We are dealing with an opioid epidemic, and we need a comprehensive response. Michael Botticelli More Quotes by Michael Botticelli More Quotes From Michael Botticelli We can't arrest and incarcerate addiction out of people. Not only do I think it's really inhumane, but it's ineffective and it cost us billions upon billions of dollars to keep doing this. Michael Botticelli addiction people thinking Addiction is such an isolating incident in your life. You feel alone. And when you admit, when you come into a fellowship and people just surround you and say, "We will help you, that you're not alone, that we've been through it before, and you will get through it," just gives you such great hope. Michael Botticelli addiction giving people I think it's overly simplistic to say that any one single strategy is going to really change the focus and change the trajectory of drug use. Michael Botticelli drug-use focus thinking If I, in some small way can help people to see that there is this huge, incredible life on the other side of addiction, you know, I will feel accomplished in my job. Michael Botticelli addiction jobs people Addiction is a brain disease. This is not a moral failing. This is not about bad people who are choosing to continue to use drugs because they lack willpower. Michael Botticelli addiction drug people Blunt force didn't knock out the drug epidemic. 21 million Americans are addicted to drugs or alcohol. And half of all federal inmates are in for drug crimes. Michael Botticelli epidemics drug alcohol One of the drivers of heroin has been the misuse of pain medication. If we're gonna deal with heroin and heroin use in the United States, we really have to focus on reducing the magnitude of the prescription drug use issue. Michael Botticelli drug-use issues pain I'm one of 23 million Americans in recovery who have gone on to live productive lives. Michael Botticelli productive-life recovery gone The hallmark of addiction is that it changes your brain chemistry. It actually affects that part of your brain that's responsible for judgment. Michael Botticelli chemistry addiction brain I would say that I probably had an unhealthy love affair with drinking. I grew up as this kind of insecure kid, you know, kind of making my way. And drinking took all of that away. Michael Botticelli insecure drinking kids Prescription drugs and heroin act in very similar ways on the brain. And, unfortunately, heroin, because of its widespread availability is a lot cheaper. Michael Botticelli availability drug brain People drink and do drugs for a reason. Cause it makes them feel good - until it doesn't anymore. Michael Botticelli drug feel-good people
