforcing the law. 
Today, in the third part of our 4-part series, you’ll hear more of Mr. Rannazzisi’s unfiltered comments on the passage of the Ensuring Patient Access and Effective Enforcement Act and the Congressional leaders behind it.  “This doesn’t ensure patient access and it doesn’t help drug enforcement at all. What this bill does has nothing to do with the medical process. What this bill does is take away DEA’s ability to go after a pharmacist, a wholesaler, manufacturer or distributor,” he said. “This was a gift. A gift to the industry.”  
Greg is joined on this episode by guest, award-winning author of “American Overdose”, Chris McGreal. McGreal’s book is a comprehensive portrait of the greed, corruption and indifference that led our country into the worst health crisis in American history. Additionally, Mr. McGreal is an investigative journalist for the Guardian, who in 2016, wrote a compelling story about Mr. Rannazzisi titled “Opioid epidemic: ex-DEA official says Congress is protecting drug makers.”  
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/oct/31/opioid-epidemic-dea-official-congress-big-pharma
Listen to this podcast, the third in our 4 part series, for more candid conversation with the former head of the Department of Diversion Control for the DEA, Mr. Joseph Rannazzisi.

Ep. 231 - Part 3; Diversion Out of Control: Joe Rannazzisi Shares What Went Wrong

Each year, thousands of people from across the country go to Florida seeking treatment for drug addiction. Some find help and recover, but the vast majority relapse and continue to struggle with the disease, even after going through treatment many times. This population is vulnerable to insurance fraud through cooked treatment centers partnering with “body brokers” and operations of “sober homes” to find patients with good health insurance. Brokers and sober home owners offer those trying to get clean, free rent and grocery store gift cards, cigarettes and cell phones in exchange for going to a specific treatment center, which pays kickbacks for each client.
Today, we’ll talk with Filmmaker Pat McGee, the Producer of “American Relapse,” a story about two people fighting to make a difference against the devastating heroin epidemic that’s spawning a billion-dollar treatment industry. Against the odds, two recovering addicts spend their lives pulling needles out of the arms of addicts and assist in placing them in reputable treatment facilities.

The film features Frankie and Allie who live and work in Delray Beach, Florida, the Rehab Capital of America, now referred to by some as the Relapse Capital of America. They allowed the film crew all access for one weekend. What transpires over 72 hours is not only captivating and raw, but a heartbreaking rollercoaster ride.

Listen to today’s podcast for an incredible behind the scenes look into “American Relapse” with Award-Winning producer, Pat McGee.

Ep. 235 - “American Relapse:” A Behind the Scenes Look with Director of Chilling Documentary

While there are many high-quality treatment centers, organizations, and programs for people struggling with opioid addiction, their families often lack the same resources. Opioid use changes the lives of the addict’s family as well as the addict, and many families don’t know what to do when a loved one is faced with opioid addiction.

Opioid addiction is a battle for everyone involved, and without proper guidance, adjusting to this change can be its own challenge. To help families become a positive force in their loved one’s struggle with opioid addiction, joining us today is Roy Poillon. Founder of R~House Alzheimer’s Family Learning Center and Families Impacted by Opioids, his mission is to empower families in their journey to support a loved one struggling with substance use disorder. 

This May 4th, through his Addiction Family Empowerment Conference, Roy is channeling his veteran experience in aiding families with Alzheimer’s, to empower the families of Opioid addicts by providing them with the therapy, training, and educational resources they need to be a positive force in their loved one’s recovery.

Listen to today’s podcast for a preview of Roy Poillon’s, Addiction Family Empowerment Conference – for families that have been impacted by the opioid epidemic.

Ep. 238 – Empowering Families Struggling with Opioid Addiction, with Roy Poillon

It’s difficult for a non-addicted person to rationalize the addicted mind, and the societal stigmatism around addiction doesn’t make that any easier. How can they keep making these decisions if they know they’re wrong, and why won’t they make choices that lead to recovery?

The truth is, an addict isn’t in complete control. Like cancer or diabetes, addiction is a disease. In spite of a sound moral compass, a lot is going on in an addict’s brain that drives them to behave badly or make poor choices.

