Helen Redmond

“Would You Want to Live Next to a Clinic?”—Methadone NIMBYism

The speeches at the press conference in Harlem were a distillation of stigmatizing ideas about methadone, clinics and patients that…

March 2, 2026

Beyond the Panic: A Harm Reduction Lens for Teen Drug Use

Adolescent drug use often triggers moral panics, fear-mongering and the passage of draconian laws to “keep the kids safe” by…

February 25, 2026

How to Dispose of the Environmental Argument Against Vapes?

One of the many controversies around vaping nicotine is the impact on the enviroment—particularly of disposable, single-use vapes. When this…

February 10, 2026

“Shuffle” Exposes the Corrupt, Abusive Sober Homes Industry

Shuffle is that rare documentary about drug use and rehab that doesn’t offer a pastel, happily-ever-after ending and doesn’t engage…

January 26, 2026

Robotic Methadone Tech Not the Answer to Clinics’ Culture of Cruelty

The methadone clinic cartel is increasingly turning to technology in order to stay in control and expand its reach. Opioid…

December 17, 2025

Are Methadone Clinics Really “Evolving” Toward Harm Reduction?

“The Evolving Field of Opioid Treatment” was the theme of the American Association for the Treatment of Opioid Dependence (AATOD)…

November 24, 2025

Blowing the Lid Off the Scandal of US Rehab

Trigger warning! Shoshana Walter’s new book, Rehab: An American Scandal, is going to make you cry and scream. Cry for…

October 16, 2025

Poppy Growing Shifts to Pakistan After Taliban’s Crackdown in Afghanistan

Afghanistan used to have the distinction of producing the opium for 95 per cent of the heroin on the European…

September 30, 2025

Remembering Louise Vincent, a Fighter for Drug-User Rights

The dictionary definition of “force of nature” should consist of two words: Louise Vincent. With an extraordinary, almost uncontrollable energy,…

September 17, 2025

What New York’s Cigarette Litter Says About Tobacco Control

Welcome to New York City, the cigarette tax evasion capital of the East Coast. A new study of littered cigarette…

September 9, 2025