Dear Hossein,
It is always a special day when I receive your latest communication with the latest news of your activities and new milestones for Congress ۶۰.
The articles you are publishing are a way to send a beacon of light to the world, and that light is desperately needed at present. I think the DST method is a remarkable discovery. My only fear is that the method will be viewed by some as a “technological fix” and used in isolation from the larger culture of recovery within which it is nested within Congress ۶۰. I think the DST method could improve results used in isolation, but will not parallel the results of Congress ۶۰ without all of the other recovery supports evident within Congress ۶۰ every day. Do let me know when the article on the DST method is published so I can add it to my bibliography of recovery research that I post on my website.
I am also pleased to hear of advancements you are making related to the production and use of D.Sap. I’m sure the acquisition of the farm adjoining you will speed those developments.
I did receive a communication form Dr. George Kolodner over the weekend. He is still working diligently to launch his new nicotine addiction treatment program and considering the best ways to add the peer support dimension that is so critical to the work of Congress ۶۰. He is weighing whether it would be best to collaborate with a group like Nicotine Anonymous to provide such support or whether, like Congress ۶۰ legions, he should organize that within his own treatment program through the training of people as guides and group leaders. I’m sure he will be in touch with you for continued guidance as he has expressed to me his appreciation of your communications.
The growth of the William White legions both in numbers of legions and numbers of people involved and completed this past year is quite remarkable. I cannot think of another addiction treatment setting in the world that has done more to integrate smoking cessation within the recovery process than Congress ۶۰. That in itself is a remarkable achievement for which Congress ۶۰ should receive widespread praise. Imagine the lives extended and saved based on your leadership on this; and consider the lives lost in so many other programs because of their blindness in failing to recognize nicotine as an addictive and deadly drug that undermines recovery from other addictions.
How wonderful it must be for you to witness pilgrims from Congress ۶۰ traveling to the Academy branch for confirmation of their treatment completion. Each confirmation is an affirmation and celebration of your life’s work and testimony to the methods used within Congress ۶۰.
You have answered all of my questions to date that I have posed to you. I will likely post another one of our interview blogs later this year based on your responses. At present, I am still working out all of the small errors that occurred when we transferred my website to the new platform. I hope to have these done within the month and can then get back to writing some new blogs and papers to add to the website. Transferring the website has taken more time than I anticipated, but we are getting there. The new location of my website at Chestnut is now active; we just need to review and correct any errors that occurred during the transfer. Fortunately, I have younger and far smarter people helping me with this process.
I am also looking forward to a visit with my daughter Alisha and her husband this summer. They have not visited here in over a year due to her cancer treatment, which is now completed. I am quite excited about them visiting to celebrate how well she is doing since her treatment started more than a year ago. The worst of that treatment is now completed and she is only doing a few more months of immunotherapy before then doing annual checkups to assure that her cancer remains in remission.
I have also agreed to assist with a presentation for the National Association of Addiction Professionals here in the U.S. on the integration of medication and psychosocial approaches to the treatment of addiction. That presentation will be this coming October. I have declined most presentations but agreed to do this one. I no longer travel but they have arranged for my part of the presentation by zoom. This will give me a change to note how you have achieved such integration in Congress ۶۰.
As I approach my ۷۵th birthday, I continue to be grateful for our friendships and collaborations.
Friends and Brothers Forever,
Bill