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Category: News & Blogs

News & Blogs

A closer look at Oregon’s decriminalization policy…

A couple of weeks ago I got a request from a reader for my thoughts on Oregon and their recent changes to drug policy. This is a longer newsletter, but...
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News & Blogs

Study Shows Mom Might Be Best Medicine for Opioid Dependent Babies

I was standing next to the water fountain at the Mississippi Agricultural Museum when the person I was chatting with mentioned an article they just read. In the article, babies...
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News & Blogs

No, don’t bomb Mexico…

Recently, I’ve heard political rhetoric that says we can lay blame for the fentanyl crisis on Mexico and the cartels — AND we should take direct military action against them....
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News & Blogs

There’s a seat at the table for you…

Two weeks ago I got a call from Patrick (name changed to protect his privacy), a young man I interviewed almost 3 years ago for my book. He's been in a Mississippi prison for 4 years...
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News & Blogs

How many more do we have to lose?

Yesterday I gave a presentation to graduate students, and one of them made a comment that struck me. She mentioned that her family was deeply impacted by addiction as well as death from overdose, and my presentation made...
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News & Blogs

The sooner we understand opioid use as a health issue, the better

At last week's End It For Good Community Discussion in Natchez, MS, an attendee mentioned how cracking down on opioid prescribing led to many doctors being unable to adequately treat...
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News & Blogs

There are better solutions, and change IS possible

Last week I wrote a piece for Mississippi newspapers that's also available here. In the article, I share the story of a young family in a Mississippi courtroom. A father was facing...
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News & Blogs

Fatherlessness too high a price for non-violent drug charge

 In the last 6 months, the number of non-violent drug offenders in Mississippi prisons has increased a staggering 27%, to over 4,000 people. Mississippi already imprisons more of its citizens...
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News & Blogs

Does being “tough on crime” lead to a brighter future?

For those of us who live in Mississippi, where End It For Good is based, several things are happening right now. First, we now rank #1 in the country for the imprisonment...
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News & Blogs

Changing laws isn’t the only way to effect change!

Last week I spoke at the Mississippi Center for Re-Entry's conference. The topic came up of whether or not criminal justice reform would continue to be on legislative agendas across the...
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