Although David had a history of excessive alcohol use and cocaine use and had even completed treatment for substance use, he wasn’t aware of the addictive properties of prescription opioids. In a matter of weeks, David was addicted and found himself taking 120 milligrams a day, which was far more than he was prescribed. When David could no longer get a prescription for opioids, he turned to heroin, and from there his life spiraled out of control. He bankrupted his brokerage firm, lost his wife to divorce, and was sentenced to 5 years in federal prison.
David has been in recovery for nine years and is dedicated to working as an interventionist and certified recovery coach. He advocated for Minnesota’s first opioid stewardship bill, which provides funding for local prevention, education, and treatment efforts. David wants to help others recognize that recovery is a process, not a quick fix, noting that, “hope is possible – you don’t need to keep going by yourself.”