Slate Conversations

From a young age, James T. Morrison used drugs to help him feel better. He started with pills that were prescribed to him–medications like Xanax and Klonopin–but he soon moved on to basically whatever he could get his hands on. In this episode, James discusses his experience with substance use disorder, housing instability, and the criminal justice system. At a time when public officials and policy experts are debating ways to address the overdose crisis in the U.S., James discusses what humane drug policies could look like and how we as a society need to completely change the way we talk about drug use. We first learned about James’ story from an essay he wrote in Slate titled One More Day.

If you’d like to check out some of our previous episodes about substance use and recover, here’s a short list: 

NOTE: We want to mention that this episode mentions suicide and self harm. If you or someone you love is struggling, please call 988, the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.

Podcast production by Cameron Drews

Death, Sex & Money is now produced by Slate! To support us and our colleagues, please sign up for our membership program, Slate Plus! Members get ad-free podcasts, bonus content on lots of Slate shows, and full access to all the articles on Slate.com. Sign up today at slate.com/dsmplus.

And if you’re new to the show, welcome. We’re so glad you’re here. Find us and follow us on Instagram and you can find Anna’s newsletter at annasale.substack.com. Our new email address, where you can reach us with voice memos, pep talks, questions, critiques, is [email protected].

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On this episode: Lucy, Jamilah, and Dan Kois help a member of the Slate Parenting Facebook community who’s wondering how to help her teenage son through the rite of passage that is shaving. We’ll also help out a listener whose six-year-old is an overzealous shaver, and talk through whether it’s a real problem.

We also dole out a round of recommendations. Then, for Slate Plus listeners – we’re relaunching our Plus offerings and welcoming you to the Plus Playground. This week, we’re offering an additional round of recommendations, and we’re debriefing on two recent, controversial, columns that Dan wrote for the Care & Feeding web column. 

If you’re not part of the Slate Plus community, we hope you’ll consider joining! Keep reading to learn how.

Dan recommends: Before Sunrise, especially for teens

Jamilah recommends: Watch a bad movie together (on purpose)  

Lucy recommends: My Spy: The Eternal City

Join us on Facebook and email us at [email protected] to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes. You can also call our phone line: (646) 357-9318.

If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get to hang out with us on the Plus Playground every week for a whole additional grab-bag of content — and you’ll get an ad-free experience across the network. And you’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Care and Feeding. Sign up now at slate.com/careplus – or try it out on Apple Podcasts.

Podcast produced by Maura Currie.

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This week, host Ronald Young Jr. talks to Darrin Bell, creator of the syndicated newspaper comic strip Candorville. In the interview, Darrin explains how hard it was to get Candorville picked up for syndication and how all newspaper comics artists face an up-hill battle to get published. He also talks about his routine for creating new strips every week, how he develops his characters, and real-life issues that inspire the strip’s political commentary.

After the interview, Ronald and co-host Isaac Butler discuss ways for politically conscious artists to stay grounded and take care of their mental health. 

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Darrin talks about his love for Star Wars, Star Trek, and Battlestar Galactica. 

Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.

Podcast production by Cameron Drews.

If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows—you’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work.

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In this episode, Carvell Wallace (author of Another Word for Love and host of Slate’s How To!) joins Prudie (Jenée Desmond-Harris) to answer letters from readers about how to cancel on family vacation plans that sound horrible to you, how to break it to your butch lesbian girlfriend that her friends might be misogynists, and how to convince your parents to let you go to a high school in a not so great neighborhood. 

Want more Dear Prudence? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately unlock weekly bonus episodes. Plus, you’ll access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/prudie-plus to get access wherever you listen.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, and Jenée Desmond-Harris, with help from Maura Currie and Anuli Ononye.

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On this episode: Lucy, Jamilah, and special guest host Dan Kois help a member of the Slate Parenting Facebook group who’s unable to sleep unless everyone in the household is tucked in and all the doors are locked. That’s making it challenging to live with a 16-year-old night owl… so is the answer to just suffer through the evenings where not everyone is back in the nest? 

We’ll also debrief with a round of parenting Triumphs & Fails – and chat about what Dan’s been up to since we last heard from him.

Join us on Facebook and email us at [email protected] to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes. You can also call our phone line: (646) 357-9318.

If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows—you’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Care and Feeding. Sign up now at slate.com/careplus to help support our work.

