Thanks to @cbsnews for having us on to talk about our latest @marshallproj story. We found that tens of thousands of new moms have been reported to the police after childbirth. Many of these reports on based on positive hospital drug tests triggered by legal substances, including poppy seeds, CBD gummies, even the fentanyl in moms’ epidurals. If you’re expecting or know someone who is, please look up your state’s policies on our website. Link in the comments.
Coming next week: Marshall Project reporters Shoshana Walter and Jill Castellano’s latest investigation into the perils of U.S. hospitals routinely using flawed drug tests on parents during childbirth.
✍️: @waltsho and Jill Castellano & 🎥: Ashley Dye / The Marshall Project
Two months ago, Rehab: An American Scandal came out into the world! The book is on its second printing, and has reached thousands of readers across the country (and even the world). Grateful for the opportunity to connect with so many people on this important issue. I hope these collective conversations have an impact for years to come.
My latest for @marshallproj is out now.
It’s about collaboration between ICE and local police in Florida – and how even crime victims and people who call 911 for help are now getting swept into Trump’s immigration dragnet, all at the hands of local police.
Among the people I found detained by local law enforcement:
-A young father who called 911 to request a welfare check for his daughter.
-A mom who called 911 to report a theft and ask for help with her son.
-A restaurant employee reporting information on a possible burglary.
Many of these individuals had documentation, but their claims were ignored and they were jailed anyway.
I obtained body camera footage of one young father who was detained after calling 911 for help. Two deputies pursued him, shocked him with a Taser, kicked and tackled him while his girlfriend sobbed and tried to comfort their infant son.
As law enforcement agencies across the state ramp up their involvement with ICE, people are now avoiding the police and declining to report crime.
“Who are we going to call if something happens to us, if we don’t want to call the police, who are supposed to protect us and make us feel safe?” said one woman whose husband – a crime victim – was detained.
Please read and share widely. Link in my bio.
Great to be at the Tuerk conference in Baltimore today! I spoke to about 1,800 people about REHAB: An American Scandal and our country’s addiction treatment system. As always, I’m amazed by the experiences people shared after the talk — loved ones who’ve gone to rehab 12-20 times, who were treated with shame and punishment, or who couldn’t find treatment at all. Thanks to the organizers of this wonderful conference. So glad to participate in this important conversation.
Happy pub day to @doctor_dufton ! What an incredible year for books on our country’s addiction treatment system. If you liked reading about the profiteering company behind Suboxone in my book and my feature story for @nytmag , you will LOVE Emily’s book ADDICTION, INC., which describes that history — and the politics behind it — in vivid, fascinating detail. LIQUID HANDCUFFS by @helenredmond9396 is also a can’t miss. Congrats to these two authors and thank you for your relentless work!
Grateful for this insightful review of Rehab: An American Scandal by doctor/writer Zoe Adams in @nationmag today.
I especially loved this graf, which perfectly encapsulates my aim with this book: "Walter holds rehabs to account in the way that @praddenkeefe exposes the malfeasance of the Sackler family and Purdue Pharma in Empire of Pain. But Walter is also more exacting: She calls Purdue Pharma an 'easy villain to blame for the opioid epidemic,' implying that the pharmaceutical dynasty’s outsize profile conveniently obscures other forces that have contributed to the public-health crisis."
Thanks so much to @zadz for your close, thoughtful read of my book. Read the full review by clicking the link in my bio.
What an incredible experience! More than 2,200 people tuned in for my virtual talk this week with the incomparable @barbara.kingsolver .
We chatted about Rehab: An American Scandal and the recovery home Barbara founded with the proceeds from Demon Copperhead. It was a fascinating and wide-ranging conversation, covering the significant limitations of our country’s punishment and profit-driven addiction treatment system, and how the American ethos of “pull yourself up by your bootstraps” can sabotage recovery, preventing people from accessing the resources they need to get and stay better. I especially loved Barbara’s observations on stigma and shame (in this clip): “Shame is so pervasive that it impedes people’s capacity to ask for help.”
Thanks so much to Barbara for her incredible work on this issue, and to the Library Speakers Consortium for putting on this event! If you’d like to watch the full conversation, click the link in my bio.
#rehab #recovery #addiction #treatment
Excited to share that Rehab: An American Scandal is now available for preorder in paperback! And if you preorder through @barnesandnoble , you can get a 25% discount now through Thursday.
So thrilled to share my upcoming event next week with the incomparable @barbara.kingsolver !
Join us March 24, from 11-12 pm PT/2-3 pm ET as we discuss the drug epidemic, addiction treatment and how our country could do so much better for the millions of families struggling with addiction.
The virtual event is free and available via a public library near you! Register with a participating library to watch live and ask questions. You can find a link in my bio.
Words cannot express how excited I am for this event. Not only is Barbara one of our country’s most treasured authors, she is also one of the most generous. She used proceeds from her Pulitzer Prize-winning book Demon Copperhead to establish a recovery home for women, and amid a highly anticipated new novel, has continued to speak out on the drug epidemic and the unmet need for addiction treatment. Please help us amplify this message and spread the word about this event.
Many thanks to @lsc_author_talks , and to Barbara and her wonderful team for putting on and participating in this event. Join us!
Next up in online #authortalks: Join us for a special conversation between award-winning journalist #ShoshanaWalter and bestselling and award-winning author #BarbaraKingsolver as they chat about Walter's book "Rehab: An American Scandal." In this work, Walter, a Pulitzer finalist, exposes the country's failed response to the opioid crisis, and the malfeasance, corruption, and snake oil which blight the drug rehabilitation industry. Tuesday, March 24 at 11 am via digital livestream in partnership with Washoe County Library. Register and ask questions of the author here: washoelibrary.org/authortalks.
#AuthorTalk #ShoshanaWalter #BarbaraKingsolver
Just sent out my latest newsletter, which includes information about my new reporting project, how motherhood changed me as a journalist, and upcoming events. Link to newsletter in my bio!
