Desert Hope Director of Nursing Interviewed on Growing Methamphetamine Issues in Southern Nevada

Desert Hope Director of Nursing, Jonathan Sprecher, and counselor Stacy Ledesma, were interviewed by Las Vegas’ NBC affiliate KSNV about the growing issue of methamphetamine use and overdose deaths throughout the state. According tot he Assistant Special Agent in Charge for the Las Vegas District Office of the DEA, more than twice as many people have overdosed from methamphetamine than fentanyl in the last three years.

“Methamphetamines have a pretty short addiction window,” said Sprecher. “It’s one, two times and the brain starts screaming for it.”

Ledesma understands this first-hand as she is in long-term recovery from methamphetamine use. Because of her personal experience, she often shares with patients just how she lives her life in recovery.

“I look at it like this, either I’m working on my recovery or I’m working towards relapse,” she says. “There’s no being complacent. I learned my addiction is right outside and it’s running laps and it’s doing pushups and it’s just waiting for that moment to sneak back in my life.”

To view the interview, visit KSNV.