This American Life: The Call

A phone call to the Never Use Alone hotline and its aftermath reveals the complexities of addiction and harm reduction. The story centers on Kimber, who overdoses while using the hotline, and Jessie, the nurse on the other end of the line, and Stephen, the paramedic who revives Kimber. Never Use Alone, an organization founded by drug users, aims to prevent fatal overdoses by providing a non-judgmental support line. Stephen's past struggles with addiction inform his harm reduction approach as a paramedic, while Jessie's experiences with her daughter's addiction shape her work on the hotline. Kimber's journey to sobriety highlights the challenges of recovery and the importance of community support.