Ideas worth spreading

Addiction is a disease. We should treat it like one

1,788,531 views | Michael Botticelli • TEDxMidAtlantic

Only one in nine people in the United States gets the care and treatment they need for addiction and substance abuse. A former Director of National Drug Control Policy, Michael Botticelli is working to end this epidemic and treat people with addictions with kindness, compassion and fairness. In a personal, thoughtful talk, he encourages the millions of Americans in recovery today to make their voices heard and confront the stigma associated with substance use disorders.

Only one in nine people in the United States gets the care and treatment they need for addiction and substance abuse. A former Director of National Drug Control Policy, Michael Botticelli is working to end this epidemic and treat people with addictions with kindness, compassion and fairness. In a personal, thoughtful talk, he encourages the millions of Americans in recovery today to make their voices heard and confront the stigma associated with substance use disorders.

This talk was presented to a local audience at TEDxMidAtlantic, an independent event. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.

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About the speaker

Michael Botticelli

Michael Botticelli

Drug policy expert

See speaker profile

As Director of National Drug Control Policy, Michael Botticelli led the Obama Administration’s drug policy efforts to diminish the consequences of substance use through evidence-based prevention, treatment and recovery support services.

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This talk was presented to a local audience at TEDxMidAtlantic, an independent event. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.

Read more about TEDx.