I appeared Live on News 10 morning show, which you can see neatly clipped here. The topic was the National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day. Roving reporter Kate Larson, a serious(ly attractive) professional Brandon's age, came to my kitchen to shoot several live segments for the morning show.

 I learned that a live morning news program actually does start at 4:30 in the morning. I learned that when a woman with a wire in her ear shouts "mike check mike check mike check" in quick repetition, followed by "70 seconds to live," it's best not to ask questions. In fact, ask a stupid question and you might end up doing push-ups in the mud; but seriously, she knew her stuff, barked her orders, and you betcha I followed them. I also learned that putting a gun, drugs, and a handful of Benjamins on your kitchen counter makes cops, even those who have been invited, nervous. More about this here.  

The camera scans my countertop. Like a good sous chef, I have lined up all the ingredients for a well-staged morning show: a baggie of pill containers, a gallon-size baggie of assorted loose pills, a handgun, bullets, a few hundred dollar bills and a mason jar of bud. My intention with the weapon was to illustrate this point: You wouldn't leave a gun and bullets on your counter, yet you would leave your meds on the counter. Both are deadly in the wrong hands. Both kill.

The gun was there for show, to try to make an impact, and to elaborate on my message, and so was the weed. I was pretty shocked and surprised, however, when Sgt. Walstad, Roseville PD said that "kids today are having pill parties where they throw a bunch of pills in a bowl and pass it around. They don't even know what they're taking."  I remember this tale from the 1970s. Perhaps there is a shock value to this, but all evidence points to urban legend; sorry Sergeant. 

 I mean, I saw tables full of coke when I was a teen, so I know that excesses in the lifestyle exist. But most people plan to "have fun" tonight and be alive tomorrow to tell the tales. They know exactly what they are taking. These pills are worth too much cash to toss in a bowl like M&Ms.  

Recently I was in Orange County participating in the filming of a documentary about this epidemic. Brandon was also being interviewed, and the interviewer asked Brandon, the former addict, point blank about this idea of a "pharm party." Brandon said he had never seen one. 'Nuff said. I don't want to be a part of spreading propaganda about the problem; it needs serious attention, not Reefer freakin' Madness!