Returning to the Cover2 Resources podcast to help explain the science behind the addicted mind, is Dr. Nicole Labor. 
Dr. Labor is not only a successful addiction specialist but a former addict herself. She uses this experience to bring a unique perspective to her work and the conversation surrounding addiction. Dr. Labor has spoken at many events, breaking down the biology of addiction in ways a layperson can easily understand. 

To empower more families, Dr. Labor's new book, The Addictoholic Deconstructed: An Irreverent Quick and Dirty Education by a Doctor who Says F*ck, a Lot, further explores the science of addiction through her personal experience.

Breaking down the ideas she shares in her book, Nichole takes us through her journey with addiction, providing a personal, and technical perspective, into the science of the addicted mind.


Join us for today’s podcast, with returning guest Dr. Nichole Labor, where we deconstruct the science of addiction.

If you want to grab yourself a copy of "The Addictoholic Deconstructed: An Irreverent Quick and Dirty Education by a Doctor who Says F*ck, a Lot",  By Dr. Nichole Labor, click the link here.  https://bit.ly/2qEh7is

Ep. 263 - Deconstructing the Addicted Mind: Dr. Nicole Labor

Earlier this year, Greg interviewed bestselling author Beth Macy in a series on her book, Dopesick: Dealers, Doctors, and the Drug Company that Addicted America. It’s a compelling account of the opioid epidemic in our country and profiles the over twenty-year history of the opioid crisis as it emerged in the state of Virginia.

Recently, he caught up with Beth to talk about her latest project, Finding Tess, the story of Tess Henry, a young mother in her 20’s who does her best to recover from heroin addiction for her son.

In November, Beth and her producer, Emily Martinez, released an Audible Original podcast series portraying Tess' graphic struggle against heroin addiction in obscure parts of Las Vegas.

Join us for the return of bestselling author of Dopesick, Beth Macy, and Audible Originals producer Emily Martinez, as they introduce us to Finding Tess, their five-part podcast series sharing the last days of a young mother’s life as she battles heroin addiction on the Las Vegas streets.

Ep. 264 - Beth Macy & Emily Martinez: Finding Tess

In 1996, pain became the 5th vital sign in medicine, prompting doctors to rely on opioids for pain treatment. As a result, opioid prescriptions spiked over the next 15 years, causing hundreds of thousands of opioid addictions.
While many doctors were educated on opioid prescribing practices, what they didn’t know – and are still learning – were strategies for tapering patients off of these highly addictive drugs.
Something Dr. Travis Rieder, a Bioethicist at Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, had to figure out on his own while recovering from a nasty motorcycle accident.
Dr. Rieder recounts his experience with opioid dependency in his book, In Pain, and joins us today to share his story of opioid dependence, withdrawal, and recovery.
Listen to today’s podcast for a first-hand experience of this medical knowledge deficiency, and what must be done to fill the gaps in pain treatment.

Ep. 271 - In Pain: When No One Knows How to Taper Pain Pills

In October 2018, the Justice Department's Criminal Division created the Appalachian Regional Prescription Opioid (ARPO), Strike Force. This team consists of federal agents, prosecutors, and specialists from different government departments. Together, they combine data analytics and law enforcement to spot dangerous prescription patterns and quickly remove bad actors from the Application Region.

In its early operation, the ARPO Strike Force brought charges against 60 individuals. Combined, those charged wrote 350,000 prescriptions, supplying 24,000 patients with 32 million pills. With their collaboration, the ARPO Strike Force has streamlined several years worth of traditional work, in a matter of months.

Joining us today is Joe Beemsterboer, Sr. Deputy Chief of the Fraud Section of the Department of Justice. Together we discuss the inner workings of this data-driven program that gets results.

Tune in this week for a detailed look at this revolutionary program, dedicated to ending the opioid epidemic as soon as possible.

Ep. 276 - Strike Force Stops Flow of Illicit Opioids

Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) is considered the gold standard for treating opioid use disorder. But it doesn’t work for everyone, and for those unresponsive to MAT, the next use of illicit street drugs could be their last. 

This month, Staff Sergeant Conor King introduced us to SaferSupply, a program for those who are either not ready for recovery or just unsuccessful with MAT. As a drug investigation expert for the Victoria Police Department of British Columbia, King shares his expertise to break down this game-changing program.

Join us on this week’s episode of the Cover2 Resources PPT Podcast, where we explore the potential impact of pharmaceutical-grade drugs on drug-related crime, homelessness, and overdose deaths.

