Liberation, Power, and the Long Con of Drug Policy

In this episode of Recovery-ish, Chad Sabora and Robert Ashford sit down for a no-bullshit breakdown of how we got here—decades of drug profiteering, racialized policy, and the generational trauma that still haunts our communities. With special guest, Monique Tula, they trace the evolution of harm reduction from underground survival strategy to public-health backbone, and they call out the language games and political theater that continue to shape who gets help and who gets punished.The conversation digs into the messy realities of recovery and advocacy: burnout that nobody wants to admit, leadership that spans generations, and a workforce expected to save lives on goodwill instead of living wages. Together, they unpack how mutual aid keeps people alive when systems fail, why transparency and structural integrity matter more than passion alone, and what it takes to celebrate wins without ignoring the inequities baked into every level of drug policy.With their trademark irreverence and honesty, the hosts and special guest highlight the power of relationships, compassion, and community to transform conditions—and why building an equitable future requires more than reform. It demands courage, accountability, and a refusal to stay quiet.