The bell rings, the doors open, and the real work begins: keeping kids safe while the drug market slips into their phones and pockets. We sit down with Principal Leland Hansen to unpack the day-to-day reality of school-based prevention, from vape pens hidden in hoodies to Snapchat dealers who change handles as fast as administrators can warn parents. Leland lays out a candid, practical playbook that pairs firm boundaries with a health-first response, including a six-week on-campus program for first offenses that removes friction for families and actually gets used.

We get specific about what’s showing up now—tobacco and THC vapes far more than alcohol—why post-legalization supply is spilling into schools, and how educators investigate under strict limits that require reasonable suspicion. Leland shares the red flags he watches for, like sudden changes in demeanor and unlikely new friend pairings, and explains why middle school is the leverage point where beliefs are forming and choices stick. We compare big assemblies that grab attention with smaller class sessions that build trust and invite tough questions, and we talk about how students quietly use anonymous tip lines to help friends despite a “no snitching” culture.

Parents are crucial, but time-starved. We discuss ways to reach them—tabling at concerts and back-to-school nights, short videos and podcasts they can catch between chores, and direct guidance on home limits that reinforce school expectations. Partnerships matter: local nonprofits providing on-campus support, health educators updating staff on evolving devices, and police following up when adult sellers target kids. The throughline is simple and strong: clear rules, credible facts, and rapid support change outcomes.

If you care about safer schools, smarter prevention, and giving adolescents real choices, you’ll find tactics you can use tomorrow—whether you’re an educator, parent, or community partner. Subscribe, share with a colleague, and leave a review to help this podcast continue to grow. Your feedback helps us reach more schools and families.

To contact Dr. Grover: ammadeeasy@fastmail.com

The most dangerous phrase in senior health might be “I’ve always handled it fine.” We dive into how aging reshapes the risks of alcohol, benzodiazepines, opioids, nicotine, and today’s ultra‑potent cannabis—and why familiar habits can turn hazardous after 65. Drawing on frontline cases and recent research, we unpack the baby boomer lived experience, from “mother’s little helper” to daily cocktail hours in senior communities, then connect it to the biology of aging: slower metabolism, reduced kidney and liver function, impaired balance, and sharper sensitivity to side effects.

You’ll hear why DSM‑5 criteria still apply but require age‑aware interpretation, what “code cannabis” looks like in the ER when edibles or high‑THC products masquerade as stroke, and how subtle red flags—poor sleep, irritability, shakiness, forgetfulness, falls—signal a brewing problem. We get practical about safer detox for older adults, the reality of kindling with alcohol withdrawal, and the medication decisions that matter: when to taper sedatives, how to avoid dangerous interactions, and why nutrition and B‑vitamins can’t be an afterthought. Two real-world cases ground the lessons—titrating decades‑long benzodiazepine and Z‑drug use while reducing fall risk, and using naltrexone strategically for late‑onset alcohol use without tipping a patient into instability.

If you care for an older adult—or you are one—this conversation offers clear steps to lower risk and raise quality of life: rethink sleep meds, reduce alcohol use, check cannabis potency, simplify regimens, and choose therapy and support groups that fit your season of life. Subscribe, share this with a friend or colleague, and leave a review with your biggest takeaway so we can keep building smart, stigma‑free care for older adults.

To contact Dr. Grover: ammadeeasy@fastmail.com

Food isn’t just fuel and obesity isn’t just willpower. We sat down with bariatric surgeon Dr. Mark Vierra to unpack what weight-loss surgery really changes, why genetics and hormones can overpower the best intentions, and how a careful program decides who needs a scalpel and who needs a different plan. From GLP‑1 surges and ghrelin drops to PYY’s “brake,” we walk through how surgery reshapes appetite signals and why even modest weight loss can dramatically improve diabetes and cardiovascular risk.

The conversation goes beyond the operating room. Dr. Vierra explains why five of six referrals don’t get surgery, how he and his partner analyze food diaries, depression, and daily constraints, and when medications like bupropion or GLP‑1s make more sense. We explore binge patterns, the messy reality of predicting who will do well after weight loss surgery, and the tough calls around patients who’ve been told their BMI is destiny when their labs and function say otherwise. The story shifts sharply when we talk alcohol: after gastric bypass, blood alcohol rises faster and stays higher, which raises the risk of alcohol use disorder over time. We share practical ways to screen motives for drinking, plan safeguards with families, and use craving meds thoughtfully.

What ties it all together is respect for biology and the person in front of us. Genetics like MC4R variants and syndromes such as Prader–Willi can drive lifelong hyperphagia; ultra‑processed foods and liquid calories amplify the problem; stigma keeps people from care. We push for a different bias—against soda and engineered foods, not against people—and for care that follows patients long after the incisions heal. If you want a grounded, humane guide to obesity treatment, this conversation delivers clarity without blame.

If this resonated, follow the show, share it with a friend, and leave a review so others can find it. Your support helps us keep building informed, stigma‑free conversations about health.

To contact Dr. Grover: ammadeeasy@fastmail.com