Speakup About Drugs

03/19/2026

Something to celebrate and great job by LRPD. And yet...... this underscores the real issue - the US demand for drugs has persisted regardless of the high risk of death from street drugs and the deportation of allegedly dangerous immigrants. Despite "zero border crossings", somehow the fentanyl arrived here. And this person has an American name. Yes, fentanyl comes to the US from China, through Mexico even when our borders are closed. But it is the Americans that, time after time, are the middle men and end users. America, we have demand problem. I am a mother whose son died from Fentanyl poisoning. As much as I would have liked to blame the upstream suppliers, in the end it was my son's choice to start using illegal drugs, and to continue using though he knew the dangers of fentanyl - and he did because he educated me about it. That is hard to accept. But that is the disease of addiction. Until we do more to lower the demand for illegal (and pharmaceutical) drugs, stop and treat this disease, American's will continue losing lives to a preventable cause of death.

A Little Rock Arkansas man has been sentenced to 140 months in federal prison after leading police on a 114 mph chase with 2.6 kilograms of fentanyl and a firearm.

03/12/2026

"Cannabis hyperemesis syndrome is characterized by repeated episodes of severe nausea, vomiting, and abdominal discomfort in people who use cannabis regularly, often daily or near daily, for an extended period of time. "

Have you heard of CHS—cannabis hyperemesis syndrome? Modern cannabis is much stronger than in the past, and frequent use can put you at risk. Learn more about this condition and how it develops at apcbham.org/blog.

Link 🔗: https://apcbham.org/what-is-cannabis-hyperemesis-syndrome-causes-symptoms-and-treatment/

03/12/2026

Today we are proud to share something that has been on our heart for a while.

Oasis of Northwest Arkansas is launching a new initiative called Second Chance Recovery Academy — a free recovery life-skills program designed to help men and women begin rebuilding their lives after addiction.

For many people, getting sober is only the beginning. The real challenge comes afterward — learning how to rebuild relationships, find stability, reconnect with family, navigate work and housing, and develop the emotional strength it takes to maintain long-term recovery. So many individuals leave treatment with determination but without the tools and guidance needed to build a life that truly supports sobriety.

The Second Chance Recovery Academy will offer a 4–6 week Zoom-based class that focuses on those real-life challenges. Participants will learn about navigating the first 90 days of sobriety, rebuilding trust with family, parenting and reunification, creating stability through work and housing, and developing the emotional resilience needed to protect their recovery. Those who complete the course will receive a Certificate of Completion recognizing their commitment to growth and recovery.

This program will be completely free, and we are currently inviting treatment centers, drug court programs, probation and parole offices, sober living homes, and other recovery organizations to sign up as partner agencies before the program launches in May.

But this program carries an even deeper meaning for us.

The Second Chance Recovery Academy is being launched in honor of Matthew Stephens, a beloved Oasis board member who recently passed away. Matthew believed deeply in the power of redemption. If you spent any time around him, you know that his life and his words were rooted in one simple truth: people deserve second chances.

He believed that no one should be permanently defined by the worst moment of their life. He believed that with support, accountability, and opportunity, people could rebuild something meaningful and good. Matthew never stopped reminding us that hope and grace can change the direction of a person’s life.

In many ways, this program reflects the spirit of who he was.

The Second Chance Recovery Academy exists to carry forward that belief — that recovery is possible, that lives can be rebuilt, and that every person deserves the opportunity to build a life worth protecting.

If you work with individuals in recovery and would like your organization to participate as a partner agency, we would love to connect with you.

Second chances matter. And sometimes the right support at the right moment can change everything.

Agency sign up form: https://forms.gle/LRttSobJz54fUogu9

03/10/2026

The other heartbreaking part of losing your child to Fentanyl poisoning is watching their siblings learn to live without them.

As we approach April 3rd 💙National Fentanyl Bereaved Siblings Awareness Day — we want to take a moment to recognize the importance of this day and thank the Love Logan Foundation for creating it.

When fentanyl poisoning takes a life, the loss reaches far beyond statistics. Entire families are forever changed. While much of the attention often focuses on parents, siblings carry a unique and often unseen grief.

A brother or sister is often a lifelong companion 💙someone who shares childhood memories, family bonds, and dreams for the future. When that life is taken, siblings lose not only someone they love, but a part of their identity and the future they imagined together.

Too often, siblings become the silent grievers, trying to stay strong for their families while carrying profound loss of their own.

National Fentanyl Bereaved Siblings Awareness Day is an important step toward recognizing these young voices, validating their grief, and ensuring they are not forgotten in this crisis.

We are grateful to the Love Logan Foundation for shining a light on this important part of the fentanyl crisis and for creating a space to acknowledge the siblings left behind.

As April 3rd approaches, we encourage communities, organizations, and families to recognize and honor the siblings who carry this loss every day.

Their grief matters.
Their voices matter.
And they deserve to be seen and supported. 💜
Visit: loveloganfoundation.org

03/08/2026

SPARCwellbeing

03/06/2026

We remember ~ Always 🖤🖤🖤

02/26/2026

Knowing the signs of an opioid overdose can save a life — but removing unused or expired medications from your home helps reduce the risk before an emergency happens.
Safely disposing of unused or expired medications through Arkansas Drug Take Back helps prevent misuse, accidental poisoning, and overdose. With 300+ permanent collection sites statewide, safe disposal is always within reach.
Mark your calendars — Arkansas Drug Take Back events are happening statewide on April 25!

02/25/2026

Excellent work by the Benton County Prosecutor's office. While this doesn't stop the pain Chase's family must feel it goes a long way towards making our community safer by sending a strong message to dealers. We can't bring out children back but we can all do our part to save other lives 💜💜💜

02/23/2026

Finally!! The part of the "Portugal Model" that dear Carol Egan - who was suddenly taken from this world recently - advocated for in the US. After initiating this approach back in the 90's and early 2,000's, Portugal saw a drastic drop in the rate of addiction, overdose deaths and incarceration rates of individuals due to drug use. By using a health based approach Portugal made treatment options available to those who otherwise most likely would have never received treatment.

Now, San Francisco police officers and sheriff deputies will arrest individuals for public intoxication and take them to the RESET Center to detox.