75: Opioids, Addiction, and the Alabama Despair Machine w/Leah Nelson and Stacey Fuller

Dec 14, 2022

01:07:11

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For many, the hearing about the opioid epidemic invokes images deindustrialized towns in West Virginia and Kentucky, but it was actually Alabama with the highest rate of per capita prescription.

Today on the show, Hunter Spoke with Leah Nelson, Research Director at Alabama Appleseed, and Stacey Fuller, a Certified Recovery Support Specialist, to discuss the impacts of opioids and addiction in the state of Alabama.

As with most states, Alabama approached addiction not as a illness to be treated, but as a wrong to be punished. For decades, the state failed to provide resources to those battling with addiction and sought to criminalize such behaviors. Predictably, this did little to curb crime, addiction, or overdose deaths.

While it may not happen overnight, Leah and Stacey are certain that by continuing to highlight the issues facing the state, they will be able to turn the state towards a more rehabilitative model.

Guest:

Leah Nelson, Research Director, Alabama Appleseed

Stacey Fuller, Certified Recovery Support Specialist

Key Topics:

How Stacey became involved with the legal system [6:30]

Leah sets the stage for how Alabama approaches the problem of addiction [7:45]

How the system makes addiction more prevalent [13:45]

What is happening at the legislature that enables this? [18:53]

What Stacey provides to people fighting addiction [27:40]

Inroads made with judges and prosecutors to seek non punitive solutions [31:20]

Cost of Addiction in Alabama [33:00]

What has Opioids shown about other drug use in the state [38:45]