Imagine losing your child to an opioid overdose and then spending years fighting to hold those responsible accountable: the manufacturers, the distributors, the pharmacies. All of it driven by grief too heavy to put down and a determination that refused to quit.
And then, you finally win in court. But the money meant to prevent other overdoses isn’t always used the way it was intended.
Today’s guest on Grieving Out Loud, Alexis Pleus, knows that reality all too well. She lost her son, Jeff, to an overdose, and has since turned her grief into action, working to ensure other families don’t have to endure the same loss. One of her latest efforts focuses on how New York is spending billions of dollars from opioid settlements.
In this episode, Alexis shares what her research uncovered, what she wants the public to understand, and why she’s continuing to push for accountability in how those funds are used.
Read the full report from Truth Pharm: Community Solutions, State Exclusions: The Misalignment of New York’s Opioid Settlement Funds here.
Watch Truth Pharm’s Webinar: Researching and Writing on Opioid Settlement Fund Spending here.
Learn how your state is spending opioid settlement dollars using the Opioid Settlement Tracker website here.
Related episodes:
- The Scourge of Fentanyl & Meth on our Nation
- Shedding light on underreported overdose deaths with Truth Pharm
- Thousands of Tombstones by the U.S. Capitol to Honor Lives Lost to Substance Use
MEET THE GUEST
Alexis Pleus
Alexis is a professional engineer, artist, writer activist and mother of three sons. In 2014, she lost her oldest son Jeff to an overdose and as a result of that experience, founded Truth Pharm six months later with a focus on raising awareness, reducing stigma, educating and advocating to reduce the harms caused by substance use.