Podcast produced by Maura Currie.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We all know about the mental health crisis wreaking havoc throughout the nation and world. 

On this week’s episode of Well, Now we’re continuing our ongoing discussions of mental health, and this time we’re tackling men’s mental health as a whole. 

Prime’s new show Counsel Culture, hosted by Nick Cannon and medical professionals across the spectrum, invites men to open up about their histories with anxiety, depression, grief, addiction, and more. Dr. Mike Dow is the resident psychotherapist for the program.

If you liked this episode, check out: Eating Disorders Are Rising Among Boys. Why?

Well, Now is hosted by registered dietitian nutritionist Maya Feller and Dr. Kavita Patel.

Podcast production by Vic Whitley-Berry with editorial oversight by Alicia Montgomery.

Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected] 

Want to listen to Well, Now uninterrupted? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately unlock ad-free listening to Well, Now and all your other favorite Slate podcasts. 

Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/wellplus to get access wherever you listen.

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Shirley Showalter and Marilyn McEntyre know that grandparenting is more than just cookies and Play-Doh. Don’t get us wrong, those things are fun! But the art of contemporary grandparenting requires mindfulness, intentionality, and navigating boundaries. On today’s episode, Courtney Martin talks with Marilyn and Shirley about their book, The Mindful Grandparent, and the wisdom they’ve gained as elders to 12 grandchildren. 

If you liked this episode check out: How To Face Your Kid’s Future

Do you have a problem that needs solving? Send us a note at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001 and we might have you on the show. Subscribe for free on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen.

How To’s executive producer is Derek John. Joel Meyer is our senior editor/producer. The show is produced by Rosemary Belson, with Kevin Bendis and Sara McCrea. 

Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now at slate.com/howtoplus.

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San Francisco mayor London Breed grew up learning again and again about the dangers of drugs and addiction. She lived in public housing in the city in the 1980’s and saw friends and family members in her community get hooked, get sick, and sometimes pass away. Fast forward to now, and San Francisco is seeing sky-high overdose numbers (though they’re down a bit from last year), and the city has earned a reputation for being in disarray. Mayor London Breed faces a tough reelection campaign this fall, and this week on the show, she talks about the many different measures she and her administration are taking to address San Francisco’s problems, and she shares some of the important life experiences that have informed her approach. 

Podcast production by Anna Sale.

Death, Sex & Money is now produced by Slate! To support us and our colleagues, please sign up for our membership program, Slate Plus! Members get ad-free podcasts, bonus content on lots of Slate shows, and full access to all the articles on Slate.com. Sign up today at slate.com/dsmplus.

And if you’re new to the show, welcome. We’re so glad you’re here. Find us and follow us on Instagram and you can find Anna’s newsletter at annasale.substack.com. Our new email address, where you can reach us with voice memos, pep talks, questions, critiques, is [email protected].

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On today’s episode of Hear Me Out: tried and Turing tested.

Coming into the 2024 election cycle, generative AI was one of the main concerns for democracy watchdogs; its power to create deceptive text, images and sounds at a rapid, unfettered pace seems ripe to spread misinformation. But of all the controversies and current events that have shaped the election thus far… AI, somehow, might not be one of them. 

Writer and social strategist Rachel Greenspan joins us to share what she’s hearing about the AI revolution that wasn’t.

If you have thoughts you want to share, or an idea for a topic we should tackle, you can email the show: [email protected]

Podcast production by Maura Currie.

Want more Hear Me Out? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/hearmeoutplus to get access wherever you listen.

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On this episode: Zak, Lucy and Jamilah help a member of the Slate Parenting Facebook Group who’s torn about her kid’s new bestie. This girl is mostly unsupervised and tends toward naughtiness — ding-dong ditching, messy play, and watching adult YouTube — and that tendency is trickling down to our group member’s son. How can this parent make sure her home is a safe space, but still keep order? 

We also dole out a round of recommendations. Then, for Slate Plus listeners – we’re weighing when it’s okay to leave your kid home alone.

Zak recommends: See what happens if your kid’s in charge of packing lunch

Jamilah recommends: Jersey Mike’s

Lucy recommends: Pick Your Poison 

Join us on Facebook and email us at [email protected] to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes. You can also call our phone line: (646) 357-9318.

If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows—you’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Care and Feeding. Sign up now at slate.com/careplus to help support our work.

Podcast produced by Maura Currie.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices