Everything I had learned about addiction gave me an idea last year, I would quit the rest of my negative addictions and make a podcast about it.
"When we talk about the long term impact of legalisation, a lot of people deal with the negative, like addiction, but for me the most exciting part that overcomes those other issues, is looking at social change from a positive perspective," he says.
It is designed to reduce the negative consequences of addiction, but not necessarily to promote abstinence.
There are things to be negative about – our addiction to poker machines for public revenue, our inability to debate transport solutions without partisanship, and our compulsive property speculation that results in dozens of mediocre apartment blocks.
"It would be sad indeed if that mischief extended to giving young people a false sense of security about using drugs, because a one-time experimental dose will not show the long-term consequences of Class A drug use or the negative impact of addiction on people's lives".
North Korean adolescent defectors are more susceptible to Internet addiction, negative cognitions, and early traumatic experiences compared to South Korean adolescents.
Using multiple regression, negative affective reduction, addiction, and severity of past depression were the strongest predictors of current temptations to smoke.
"It is questionable with respect to the positive impact but there is certainly some very strong evidence to the negative impacts, including addiction and other issues".
Finally, public education from kindergarten through college (and beyond) about the dangers of drugs – including opioids – and the negative impact of addiction on people's lives is critical.
Collaboration between sectors of government that address the negative effects of addiction – including Homeland Security and our intelligence agencies, international relations entities, and the Departments of Education, Labor, Justice, and Health and Human Services – is needed to stop this epidemic.
