Addiction doc says: It's not the drugs. It's the ACEs – adverse childhood experiences.

While critics argue that Naloxone isn't safe for over-the-counter use, some cities have found success distributing Naloxone to community members to help save lives of addicts who overdose. Naloxone can be administered to help those overdosing survive and jump-start the withdrawal process.

For some alcoholics, finding a way to quit can be a long and frustrating journey. Baclofen is a new drug in France that has previously been used to treat Multiple Sclerosis but is now being used to 'cure alcoholics'.

For decades, the only good option for alcoholics seeking recovery was an abstinence-based 12-step program called Alcoholics Anonymous. John David Sinclair, an American neuroscientist, has developed a new method, where an alcoholic takes naltrexone one hour before drinking. The naltrexone blocks the brain's opioid receptors and prevents an alcoholics strong synaptic reward response from occurring, which allows their craving for alcohol to eventually subside.

Two medical school initiatives in Detroit allow students to gain a sense of empathy while treating at-risk populations in a city known for harsh environments for homeless individuals. The programs, run through Michigan State University and Wayne State University, build trust between the medical community and people who live on the streets. This type of meaningful connection is often lacking in emergency rooms or doctors' offices.

Some universities are helping students stay sober. Institutions like Rutgers, Texas Tech, and University of Michigan offer counseling, support groups, and even recovery houses. Research shows these programs are overwhelmingly successful. “They have low relapse rates, higher GPAs than average, and are more likely to stay in college and graduate. In fact, they reported up to 95 percent of participating students are able to sustain their sobriety while attending school.”

Oral surgeons and other doctors tend to prescribe opioids to their patients following surgery, which has arguably contributed to a rising number of patients, especially those under the age of 25, developing addictions. Now, thanks to increased awareness and new protocols, doctors and dentists are prescribing fewer opioids and more non-addictive pain killers, as well as educating their patients about their prescriptions.

The G.R.O.W. syringe service program (SSPs) helps people who use drugs and those who need injection supplies for gender-affirming hormone therapy get access to clean syringes and safely dispose of needles. Community-based programs like G.R.O.W. also offer first-aid kits, at-home HIV tests, Narcan and personal care items. There are currently 13 SSPs registered in the state. In 2023, G.R.O.W. alone distributed more than 44,400 syringes and collected about 37,700.

The Summit Safe Syringe Exchange provides free and clean needles and supplies to people who use drugs, while also providing access to testing and counseling and connecting people to housing and health care resources. Project DAWN saturated the community with naloxone, a drug that reverses opioid overdoses, and trains community members to recognize and treat overdoses quickly. Both programs have helped the Summit County Public Health integrate harm reduction strategies into the ways that officials address drug use and addiction.

The Rwandan government is on a mission to get palliative care to everyone who needs it by creating their own morphine instead of being beholden to pharmaceutical companies driven by profit. Using Uganda's simple recipe for morphine, the government partnered with nonprofits to produce and distribute morphine for free and under close watch. The drug costs pennies to make and is hand-delivered by community workers to those who need it, no matter how far. Although fear and uncertainty remain over the possibility of opioid addiction, many patients are greatly relieved to now live pain-free.

Designated harm reduction centers can reduce overdoses and infections among those suffering from addiction. Facilities that operate as safe spaces can also offer resources such as treatment or housing, such as at the Planterose DropIn Center in Bordeaux and the SOS SleepIn Center in Paris. The strategy of helping addicts first use safely, and then rebuild social connections, has helped France to reduce its rate of HIV infection.