<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" version="2.0"><channel><title><![CDATA[PULSE]]></title><description><![CDATA[Empowering safer drug use and community solidarity.]]></description><link>https://www.people4pulse.org/blog</link><generator>RSS for Node</generator><lastBuildDate>Thu, 20 Aug 2026 02:11:24 GMT</lastBuildDate><atom:link href="https://www.pulse4pwud.org/blog-feed.xml" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml"/><item><title><![CDATA[The White Powder Double Standard: How Biased Laws Divided the Same Drug]]></title><description><![CDATA[Powder cocaine has long been viewed through a bizarrely glamorous lens in pop culture, often painted as an expensive "party drug" for wealthy Wall Street executives and celebrities. In movies, characters who use it are often shown in luxury apartments or high-end clubs, treating it almost like a status symbol for the rich and successful. Now, think about how the media handles crack cocaine. The term “crackhead” is frequently thrown around as a cheap and cruel punchline or used to portray...]]></description><link>https://www.people4pulse.org/post/the-white-powder-double-standard-how-biased-laws-divided-the-same-drug</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a5d58889b75ec2926a96730</guid><pubDate>Mon, 20 Jul 2026 00:53:49 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/3ac42b_300358aec37d4c4592fc7c33fbe93721~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_255,h_450,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Greta Nunez</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Why the Classic Intervention Does More Harm Than Good]]></title><description><![CDATA[For decades, the standard for dealing with problematic substance use has been the surprise intervention. We've seen it on television and in movies: a circle of worried family members, a hired specialist, tears welling in every corner of the room, an ultimatum delivered, and a packed suitcase waiting by the door. The narrative tells us this is the ultimate act of tough love — that confronting someone hard enough, publicly enough, and all at once is the shock they need to finally wake up. But...]]></description><link>https://www.people4pulse.org/post/why-the-classic-intervention-does-more-harm-than-good</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a404c49c900dddc2f392878</guid><pubDate>Sun, 28 Jun 2026 21:58:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/3ac42b_f0b44ae46a3445ee97044bb5adeb59da~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Greta Nunez</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[The Fatal Logic of “Tough Love”]]></title><description><![CDATA[“Six weeks later I escorted him out of my home because he was using again. I filled his prescriptions, put $20 of gas in, and packed his car since he wasn't physically able to do it since he was still on oxygen and using a walker. I wrapped my arms around him, said 'I love you', and walked away without looking back.” This is an excerpt from a heartbreakingly raw post circulating on social media, written by a parent reflecting on the agony of loving someone with a substance use disorder. It’s...]]></description><link>https://www.people4pulse.org/post/the-fatal-logic-of-tough-love</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a08f4ebff1c06f8d4a645fa</guid><pubDate>Sat, 16 May 2026 23:13:31 GMT</pubDate><dc:creator>Greta Nunez</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Stability Over Sobriety: A Modern Approach to Helping Those We Love]]></title><description><![CDATA[When someone we love is navigating a complicated relationship with substances, the conversation often gets stuck on one word: abstinence. We’ve been conditioned to believe that if a person isn't completely drug- or alcohol-free, they aren't "in recovery," and that any help we provide in the meantime is simply "enabling." But this binary way of thinking ignores the modern, clinical reality of what it means to heal. Real support isn't about monitoring someone's sobriety; it’s about investing in...]]></description><link>https://www.people4pulse.org/post/stability-over-sobriety-a-modern-approach-to-helping-those-we-love</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69bef05f12179886ce320d20</guid><pubDate>Sat, 21 Mar 2026 19:30:04 GMT</pubDate><dc:creator>Greta Nunez</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[You Can’t Recover if You Aren’t Here: How Harm Reduction Bridges the Treatment Gap]]></title><description><![CDATA[When we talk about supporting someone who is struggling with substance use, our instinct is often to push for the fastest, most complete solution: stop now, get clean, turn it all around. This usually comes from a place of good intentions. But good intentions, without the right framework, can often make things more dangerous. Taking a "Safety First" mindset at the heart of harm reduction asks us to pause, recalibrate, and ask a harder question: What does success look like  today? Life Is the...]]></description><link>https://www.people4pulse.org/post/you-can-t-recover-if-you-aren-t-here-how-harm-reduction-bridges-the-treatment-gap</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69991e83f5362f0f9430c436</guid><pubDate>Sat, 21 Feb 2026 23:28:09 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/3ac42b_fae36e9335f4471d86144c4b0b6eaa38~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_900,h_705,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Greta Nunez</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[The Front Door of Recovery: Why Housing is the Ultimate Harm Reduction Tool]]></title><description><![CDATA[Imagine the sheer exhaustion of trying to recover from a severe, bone-aching flu while your only bed is a rigid and cold park bench, exposed to the bitter wind, and the constant threat of being moved along by security. There is no soup, no warm blanket, and no door to lock; there is only the relentless cold of the concrete pulling the heat from your body. Now, take that feeling of desperation and multiply it: imagine trying to recover from a problematic substance use disorder while you're...]]