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In this episode, Dan Hearn and Donna Gilchrist sit down to deliver a raw, no-holds-barred rant about the systemic failures and hypocrisies surrounding addiction treatment, harm reduction, and the criminalization of substance use. With decades of combined lived and professional experience, they dive into the complexities of trauma, abstinence-only models, and the urgent need for policy reform that centers compassion over punishment. This conversation challenges the status quo and dares listeners to reimagine a world where people who use drugs are treated with dignity and humanity.

Key Learning Points:

👉The flaws in abstinence-only recovery models and how they alienate people who use substances

👉The importance of compassion, dignity, and trauma-informed care in addiction services

👉The role of privilege in access to recovery and healthcare

👉How moralism and politics influence public perception and treatment of addiction

👉The criminalization of drug use and its devastating impact on families and communities

👉Why systems need to stop prioritizing compliance over connection

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Relevant links:
Drug Data Decoded Article

"Alberta to eliminate due process for people who use drugs"


CBC Saskatchewan YouTube Release with Dayne Patterson and Sargent Chris Harris

Take a walk with a veteran Saskatoon police officer on the front-line of the drug crisis



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🎧 About Hard Knox Talks:
Hard Knox Talks is a space for candid, unfiltered conversations about substance use, harm reduction, mental health, and recovery. Hosted by Daniel Hearn—a person in recovery himself—and occasional co-host, Donna Gilchrist, this podcast brings you powerful voices from the front lines of lived experience, advocacy, and community transformation.

Hit that 🔔 subscribe button and never miss a story that just might change a life.

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