In this episode, we are joined by Scott Silverman. Scott was was once a substance abuser near suicide. He has since turned his life around to become a crisis coach and family navigator, helping at risk individuals also turn their lives around. He is currently the CEO/Founder of Confidential Recovery and Author of The Opioid Epidemic.

He is also the founder of second chance, a nonprofit human services agency that assists economically disadvantaged individuals and families, transforming their lives to become self-sufficient and contributing members of society.

This episode covers

Scott’s story with substance abuse
How and why he wrote his book: The Opioid Epidemic
How Decriminalization can have unforeseen ramifications
How the Opioid Epidemic has changed since he published his book

Get Scott’s Book Here: https://www.amazon.com/Opioid-Epidemic-What-Destroy-Family/dp/1736745603

To make sure you never miss an episode of The Opioid Matrix, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, the website, or your favorite podcast player.

Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for The Opioid Matrix in your favorite podcast player.

As the conversation and practice of Psychedelic therapies and treatments becomes more commonplace, it is important to explore the potential impact the decriminalization and medical legitimization of these substances can have on our society.

In this episode, we speak with Erica Siegal, Founder of NEST Harm Reduction & Consulting. Erica is a licensed clinical social worker, professional, harm reductionist community organizer and psychedelic assisted psychotherapist, Erica founded NEST Harm Reduction Consulting in California, which provides care training and onsite services to events, communities and professionals in the field. She worked as a psychotherapist researcher on the phase two and phase three FDA approved MDMA assisted psychotherapy clinical trials from 2014 to 2019.

Join us as we discuss:
Emerging findings about Psychedelic Treatments for individuals with mental health issues
The pace of psychedelic substance regulation on a state and federal level
Psychedelic substance interventions in the case of opioid addiction treatments

To make sure you never miss an episode of The Opioid Matrix, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, the website, or your favorite podcast player.

Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for The Opioid Matrix in your favorite podcast player.

This episode features Ashley Loveless. She has experience with syringe exchange programs, overdose prevention strategies, as well as state and federal policy and procedure development and works with various harm reduction programs in Colorado. Michael and Jen speak to Ashley about:
Drug Checking - why it matters
The technology that changed Ashley’s drug checking program
The efforts and importance of getting the Attorney General’s approval for Drug Checking Programs
Check out Our Episode with Maggie here: https://plinkhq.com/i/1625927161/e/1000582108619
Reach out to Ashley here: [email protected]
To make sure you never miss an episode of The Opioid Matrix, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, the website, or your favorite podcast player here: https://plinkhq.com/i/1625927161?to=page
Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for The Opioid Matrix in your favorite podcast player.

With safe injection sites becoming more commonplace and government supported, we must have a discussion around the help and harm of these locations.

In this episode, Jen and Michael discuss:

Where do we draw the line on what an individual can use in these locations?
Is there an “off ramp” designed with these safe injection sites?
Reflecting on the Crack epidemic and its impact on the Black Community. Will history repeat itself due to these “safe sites?”
The real long term effects of narcotics regardless of if its users can use them safely
The Legal vs. Ethical issue of safe injection sites - do they violate the "crack house statute of The Controlled Substances Act

To make sure you never miss an episode of The Opioid Matrix, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, the website, or your favorite podcast player here: https://plinkhq.com/i/1625927161?to=page


Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for The Opioid Matrix in your favorite podcast player.

In this episode, Micheal and Jen Speak with Dr. Sofia Georgoulias. Dr. Georgoulias is a clinical psychologist based out of New York. She has extensive experience treating patients with substance abuse issues, general mental health and harm reduction. She also has a direct line of sight into our legal system, specifically incarcerations, from her time working at Rikers Island.
This episode covers:
The research and rationale behind harm reduction strategies
The long terms effectiveness of safe injection sites
The End Game/ off ramp for harm reduction 


To make sure you never miss an episode of The Opioid Matrix, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast player.
Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for The Opioid Matrix in your favorite podcast player.

By this time next year, the US is on track to pass over 200,000 unintentional Fentanyl overdoses. The problem is that our government has allowed the cartels of the ‘80s to metastasize into “Super Cartels.”
In this episode of the Opioid Matrix, Michael and Jen talk about:
The Rise of the Super Cartels
If there is a difference between Cartels and Insurgency Groups
What does the fallout of the competition between the cartels look like?
How Narco-Chemistry has Evolved more Addictive drugs than ever before 


To make sure you never miss an episode of The Opioid Matrix, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, the website, or your favorite podcast player here: https://plinkhq.com/i/1625927161?to=page
Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for The Opioid Matrix in your favorite podcast player.