></description><link>https://www.people4pulse.org/post/the-front-door-of-recovery-why-housing-is-the-ultimate-harm-reduction-tool</link><guid isPermaLink="false">695af2fd08cb4324d68f2c5d</guid><pubDate>Mon, 05 Jan 2026 00:49:34 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/3ac42b_4a99db5ac2bf46e78e3ab45c77314d63~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Greta Nunez</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[The Power of PFL: How Person-First Language Changes Clinical Outcomes and Reduces Stigma]]></title><description><![CDATA[The vocabulary we use to discuss problematic substance use often carries a heavy, unintended legacy. For many, terms like “addict,” “junkie,” or using words like “clean/dirty” to describe drug tests are simply habits—language that comes from a time when problematic substance use was misunderstood and seen as a moral failing, not a chronic health condition. This casual use of outdated terminology, while often unintentional, creates massive hurdles for people seeking help, making them feel...]]></description><link>https://www.people4pulse.org/post/the-power-of-pfl-how-person-first-language-changes-clinical-outcomes-and-reduces-stigma</link><guid isPermaLink="false">68efe3db22f12a68ecce6e8c</guid><pubDate>Tue, 21 Oct 2025 17:48:43 GMT</pubDate><dc:creator>Greta Nunez</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Beyond Naloxone: Why Rescue Breathing Saves Lives in Opioid Overdoses]]></title><description><![CDATA[When someone witnesses an opioid overdose, the first thought is often to reach for naloxone. This life-saving medication has rightfully...]]></description><link>https://www.people4pulse.org/post/beyond-naloxone-why-rescue-breathing-saves-lives-in-opioid-overdoses</link><guid isPermaLink="false">68b3c454fc7bbf1758957b5c</guid><pubDate>Sun, 31 Aug 2025 04:01:50 GMT</pubDate><dc:creator>Greta Nunez</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Why Wisconsin Needs to Rethink Its Approach to Methadone Treatment]]></title><description><![CDATA[Imagine a patient who hasn't missed a single day at the methadone clinic in two years. Every morning at 6 AM, she makes the 90-minute...]]></description><link>https://www.people4pulse.org/post/why-wisconsin-needs-to-rethink-its-approach-to-methadone-treatment</link><guid isPermaLink="false">685742c8d2aebc2dcf291e70</guid><pubDate>Sun, 22 Jun 2025 00:10:07 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/3ac42b_0cddf1ce7d5e437f8e8850d66c27f159~mv2.webp/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Greta Nunez</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[How Drug War Policies Harm Families and Children]]></title><description><![CDATA[The "War on Drugs," started in the early 1970s, aimed to reduce drug abuse in America. However, its consequences have deeply affected...]]></description><link>https://www.people4pulse.org/post/how-drug-war-policies-harm-families-and-children</link><guid isPermaLink="false">68217564eac8155847dd54b7</guid><pubDate>Mon, 12 May 2025 04:26:34 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/nsplsh_2e27abd7bd274b31a24d39896cee361b~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Greta Nunez</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[The Hidden Economic Interests Behind Marijuana Prohibition]]></title><description><![CDATA[For thousands of years, cannabis served as medicine, a fiber source, and a spiritual aid across many different cultures. But in the early...]]></description><link>https://www.people4pulse.org/post/the-hidden-economic-interests-behind-marijuana-prohibition</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6805b0a80306f55bd56e7779</guid><pubDate>Mon, 21 Apr 2025 03:41:49 GMT</pubDate><dc:creator>Greta Nunez</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[How Ending Prohibition Improved America]]></title><description><![CDATA[America's experiment with alcohol prohibition (1920-1933) stands as one of the most instructive policy failures in our history. Intended...]]></description><link>https://www.people4pulse.org/post/how-ending-prohibition-improved-america</link><guid isPermaLink="false">67ff0a8f9b899e672f45acdb</guid><pubDate>Wed, 16 Apr 2025 04:36:59 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/3ac42b_669bdd660fea4773805005a5ea89a74e~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_768,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Greta Nunez</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Harm Reduction: A Compassionate, Evidence-Based Approach to Saving Lives]]></title><description><![CDATA[For years, the complex issue of substance use has been addressed with inadequate methods. Neglecting the root causes and immediate risks...]]></description><link>https://www.people4pulse.org/post/harm-reduction-a-compassionate-evidence-based-approach-to-saving-lives</link><guid isPermaLink="false">67f1fb9ecbac1441ac45ec65</guid><pubDate>Sun, 06 Apr 2025 04:44:50 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/3ac42b_f8fc3f9982c44dcc85ef70e6f8b9077f~mv2.jpeg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_903,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Greta Nunez</dc:creator></item></channel></rss>