Monday, October 30, 2023

Better Solutions to Drugs and Addiction are Possible if We Change Course

 Christina Dent authored and sponsored this post. She is Founder & President, End It For Good. She can be reached at christina@enditforgood.com.

As I stood by the table talking with George Wood, he said something I immediately wrote down. “You have to build a life worth staying sober for or there’s no sense in staying sober,” he shared. George struggled with drug addiction for many years, finding recovery 16 years ago. Today he’s a pastor who is deeply invested in helping people recover from addiction through community and healing at The Timothy Initiative. He knows that unless people address the reasons why they’re using drugs, it’s very likely they'll keep using them. Drugs are an attempted solution, they’re not the real problem. He wants to help people heal from the wounds that made them reach for the drugs in the first place.

I met George at the Addiction & Faith Conference in Minneapolis, MN, earlier this month, where we were both speakers. What he said resonated with me because of the work we do at End It For Good, the Mississippi-based nonprofit I founded. We take a step back, survey the big picture, and invite people to consider approaches to drugs that prioritize life, preserve families, and promote public safety.

Effective solutions are only possible when we identify and solve the root cause of a problem, and at the SHIFT Drugs & Addiction Summit on November 16 in Jackson, we’ll expose the roots as well as offer solutions.

When it comes to drugs and addiction, we need to be asking “why” a lot more. Why has illegal drug use doubled in the last 20 years? Why has overdose become the leading cause of accidental death in the United States? Why is there so much crime from underground drug markets? Why hasn’t the approach of cracking down for the last 50 years worked? Why are there effective treatments for addiction and mental health challenges that most people have never heard of?

 

 

At the SHIFT Summit, speakers from Mississippi and across the country will be diving into these questions and more, offering answers. Dr. Randy Easterling, addictionologist and past president of the Mississippi State Medical Association, as well as Jackson-based addictions therapist Jeffery Harvey, will join us. So will Dr. Deborah Mash, who has spent years conducting research and pursuing FDA approval for psychedelic therapies for opioid addiction. John Shinholser, a Marine Corp. veteran with decades of personal recovery experience, will be speaking on kratom – the controversial plant that some people are using in place of opioids. Laurie MacDougall, a trainer for Allies in Recovery, will be speaking on CRAFT, an evidence-based method of engagement that family members with addicted loved ones can use to increase healthy family dynamics as well as make it more likely their loved one will decide to get help. Bonus: CRAFT training and support is available to every Mississippian through Allies in Recovery for a year for free!

If we don't shift our approach to drugs and addiction, one million people will die of preventable overdose in the next ten years in the US, not to mention the continued devastation of addiction and the public safety hazard of crime. While George Wood and many others are doing the crucial work of helping people heal from addiction, all of us need to look upriver for ways we can stop the many different streams of drug-related harm before they happen. Whether or not we use drugs, how we handle them impacts everyone. Better outcomes are possible if we consider different solutions. Join us at the SHIFT Summit to explore some of those.


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Trollfest '09

Trollfest '07 was such a success that Jackson Jambalaya will once again host Trollfest '09. Catch this great event which will leave NE Jackson & Fondren in flames. Othor Cain and his band, The Black Power Structure headline the night while Sonjay Poontang returns for an encore performance. Former Frank Melton bodyguard Marcus Wright makes his premier appearance at Trollfest singing "I'm a Sweet Transvestite" from "The Rocky Horror Picture Show." Kamikaze will sing his new hit, “How I sold out to da Man.” Robbie Bell again performs: “Mamas, don't let your babies grow up to be Bells” and “Any friend of Ed Peters is a friend of mine”. After the show, Ms. Bell will autograph copies of her mug shot photos. In a salute to “Dancing with the Stars”, Ms. Bell and Hinds County District Attorney Robert Smith will dance the Wango Tango.

Wrestling returns, except this time it will be a Battle Royal with Othor Cain, Ben Allen, Kim Wade, Haley Fisackerly, Alan Lange, and “Big Cat” Donna Ladd all in the ring at the same time. The Battle Royal will be in a steel cage, no time limit, no referee, and the losers must leave town. Marshand Crisler will be the honorary referee (as it gives him a title without actually having to do anything).


