Radio Catskill - The Kingfisher Project

Richard J. Baum spent 35 years working on America’s drug policy, including 28 years with the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy across six presidential administrations. He also served as acting director of the ONDCP — the nation’s Drug Czar — and as executive director of the President’s Commission on Combating Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis.

Now an adjunct professor of public policy at Georgetown University, Baum joins us to discuss his new book, Inside America’s Opioid Crisis: 12 Hard Lessons from Today’s Drug War, and what decades of experience inside the federal government taught him about America’s response to opioids and drug policy.

Robyn Oster, Director of Policy at The Partnership to End Addiction, returned to The Kingfisher Project to discuss the rise of kratom and why public health experts are paying closer attention to it.

Kratom is derived from a Southeast Asian plant and is now commonly sold in powders, capsules, tablets, gummies and liquid shots. Oster said the products are often found in gas stations, convenience stores and smoke shops, where they are marketed as dietary supplements or wellness products.

But Oster warned that kratom contains psychoactive compounds that bind to opioid receptors in the brain, creating effects similar to opioids and carrying the potential for addiction. She said around two million Americans reported using kratom in 2024.

The conversation centered on a recent piece Oster co-authored, “The Rise of Kratom: A Dangerous and Familiar Pattern.” She said kratom is following a pattern seen before with opioids and newer hemp-derived THC products: aggressive marketing, industry resistance to regulation, products framed as natural or harmless, and a delayed government response.

Oster said policymakers do not need to start from scratch. Lessons from alcohol, tobacco, cannabis and opioids can help shape rules around kratom, including restrictions on marketing, packaging, where products can be sold and what they can contain.

The larger message: act now, before kratom becomes a bigger public health crisis.

Bill Williams Discusses “The Brief History of Time” Event on Radio Chatskill 

On this episode of The Kingfisher Project, host Bill Williams speaks with Alexis Pleus, founder of Truth Pharm, a Binghamton-based organization working to reduce stigma, raise awareness, and advocate for change around substance use and overdose prevention.

Pleus shares the story of losing her son Jeff to a heroin overdose, the founding of Truth Pharm, and the organization’s work with directly impacted families. She also discusses the recent Purdue Pharma sentencing hearing in Newark, New Jersey, where families delivered powerful victim impact statements, and explains why many advocates believe accountability for the opioid crisis remains unfinished.

The conversation also looks at New York’s opioid settlement funds, concerns over how that money is being distributed, and Pleus’ call for more support for grassroots and community-based organizations doing direct harm reduction work. 

Steven D’Agata and Cathy Kennedy on Hope Not Handcuffs in the Hudson Valley

Certified Peer Recovery Specialist Mark Ehrenkranz joins us for a conversation about addiction recovery, peer support, and the power of lived experience in helping people heal.

Sober since 1985, Ehrenkranz has spent decades supporting individuals struggling with substance and alcohol use disorders. Today, he works alongside doctors and addiction specialists in hospital settings, helping patients navigate the emotional and human realities of recovery in emergency rooms, ICUs, detox units, and treatment programs.

Before entering the recovery field, Ehrenkranz had a more than 40-year career in the entertainment industry. He created The NY Film Critics National Series®, hosted by ABC and Rolling Stone critic Peter Travers, and 800-VIDEO-411®, a national service used across the home entertainment industry. He has also worked as a screenwriter and producer.

In this conversation, Mark Ehrenkranz reflects on what it means to be a Certified Peer Recovery Specialist, how lived experience can help build trust with patients, and why recovery looks different for everyone. He also talks about the importance of reducing stigma around addiction and how storytelling can play a powerful role in healing.

This episode is part of The Kingfisher Project, a storytelling initiative focused on recovery, resilience, and the human stories behind healing. Through honest conversations and personal narratives, the project aims to reduce stigma around addiction and highlight the many pathways to recovery.

By sharing real experiences and creating space for open dialogue, The Kingfisher Project connects people who may be struggling with those who have walked a similar path and found hope on the other side. Join us as we explore stories of recovery, connection, and second chances.

00:00 Meet Mark Krantz
00:45 What Peer Recovery Means
02:53 Radical Honesty Approach
04:24 Resource Guide and Acronyms
07:40 Getting Certified CPRS
12:12 Training Gaps and New Drugs
15:14 Hospital Work and Funding
19:08 ER Workflow and Privacy
27:38 Mark Story Begins
30:43 Hollywood Drugs and Downfall
33:49 AA in Florida
34:32 Tramadol relapse spiral
35:35 Harm reduction myth
36:04 Cannabis crash and ward
37:44 Weed addiction is real
39:17 Potency and profit
40:22 Fentanyl and xylazine
43:32 Test strips and safety
44:40 Inside the book
49:17 Youth and brain development
52:01 William White research
54:59 Media and resources
57:27 Where to buy
58:48 Navy Seal recovery
01:00:19 Final thanks and signoff

 On this episode of the Kingfisher Project, Radio Catskill’s Bill Williams speaks with Kevin Sabet, president of Smart Approaches to Marijuana and a former White House drug policy advisor, about the ongoing debate over marijuana legalization and its impact on public health and communities. 

Sabet discusses concerns around youth access, mental health risks, and the growing influence of the cannabis industry, while also addressing arguments from legalization advocates. The conversation looks at how states are navigating regulation, what current research shows, and what the future of marijuana policy could look like. 

Lisa Ann Poggi is an actress, producer, and advocate using storytelling to shine a light on one of the most urgent issues facing families today — addiction and recovery.

With a career spanning film and television, Lisa has worked both in front of and behind the camera, but in recent years her focus has shifted toward purpose-driven projects that center healing, hope, and real-world impact. Through her work with the Choosing Hope Project, she supports families navigating substance use disorder, helping break stigma and offering resources, connection, and practical guidance for recovery.

Blending creativity with advocacy, Lisa believes stories can change lives — and systems.

On this episode of The Kingfisher Project, she shares her journey, the personal experiences that shaped her mission, and how film and media can be powerful tools for awareness, compassion, and change.

On The Kingfisher Project, we dive into a powerful conversation about addiction, enforcement, and education.

I’m joined by Bridget Brennan, the Special Narcotics Prosecutor for the City of New York. Senior Trial Counsel Chris Edel and Chief of Investigations Bernice Ordonez also join the discussion. Chris and Bernice lead the office’s Educational Outreach Committee, and together they break down the wide scope of their work and how it connects directly to communities in our region.

Tonight, we speak with Dr. Melody Glenn, an emergency and addiction medicine physician, associate professor at the University of Arizona, and author of the new book Mother of Methadone from Beacon Press — a hybrid memoir weaving her own story with that of Dr. Marie Nyswander, the radical pioneer of methadone treatment.

In this episode, Dr. Glenn shares how stigma and misunderstanding around addiction remain deeply entrenched — even within medicine — and why she believes compassion and evidence must go hand in hand if we’re to truly heal. We talk about the history of addiction treatment, her writing journey, and the women who paved the way for a more humane approach to care.

As Dr. Glenn reminds us, addiction medicine is about meeting people where they are — not where we wish they were — and ensuring the treatment is easier to access than the poison.