The Stigma of Addiction

There is a stigma which many assign to drug addicts, even long after they have overcome their addiction. Tony discusses how his first time smoking marijuana led to his eventual drug addiction, homelessness, prison, and finally redemption. Tony Hoffman is the Founder and Director of The Freewheel Project, a non-profit organization that mentors thousands of youth through action sports: BMX, skateboarding and after-school programs. After paroling prison on December 13, 2008, he started living out his dream, with his addiction behind him. Tony is a Former BMX Elite Pro and placed 2nd at the 2016 World Championships in Medellin Colombia in the Masters Pro class.

Tony has dedicated his life to bringing awareness around the country by describing the dangers of prescription pills and heroin, as well as advocating a shift in thinking towards current addiction-recovery processes. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community.