Dr. Stephen Loyd: On substance abuse, addiction and harm reduction

East Tennessee native Dr. Stephen Loyd once had a 100-pill-a-day addiction and even stole pain pills from his own patients. Years after he first sought help for his substance abuse disorder, Loyd in now the vice president of the state board medical examiners as well as the medical director of multiple service organizations.

Loyd’s says he has yet to find a way to treat dead people. His past has shaped his approach to addiction treatment, and he’s now one of the most stringent harm-reductionists in Tennessee.

But what exactly is “harm reduction” – and what is and isn’t allowed in Tennessee? In this episode, Loyd offers his insight into harm reduction strategies and recent state legislation that aims to increase access to naloxone and fentanyl test strips?

But first, @ Us! Host Khalil Ekulona and digital lead Anna Gallegos-Cannon respond to listeners questions and comments following Wednesday’s episode about abortion access.

Related:

• WPLN: Tennessee joins growing list of states legalizing at-home tests to detect fentanyl in drugs
• WPLN: In Tennessee, your opioid prescription will soon come with an offer for overdose reversal meds