Special Episode from the 55th Annual ASAM Conference: Dr. Chad Elkin

Dr. Chad Elkin joins us from ASAM’s 55th Annual Conference for a very informative conversation! He shares his experiences at ASAM conferences over the years and why he finds attending beneficial. He talks about his path into the field of addiction medicine and founding National Addiction Specialists. Dr. Elkin, soon-to-be president of the Tennessee Society of Addiction Medicine (TNSAM), discusses advocacy and other efforts happening in the state with regard to addiction and treatment. He describes the connection between dopamine and addiction and shares his extensive knowledge of the history of addiction, including the role of the British East India Company, the first opioid addiction epidemic in 1820, and the black-market trade of opium. He also discusses the current opioid epidemic and the proliferation of fentanyl in the illicit drug supply, including the origin of fentanyl precursors and how today’s drug cartels operate. Dr. Chad Elkin is founder and medical director of National Addiction Specialists, a company offering addiction services for clients with substance use disorders such as opioid use disorder. He is board certified in addiction medicine and internal medicine. He serves as chairman of ASAM’s Health Technology Committee, is a member of ASAM’s Practice Management and Regulatory Affairs Committee (PMRAC), and State Advocacy and Legislative Affairs Committee (SALC). At the state level, he serves as legislative chairman and president-elect of TNSAM. He is also on the planning committee for the Mid-South Addiction Conference held at Vanderbilt annually. Dr. Elkin collaborates with the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services and state legislators to support evidence-based regulatory and legislative changes concerning addiction medicine. He is also the host of the podcast Breaking Down Addiction, which explores various addiction topics. Dr. Elkins describes himself as an eternal optimist and a 7 on the enneagram scale, craving new adventures and experiences. His passion outside of work is competitive tennis, pickleball, snow skiing, working out, and watching Novak Djokovic destroy all tennis records. He enjoys exotic vacations with his wife and kids, helping his daughters get better at tennis, reading books about the history of addiction, and learning French and Spanish on Duolingo. He loves conversations with friends, chooses uplifting success-minded colleagues, is fiercely loyal, and tries to figure out ways to help them win in business and life.   Links: ASAM Annual Conference Information National Addiction Specialists Tennessee Society of Addiction Medicine (TNSAM) Breaking Down Addiction American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM)   If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, you are not alone. Treatment is available and recovery is possible. Visit ASAM’s Patient Resources page for more information. The information shared in this podcast episode is for educational purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice. The views expressed in this podcast may not be those of the host or ASAM management.