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 use disorder, he’s now the Chief Medical Officer of Cedar Recovery and the Chairman of the Tennessee Opioid Abatement Council.
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 updated re-air episode, Loyd offers his insight into harm reduction strategies and state legislation aiming to increase access to naloxone and fentanyl test strips.
We also take a trip to Memphis to visit one nonprofit making harm reduction their life’s work — keeping drug users alive.
On Air - 90.3 WPLN-FM