A hymn of praise for the people fighting for the living
As we approach Overdose Awareness Day, our columnist offers up a paean to the harm reduction workers and healers whose work often goes unnoticed.
Jack's Latest Articles
The overdose crisis won't end until the drug war does
Overdoses and the over-policing of Black and Brown people in this country are part of the same cycle, the same routine, the same war, the same unfortunate normal.
Spending ‘blood money’ in secret: OneOhio seeks political cover
The proposed budget would allow the foundation responsible for distributing a bulk of Ohio’s opioid settlement money to operate in darkness. Jamie Decker and others want to shine light on the process.
Jackie Lewis finally has her day
Lewis, whose son Shaun died of an overdose in October, recently met with reps from the OneOhio, which is tasked with distributing more than half of the state’s billion-dollar opioid settlement.
A short history of prohibition in Ohio
To know the history of prohibition in our state is to know the devastation of unintended consequences, and the willful way humans carry on without acknowledging their mistakes.
Jackie Lewis honors memory of late son Shaun in push for openness
One Ohio Recovery Foundation is tasked with distributing a majority of the money awarded to the state in opioid settlements but has been resistant to public comments from those with lived experience.
How to breathe in a crisis
‘The drug war never stands still,’ journalist and activist Garth Mullins said on the Crackdown podcast, ‘just when you think you've figured things out, the ground underneath you starts to shift.’
The drug war is a wound: Xylazine enters Ohio’s drug supply
The powerful sedative can cause intense wounds, extended withdrawal and prolonged sleep. It can also lead to overdoses that can’t be reversed by naloxone alone.
White knuckles: Methadone access complicated by winter storms
Snowy, ice-covered roads can make the trek from Newark to a clinic in Columbus a dangerous proposition, highlighting access issues to a medication that can be lifesaving for those in recovery.
O Holy Night: Christmas Eve in a Licking County warming shelter
Jack Shuler and Doug Swift visited a warming center on Christmas Eve, joining dozens of their neighbors in a cozy shelter set up in the basement of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Newark, Ohio.