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?
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