End It For Good – Christina Dent

End It For Good

Christina Dent

We are well aware that drug addictions are, basically, a pandemic in our society today. It is not only a problem in major metropolitan cities, but it literally crosses all social and economic boundary’s. I know. I was addicted to pain killers a few back after almost 7 years of use. My father had a drug problem. One of my brothers as well. My guest today in Christina Dent, the founder and president of “End It For Good,” a 501-c-3 non-profit formed in 2019. Christina Dent is a politically conservative Christian, who supported criminalizing drugs, until she became a foster parent and saw, up close, the negative effects the current system was perpetuating on those who needed the most help. She researched why drug-related harm was not decreasing and she became convinced it was because the criminal justice system is simply the wrong tool to be used for addressing the drug problem. Christina was on our program a couple of years ago and we had a great, in-depth conversation about her efforts to help correct the societal problem of criminalizing those who use drugs instead of creating real solutions to the issue. Amen! Christina recently released her new book on this topic, titled, “Curious: A Foster Mom's Discovery of an Unexpected Solution to Drugs and Addiction.” With that being said, help me welcome back to the program, Christina Dent! Christina, thank you for coming back on the program today! I do appreciate it! For the sake of those that may not have heard our prior interview a couple of years ago, can you tell us in your own words, “Who is Christina Dent?” I want to start with your book, “Curious: A Foster Mom's Discovery of an Unexpected Solution to Drugs and Addiction.” Why did you write this book and why publish now? You had some very serious situations happen to you in life. You were involved in a serious train accident. Both your mother and father died of cancer. How did all of this shape you as you continued on with your life? I remember, from our prior interview, when you compared the war on drugs with prohibition in this nation back in the early 1900’s. Can you briefly go over that for our listeners? Last time you were on, you talked about what the nation of Portugal did in their “war on drugs.” But they went about winning their war in a very different way than we have in the United States – and they achieved a very different outcome. Tell us about that… As you have been doing all of this, what has been the hardest part you’ve experienced in fighting this battle? What is the number one message you would like your readers to get from this book? As we get ready to close, let’s talk for a minute about your organization, “End it For Good.” How does your organization try to bridge this gap we have been talking about? Christina, this is so interesting. You and your organization are doing a marvelous work. I learned a lot from preparing for this interview as well as right now, just talking with you. I also believe our listeners have learned a lot as well and may now have new perspective of things. If someone wanted to get in touch with you or your organization, maybe to check out your services, ask you to come speak or maybe just to do an interview such as this, how can they do that? How can someone get in touch with you? I’ll put links to all of that down below in our show notes. Folks, the war on drugs was a good idea, just implemented in the wrong way. As Christina Dent has shared with us, we have fostered an environment that simply intensifies the dependency; intensifies the addictions and intensifies the mindset that it all must remain hidden. We, as a nation and as communities, MUST change our mindset in order to effectively change the mindset of those who are truly being harmed. Those using the drugs themselves. Go down into the show notes and click the link right there to get in touch with Christina Dent and her organization, “End It For Good.” Offer support. Click the DONATE TAB on her website and send along some love through your financial giving. There is no amount that is too small. If every listener would send along $5 or $10 – together, it would make a HUGE, HUGE difference in how much help she would be able to provide. While you are there, in the show notes, click the link to order her great book, “Curious: A Foster Mom's Discovery of an Unexpected Solution to Drugs and Addiction.” Buy two or three copies and pass them out to your pastor and others. You don’t know what kind of impact you could make simply by sharing this message. Amen!