Athena R. Huckaby, MPH

04/22/2026

Just read this piece on Nabarun Dasgupta and his street drug analysis lab.

I know Nab a bit in real life, and he’s exactly what you’d hope. Brilliant, funny, fun to hang out with, and grounded in the work.

This is a good example of what drug checking can look like. Testing the supply and getting real information back out to communities so people can make informed decisions.

A lot of the conversations happening right now about xylazine, medetomidine, and other adulterants trace back to this kind of work. This is where that information comes from.

He’s also been behind efforts, along with some other brilliant folks, that have distributed millions of doses of low-cost naloxone nationally, which has saved a lot of lives.

If you're interested in how we know what’s actually in the current drug supply, this article is a great use of your time.

04/22/2026

✨ SAVE THE DATE ✨
Wellness Expo | Las Cruces | August 29, 2026

This is shaping up to be one of the most fun, feel-good community events of the summer 🌞

Local vendors 🛍️
Wellness resources 🌿
Food + connection 🤝
All in one space, all day long

If you have a business, offer services, or want to get your name out there, this is your moment. Vendor tables are open and sponsorship packages come with major visibility, including social media promotion, program ads, and shoutouts during the event 📣

It’s a great way to show up, connect, and be part of something positive in Las Cruces 💛

I’ll be there with a booth sharing harm reduction supplies and info, plus offering a Narcan training during the event.

📅 Saturday, August 29, 2026
📍 Las Cruces

Spots are filling, reach out to Elite Events to grab a vendor table or sponsorship!

04/22/2026

Staten Island represent!! I wish I had known about how to refer people to SMART Recovery Family and Friends when I lived there. So many people could use the resource. Very happy to know this is available.

An advocate says loved ones of people struggling with addiction are “the single largest untapped workforce here in Staten Island."

04/07/2026

I understand why people support Drug Induced Homicide (DIH) laws.

When someone dies, we want accountability.

But in practice, these laws often charge friends, partners, or family members, people who are already grieving a loss.

There are also families who have lost loved ones to overdose who oppose these laws, including Broken No More.

New Mexico does not currently have these laws. If that changes, it should come from New Mexicans, not outside groups.

We are and have been doing innovative harm reduction work here.

What do you think?

04/06/2026

Drug Induced Homicide (DIH) laws are being pushed across the country.

They sound like accountability.
They sound like justice.

But they are not proven to reduce overdose deaths.

What actually saves lives:
💊 Medication for opioid use disorder (like buprenorphine and methadone)
🧠 Training people how to respond to an overdose
💉 Naloxone access
🏠 Housing and social support
🧪 Drug checking services

These are evidence-based. These work.

We already have the tools. We should be using them.

03/25/2026

03/24/2026

Hey lawyer friends 👋⚖️

There’s an awesome training coming up and I had to share, especially because some of my favorite people are involved.

Dr. Brandon Warrick (a profesh bestie 💁‍♀️) and Donald Hume (truly one of the best colleagues to learn from) are part of this lineup, so you already know it’s going to be good.

This training gets into the reality that Substance Use Disorder is showing up in legal cases every day, whether it’s named or not.

You’ll walk away with:
• A clearer understanding of Substance Use Disorder
• Insight into how it impacts your clients and their decision-making
• Practical guidance on your ethical responsibilities

📅 Friday, April 17
🕛 Noon – 1:30 PM
🎓 1.5 CLE credits

Good people. Useful content. Worth your time.

Register here: https://cle.sbnm.org/courses/8099/webinars/92758

What Attorneys Should Know About Substance Use Disorder: Counseling Clients Affected by...

03/23/2026

People love to say buprenorphine is “just trading one drug for another.”

That tells me they haven’t learned how it actually works.

🧠 Buprenorphine helps stabilize the brain
🧠 It reduces cravings
🧠 It prevents overdose
🧠 Over time, the brain adjusts and heals

That’s treatment.

I took this training years ago (when it was the DATA 2000 waiver), and it completely changed how I understood MOUD.

This knowledge should not live only with prescribers.

Come if you are a peer support worker.
Come if you are a therapist.
Come if you run or work in sober living.
Come if you work with people with Substance Use Disorder and want to understand what actually helps.

And if you don’t believe buprenorphine works…
you should definitely come.

💻 FREE 5-hour MOUD Kick-Start Training
📅 Friday, May 15, 2026
⏰ 9:00 AM – 2:45 PM
🎓 Earn CME + fulfill NM pain management credits

No cost. Real education. Better care.

🔗 nmrecovery.org/training

03/20/2026

SAVE THE DATE 🧡
Nurturing Futures Workshop
Supporting mothers, babies, and families impacted by Substance Use Disorder (SUD)

This workshop is focused on building real capacity across the maternal and birthing care continuum. Providers will learn how to strengthen services and access Opioid Settlement funding to improve outcomes.

📍 Memorial Medical Center
📅 May 1, 2026
⏰ 9 AM – 12 PM

More details coming soon.