Ep. 281 - A Safer Supply Saves Lives

In 2018, bestselling author Ryan Hampton spoke with me about his struggles with heroin addiction while working as a White House aide and how he become a national advocate for those in recovery.

We hope you can join us on June 25th for a special live webinar to discuss the pandemic’s impact on the opioid epidemic and the odds of recovery in America today.

Ep. 205 Rerelease - American Fix: Inside the Opioid Addiction Crisis and How to End It.

Late in 2018, Beth Macy, best selling author of "Dopesick", shared the story of how Virginia became the canary in the coal mine for the opioid epidemic in her 5 part series with me.

We hope you can join us on June 25th for a special event to discuss the pandemic’s impact on the opioid epidemic and the odds of recovery in America today.

Ep. 220 Rerelease - Dopesick: The Drug Company that Addicted America

Over the last 90 plus days, much has changed in our world. COVID19 has forced many of us to endure unfamiliar hardships and inconveniences. But our most vulnerable populations, such as those struggling with OUD, have been hit particularly hard by the coronavirus. 

To better understand the impact of coronavirus on the opioid epidemic, we teamed up with some of the nation’s top opioid epidemic experts and former guests of the podcast: The Co-Director of Opioid Policy Research at Brandeis University, Dr. Andrew Kolodny. New York Times Editorial Writer and Bestselling author of Dopesick, Beth Macy. Former Clinton White House aide, author of American Fix, and recovery advocate, Ryan Hampton.

Together, meeting online for last week’s live webinar, we discussed some of the most pressing questions on the current state of the Opioid Crisis: How has COVID-19 affected those struggling with OUD? How has the pandemic changed the way we treat opioid addiction? What has the struggle against coronavirus taught us about fighting the opioid crisis?

For answers to these questions and more on our conversation, join us for this special episode of the Cover2 Resources PPT Podcast.

Ep. 282 - The Impact of COVID-19 on the Opioid Crisis

For the last few months, I’ve been covering COVID-19’s impact on the opioid crisis. With overdoses up 42% in May alone, it’s projected 75,000 additional lives will be lost to alcohol and drug overdose because of the pandemic.

One resource that could help prevent this is a methodology for addiction treatment that has existed for over 45 years but has been relentlessly shunned by the medical establishment.

This unique, non-pharmacological treatment is called Neuroelectric Therapy (NET) and I first learned about it last month, after receiving an email from 1A Productions. They had just released “The Final Fix”, a documentary following 5 victims of long-term OUD as they trial NET, in hopes of reclaiming their lives.


Joining me on this episode of the Cover 2 Podcast is: The CEO of Izaiah House, Mark LaPalme. One of the five participants in the NET treatment study, Robert Capley.  Treatment specialist and NET doubter turned believer, Matt LaRocco. And producer of The Final Fix, Norman Stone. 

Together, they take me on a deep-dive into Neuroelectric Therapy and the differences between NET and other treatment methods. We also explore why, even after 45 years, NET is still little known.

For answers to these questions and more, join us for this week’s episode of the Cover2 Resources PPT podcast.

Ep. 283 - Obscure Treatment Could be The Final Fix for Addiction

Last February, I interviewed Evan Ratliff, author of The Mastermind. The book tells the story of how lone programmer Paul La Roux, built an online drug empire responsible for dumping millions of pain pills into the U.S. La Roux enticed hundreds of doctors to take part in his scheme and wasn’t caught until 2012. 

During my interview with Ratliff, he speculated on how La Roux’s cooperation with the government to bring down the people in his organization would affect his sentencing.

Last month we finally got our answer, as La Roux went before Judge Ronnie Abrams for sentencing. Today, we revisit our story on The Mastermind and talk with Evan Rattliff about the bizarre twists in the La Roux proceedings. 

For more on the Paul Le Roux story, and the fate of the mastermind, join us on this week’s PPT podcast episode.

Ep. 284 - Sentencing The Mastermind

The Cover2 Podcast is an ongoing series of interviews with people who are making a difference in the fight against opioid addiction. The Cover2 Podcast seeks to raise awareness and to connect users and their families with resources that can literally save a life. Listen to our most recent episodes below, and please consider donating to support this cause.

Popular tracks by Cover2 Resources