End It For Good

Dr. Branden Henry's story is included in Christina Dent's new book, Curious: A Foster Mom's Discovery of an Unexpected Solution to Drugs and Addiction.

He joins us on the podcast today to unpack ideas that didn't make it into the book, including why so much addiction treatment is unhelpful. It fails to address three drivers of addiction that we dive into on today's episode.

Dr. Henry also shares his perspective as a Christian who has wrestled with a biblical view of addiction and how we can better understand and support people who are struggling as well as the people who love them. His clear, vulnerable, and honest perspective will give you hope.

Buy Christina's book Curious here: enditforgood.com/curious

Will Morgan's story is highlighted in Christina Dent's new book, Curious: A Foster Mom's Discovery of an Unexpected Solution to Drugs and Addiction.

On this episode, we talk to Will as well as his wife, Sarah, hearing her journey of supporting Will through his years-long journey with chronic pain and prescription opioids. They offer a window into the other side of the war on prescription opioids - the patients who struggle with chronic pain and now have a harder time finding the medications they need. And yet, the very thing that at one point helped Will became part of the problem.

Their story illustrates the tremendous complexity of prescription opioids and the lived experiences of the people who need them and the loved ones supporting them. There are no easy answers here, but a story that gives us a view into the real lives and families impacted by opioids and the policies that govern access to them. 

Buy Christina's book Curious here: enditforgood.com/curious

In the final episode of this 4-part series, Christina and Angela discuss how they learned about the term "harm reduction" and how they grappled with whether or not harm reduction measures were enabling users. Listen in as they take a dive deep into all things harm reduction - what are the options, what's working, and what's not. We've come a long way in understanding addiction and how to best reduce harms related to the war on drugs. Where do you stand on these harm reduction options?

In Part 3 of this 4-part series, Christina and Angela breakdown the chain reaction or cycle of harms related to drugs and addiction. They dive deep into what happens to a person when they are arrested in the realms of health, family and finances. Note: This conversation is not to defend anyone who's committed a crime but it's an explanation of the dominos that fall and the cost to society.

In Part 2 of this series, Christina and Angela discuss why having honest conversations about someone's drug use is so hard. When the expectation is to be completely abstinent, when and where is it safe to talk about some of the pitfalls of drug use? Listen in as they talk about the importance of recognizing potentially problematic substance use, how people can have a better relationship with substances, and understanding the reasons behind someone's drug use.

In this 4-part series, Christina talks with EFG's Angela Mallette about one of the most asked questions for End It For Good - "What would the world look like if substances were legal for adult use?"  In this in-depth conversation, they take a deep dive into the "what if's." What programs, funding, and policies might be needed to make health-centered approaches to drugs work? Join them as they discuss possible scenarios and potential outcomes as they envision a world without the war on drugs.

Mr. Floyd Rogers, Jr., an Associate Pastor at Peaceful Rest Missionary Baptist Church, has lived many different lives. Starting from a traumatic childhood experience, he ended up in an environment where drug dealing was glamorized, eventually landing him in prison. However, he was able to change course and was given a second chance. This is a fascinating conversation from the perspective of a former drug dealer who turned his life around and now helps others in so many ways. 

End It For Good's Development Coordinator, Jane Clair Tyner, is our last team member to share her story on how she changed her mind in favor of health-centered approaches to drugs. In this very personal interview, Jane Clair tells Christina the heartbreaking story of losing her precious son, Asa. The issues of how we address drugs and addiction are vast. Her story is a unique perspective and outlines the deeper problems with the current system. 

The self-described "outsider," Jennifer Allen, talks about how she ended up at End It For Good and how she changed her mind on the War on Drugs. We always talk about how we want others to go out and tell their friends and family about the harms of the drug war. Even for her, it took some time to learn all about this complex issue and be able to explain it to others. Join us to hear her journey! 

It's our 50th Episode!!! Christina was excited to sit down with End It For Good CEO Brett Montague to talk about his journey in walking with his brother through addiction and recovery. He also talks about how hiring those who the criminal justice system has impacted is vital and will help communities and the state of Mississippi thrive. We also get to hear about his guilty pleasure. Can you guess what it is?