If you’ve been listening to the podcast lately, you probably heard, perhaps too often, about my upcoming road trip. Over the next few weeks, I’ll be driving around this beautiful country of ours, spending some time with family, meeting with a few of you, and just relaxing and having fun. Why a road trip? Good question. Well. I actually like road trips. My dad was a traveling salesman, so perhaps it comes naturally. I enjoy slowing down and taking the time to tour around and s

Professor C. Heather Ashton passed away on September 15, 2019. This page is dedicated to her memory. Funeral Notice for Prof. Ashton Prof Heather Ashton died peacefully in her sleep at home in South Gosforth shortly before midnight on Sunday 15th September. She lived a long, full, and active life: as a loving wife, mother and homemaker to her much missed husband John and their children John, Caroline, Jim and Andrew (plus family dog Rex, also much missed); as a selfless docto

Tribute Page The Prof. Ashton Tribute Page on Benzo Free is now online. We would love to add more messages to that page so please submit them when you can. You can do this via our feedback form or just comment on this or any other blog post and I will add it to that page. This page will remain a permanent part of the Benzo Free website and I hope it will continue to grow with heart-warming messages for the Professor and her family. Request for Privacy I also want to make a pe

I just received some very sad news today from the Ashton family. Professor C. Heather Ashton passed away just before midnight on Sunday, September 15, 2019. Her transition was peaceful and she is now at rest. Her family has requested privacy during this time so they can mourn in peace. Instead of contacting them directly, they would prefer messages to be directed toward online tributes instead. I will launch a tribute page for Prof. Ashton on the Benzo Free website in the nex

Hello friends… it’s been a while. I’ve had a few people ask about the Benzo Free Blog recently. Most of them were wondering if it will return. I must admit, I’ve had similar questions myself. While the podcast has been going strong and gaining listeners each month, the blog appears to be mostly…well…dead. The fact is, the rumors of the death of our blog are a bit premature. Yes, it has been over two months since I posted a new article. And yes, that is a very long time in Int

Happy World Benzodiazepine Awareness Day!!! First off, I hope that this message finds you in good health today. I just want to wish everyone a symptom-free day today, and while we’re at it, every day after that. There is a lot going on that you might want to pay attention to today, including the “World Benzodiazepine Awareness Day Goes LIVE“ event starting at 8:oo am Eastern Standard Time U.S. There are eight presentations throughout the day including my Q&A at 12:00pm EST. P

There is an exciting event coming up this Thursday. As many of you know, July 11th is “World Benzodiazepine Awareness Day.” This is the day those of us in the benzo community raise awareness by handing out pamphlets, sharing our stories, attending events, and celebrating the birthday of Professor C. Heather Ashton. And, this year, there’s a brand new addition. W-BAD just announced, “World Benzodiazepine Awareness Day goes LIVE.” This is a full day of presentations, live Q&As,

In a recent article in CNN travel, “Sleeping pills and planes: Embarrassing tales from 35,000 feet,” by Sandee LaMotte, the author tells the story of passengers who take Ambien, or other sedatives, on long flights, and behave in bizarre and sometimes dangerous ways. These behaviors can include sleepwalking, childlike behavior, disrobing, fondling other passengers, becoming aggressive, and even urinating in the cabin. While the extreme acts are rare, they are becoming more fre

OPINION The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) approved a new drug in March 2019 to treat postpartum depression. The drug’s name is brexanolone, and it is marketed as Zulressso by Sage Therapeutics. On June 17, 2019. the DEA placed brexanolone on Schedule IV of the Controlled Substances Act, the same schedule as benzodiazepines. The reasons for this action included the risk of extreme sedation and sudden loss of consciousness, which can be lethal in some cases. Simila