Addiction in the news
A few of newsworthy items came across our desks over the last couple of weeks. First and foremost, Andre Agassi, a former professional tennis player ranked number one in the world for a few years, admitted in his new autobiography “Open” that during 1997, one of his worst professional seasons, he was using crystal meth. A shocking revelation, as Agassi did test positive for drugs during that season, but was cleared based on his denial and “accidental dosage.” Rick Reilly of ESPN wrote an interesting piece about this revelation, talking specifically about how unhappy Agassi had been until that point, eventually leading him into drugs. He did pull himself out of the addiction- and more about that will be revealed- in 1998, and continued to have one of the most successful careers in professional tennis. As Reilly puts it, “They call Agassi the greatest returner in history. They aren’t kidding.”
In other news, Sioux Falls, SD recently put together a program with local businesses to bring recovery and education around addiction into the workplace. The group behind the initiative, Face It! Sioux Falls, is an advocacy group hoping to remove barriers to recovery. A group of 13 local businesses have agreed to do work with Face It. “We commend these employers for showing remarkable leadership in their commitment to actively encourage and support the journey of recovery for their employees and their families,” said Matt Walz, CEO of Face It! Sioux Falls. This is a huge step in the right direction from a community organization standpoint, putting recovery resources directly in the hands of people who need it.
In some local news, a man in Proctor, MN, was recently arrested for a DWI- at the helm of a motorized La-Z-Boy. The man arrested blew a 0.29, nearly FOUR TIMES the legal limit in Minnesota. The man proceeded to crash his La-Z-Boy into a Dodge Intrepid parked outside. The officers on the scene reported that the man’s driver’s license had been revoked because of a previous drunken-driving conviction. We can only hope he is getting the help that he needs.
If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, please call us 24/7 at 877-320-0247.
Tags: addiction, addiction genes, addiction intervention, AiR Assistance in recovery, alcoholism, andre agassi, Face It! Sioux Falls, lawnchair DUI, methamphetam, methamphetamine, pain addiction, recovery assistance, substance abuse
