In this episode of the Treat Addiction Save Lives Podcast, Louis Baxter, Sr., MD, DFASAM, discusses what inspired him to pursue a career in addiction medicine and how he came to practice in the field. He also shares some stories of his experiences treating professional athletes and how he came to possess several championship and Super Bowl rings.

Dr. Baxter talks about the evolution of his own substance use, how addiction can progress from a \"kindling\" to a \"fire,\" and his journey to recovery.

Stressing the importance of education, Dr. Baxter discusses efforts to increase addiction education in medical school, allied health training programs, and the community. He also talks about his involvement in and the process of starting the addiction medicine fellowship program at Howard University. He believes increased education will help combat the stigma surrounding addiction and address the fear of treating addiction experienced by some health care professionals. Dr. Baxter also feels that sharing about one’s own addiction and recovery can serve as an inspiration and example for others who are suffering with addiction.

In his new book, I Didn’t Know, Dr. Baxter discusses his life, including childhood trauma, addiction, and road to recovery. He hopes his story will serve to help others and reduce stigma associated with addiction.

Finally, Dr. Baxter shares his thoughts for the next generation of addiction medicine professionals.

Dr. Louis Baxter, Sr., is the founder and director of the Howard University Addiction Medicine Fellowship, the first such program at an Historically Black College and University (HBCU). He holds assistant professor appointments at Rutgers University, Temple University, and Thomas Jefferson University. Dr Baxter is a member of the American College of Sports Medicine and a consultant to the National Football League (NFL), the National Basketball Association (NBA), and the US Olympic Anti-Doping Committee. He contributes time and talent to numerous national public agencies, such as the US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) National Advisory Council; the National Institutes of Health (NIH) National Institute of Alcohol Abuse & Alcoholism (NIAAA); the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP); and the Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). He has been recognized by The HistoryMakers (2022); The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (2019); and ASAM, with the 2017 Annual Award and the 2022 Training Director Award. In May 2023, Dr. Baxter accepted an appointment to the Police Assisted Addiction and Recovery Initiative (PAARI), which aims to create non-arrest pathways to recovery and treatment for those with mental health and substance use disorders. Dr. Baxter earned his MD from Temple University Lewis Katz School of Medicine. He completed his internship and residency in internal medicine at the Cooper Hospital University Medical Center at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey and a fellowship in addiction medicine at Portsmouth Psychiatric Hospital in Portsmouth, VA. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Baxter is a former president of ASAM.