The Treat Addiction Save Lives Podcast

Three addiction medicine doctors in three different states share advocacy wins from 2025. Learn about the policies shaping addiction medicine across the country, and what helped push these legislative wins over the finish line. 

Plus, discover highlights from ASAM’s new report on major state-level addiction medicine trends this year. 

Featured in this episode: 

• Chad Elkin, MD, Tennessee Society of Addictio...

Grab your tissues for this moving and powerful episode! Flora Sadri-Azarbayejani, DO, MPH, FAAFP, FASAM, joins host, Zach, to talk about her path to and passion for practicing addiction medicine. During the conversation, she shares stories and experiences that have been impactful on her journey and shaped both how she practices medicine – emphasizing the critical component of compassion – and her perspectives on addicti...

Alta DeRoo, MD, MBA, FACOG, DFASAM, joins host, Zach, to talk about her experience in the US Navy (USN) and her path to practicing OBGYN and addiction medicine. She discusses the intersection of general medicine or primary specialty practice and addiction and shares her perspectives on stigma related to addiction. Dr. DeRoo explains the potential challenges of transitioning from active duty to veteran status and how these can somet...

Lipi Roy, MD, MPH, FASAM, shares what piqued her interest in the field of addiction medicine and how she expanded her work into media outreach and appearances. Dr. Roy talks about creating her YouTube channel, Health, Humor, and Harmony, how she started her company, SITA MED, and what it takes to prepare for a media appearance. She describes her experience as chief of addiction medicine at Rikers Island Correctional Facil...

Petros Levounis, MD, MA, DFASAM, talks with our host, Zach, about why he chose to practice addiction medicine, including an impactful experience at the Betty Ford Center (now Hazelden Betty Ford) as a medical student. He shares his thoughts regarding stigma and his extensive writing about addiction. Dr. Levounis speaks about how his fields of study and interest (including sociology, medicine, mental health, and addiction) intersect...

Marianne Fingerhood, DNP, ANP-BC, joins us to share her journey into the field of addiction medicine and discuss the importance of providing medication treatment for addiction within a primary care setting. She talks about the essential role nurse practitioners (NPs) play in treating addiction, how crucial it is for NPs to have proper support, and the benefits of a professional community. Marianne touches on the dynamics of having ...

In this episode, Geri-Lynn Utter, PsyD, shares her personal journey from growing up as a child of parents who struggled with addiction to becoming a clinical psychologist and author. She discusses her documentary, Utter Nonsense, her books, Mainlining Philly and Aftershock, and her podcast, Mind Over Mayhem. Dr. Utter offers insights on addiction, harm reduction, and her experiences in Philadelphia; address...

In this episode, Jason Kirby, DO, MBA, FASAM, shares what led him to the field of addiction medicine and describes a particular turning point in his career path. Dr. Kirby discusses the importance of individualized treatment, the similarities between fitness and recovery communities, and how his interest in human behavior influenced his career journey. He stresses the critical importance of self-care among physicians and other care...

In this powerful episode, ASAM’s 2024 Training Directors Award recipient Dr. Scott Teitelbaum shares his own journey with addiction and recovery. He discusses the importance of compassionate care, addresses stigma around addiction, and emphasizes the importance of recognizing addiction as an illness while also acknowledging the often hurtful behavior associated with it. Dr. Teitelbaum talks about the critical n...

In this episode, Dr. James Baker, MD, MPH, describes his experience with addiction both as an emergency physician and as a father who lost his son, Macky, to an opioid overdose. Sharing Macky’s story throughout, Dr. Baker emphasizes the evolution of his own feelings toward those who suffer from addiction, from anger to gentle compassion, and shares what inspired him to write This Monstrous Obsession: Hard Lessons Le...

In another special episode, we are joined by 2024 ASAM Media Award recipient Teri Sforza. Teri describes her journalistic approach as that of an "accountability reporter." In this conversation, she shares her journey to the field of addiction reporting and her thoughts about the need for potential legislation and oversight related to the addiction treatment industry. Teri discusses her work as a lead reporter on the award-winn...

Stephanie Weiss, MD, PhD, FASAM, joins us for this special episode recorded at ASAM’s 55th Annual Conference. Dr. Weiss shares her experiences attending ASAM’s conferences over the past few years, including the virtual conference in 2020 when she was a Ruth Fox Scholar. She talks about her extensive educational journey and the surprising path to her current job at NIDA. She also discusses her work re...

Alexander Zotos, MD, FASAM, joined our host, Zach, live from ASAM’s 55th Annual Conference in early April. In this special episode, Dr. Zotos explains how his mentors and patients influenced his decision to pursue the field of addiction medicine. He talks about how perceptions surrounding addiction have evolved over time and efforts of the Tennessee Society of Addiction Medicine (TNSAM) to challenge t...