Meet KIM Waaaaaade at the Entergy Tent. For five pesos, Kim will sell you a chance to win a deed to a crack house on Ridgeway Street stuffed in the Howard Industries pinata. Don't worry if the pinata is beaten to shreds, as Mr. Wade has Jose, Emmanuel, and Carlos, all illegal immigrants, available as replacements for the it. Upon leaving the Entergy tent, fig leaves will be available in case Entergy literally takes everything you have as part of its Trollfest ticket price adjustment charge.

Donna Ladd of The Jackson Free Press will give several classes on learning how to write. Smearing, writing without factchecking, and reporting only one side of a story will be covered. A donation to pay their taxes will be accepted and she will be signing copies of their former federal tax liens. Ms. Ladd will give a dramatic reading of her two award-winning essays (They received The Jackson Free Press "Best Of" awards.) "Why everything is always about me" and "Why I cover murders better than anyone else in Jackson".

In the spirit of helping those who are less fortunate, Trollfest '09 adopts a cause for which a portion of the proceeds and donations will be donated: Keeping Frank Melton in his home. The “Keep Frank Melton From Being Homeless” booth will sell chances for five dollars to pin the tail on the jackass. John Reeves has graciously volunteered to be the jackass for this honorable excursion into saving Frank's ass. What's an ass between two friends after all? If Mr. Reeves is unable to um, perform, Speaker Billy McCoy has also volunteered as when the word “jackass” was mentioned he immediately ran as fast as he could to sign up.


In order to help clean up the legal profession, Adam Kilgore of the Mississippi Bar will be giving away free, round-trip plane tickets to the North Pole where they keep their bar complaint forms (which are NOT available online). If you don't want to go to the North Pole, you can enjoy Brant Brantley's (of the Mississippi Commission on Judicial Performance) free guided tours of the quicksand field over by High Street where all complaints against judges disappear. If for some reason you are unable to control yourself, never fear; Judge Houston Patton will operate his jail where no lawyers are needed or allowed as you just sit there for minutes... hours.... months...years until he decides he is tired of you sitting in his jail. Do not think Judge Patton is a bad judge however as he plans to serve free Mad Dog 20/20 to all inmates.

Trollfest '09 is a pet-friendly event as well. Feel free to bring your dog with you and do not worry if your pet gets hungry, as employees of the Jackson Zoo will be on hand to provide some of their animals as food when it gets to be feeding time for your little loved one.

Relax at the Fox News Tent. Since there are only three blonde reporters in Jackson (being blonde is a requirement for working at Fox News), Megan and Kathryn from WAPT and Wendy from WLBT will be on loan to Fox. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both and a torn-up Obama yard sign will entitle you to free drinks served by Megan, Wendy, and Kathryn. Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required. Just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '09 is for EVERYONE!!!

This is definitely a Beaver production.


Note: Security provided by INS.

Trollfest '07

Jackson Jambalaya is the home of Trollfest '07. Catch this great event which promises to leave NE Jackson & Fondren in flames. Sonjay Poontang and his band headline the night with a special steel cage, no time limit "loser must leave town" bout between Alan Lange and "Big Cat"Donna Ladd following afterwards. Kamikaze will perform his new song F*** Bush, he's still a _____. Did I mention there was no referee? Dr. Heddy Matthias and Lori Gregory will face off in the undercard dueling with dangling participles and other um, devices. Robbie Bell will perform Her two latest songs: My Best Friends are in the Media and Mama's, Don't Let Your Babies Grow up to be George Bell. Sid Salter of The Clarion-Ledger will host "Pin the Tail on the Trial Lawyer", sponsored by State Farm.

There will be a hugging booth where in exchange for your young son, Frank Melton will give you a loooong hug. Trollfest will have a dunking booth where Muhammed the terrorist will curse you to Allah as you try to hit a target that will drop him into a vat of pig grease. However, in the true spirit of Separate But Equal, Don Imus and someone from NE Jackson will also sit in the dunking booth for an equal amount of time. Tom Head will give a reading for two hours on why he can't figure out who the hell he is. Cliff Cargill will give lessons with his .80 caliber desert eagle, using Frank Melton photos as targets. Tackleberry will be on hand for an autograph session. KIM Waaaaaade will be passing out free titles and deeds to crackhouses formerly owned by The Wood Street Players.

If you get tired come relax at the Fox News Tent. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both will entitle you to free drinks.Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required, just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '07 is for EVERYONE!!!

This is definitely a Beaver production.

Note: Security provided by INS
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