Jim Hinch

A roundup of recent editing work for Guideposts–our year-long series of stories about addiction and recovery. These are good, and important. Read about David Beddoe, a pastor who hid his addiction to pain pills until things fell apart; addiction counselor David Stoecker, whose recovery story is truly remarkable; and Fire Chief Jan Rader (above), who details the damage done by opioids in her city of Huntington, West Virginia, known as the overdose capital of America. Upcoming are stories by the chief medical examiner of the state of New Hampshire, whose early warnings about a rise in overdose deaths were ignored for years; a steel processing company owner in Pennsylvania who began employing recovering addicts after his daughter survived a decade-long heroin addiction; and other stories by addicts, loved ones and treatment professionals. More than 20 million Americans have a substance use disorder, according to the surgeon general. Twelve million report misusing prescription pain medication. Overdose deaths have quadrupled since 1999. This series provides accurate, forward-looking information to an audience disproportionately affected by drug addiction but often overlooked by other media outlets.