Dr. Ronda Chakolis

Well, that's a tough act to follow, and I mean, I will just say this. Just seeing Dr. Newsome, right, and I think it's because of people like her, I know I can. She's had a lifelong commitment to the profession of pharmacy, but she's also very available and approachable, and then just her demeanor, right? We talk about this level of stress and burnout and even perspective, right?

Well, that's a tough act to follow, and I mean, I will just say this. Just seeing Dr. Newsome, right, and I think it's because of people like her, I know I can. She's had a lifelong commitment to the profession of pharmacy, but she's also very available and approachable, and then just her demeanor, right? We talk about this level of stress and burnout and even perspective, right?

To maintain a perspective one day at a time, one encounter at a time. But as you know, my passion is really about creating systematic change and really arming people. And I will never say build empowering. I won't say I'm going to give you the power, but really about increasing the knowledge base and capacity of community members so that they can advocate for themselves.

To maintain a perspective one day at a time, one encounter at a time. But as you know, my passion is really about creating systematic change and really arming people. And I will never say build empowering. I won't say I'm going to give you the power, but really about increasing the knowledge base and capacity of community members so that they can advocate for themselves.

Like we've all sat here and talked about a variety of things like the changes in reimbursement, you know, pharmacist burnout, practitioner burnout, community burnout. And then now we throw in there some blockbuster drugs and changes and how do we navigate? that. And so that is the change that I like to be a part of.

Like we've all sat here and talked about a variety of things like the changes in reimbursement, you know, pharmacist burnout, practitioner burnout, community burnout. And then now we throw in there some blockbuster drugs and changes and how do we navigate? that. And so that is the change that I like to be a part of.

And much like Dr. Newsome, I am very, very much enjoying all aspects of my career, be it from being in the actual pharmacy to hosting community forums to just talking to people on the corner or even being involved in clinical trials. I am really living my dream and I want to use my gifts to make a positive change.

And much like Dr. Newsome, I am very, very much enjoying all aspects of my career, be it from being in the actual pharmacy to hosting community forums to just talking to people on the corner or even being involved in clinical trials. I am really living my dream and I want to use my gifts to make a positive change.

I'm fantastic and amazing. Thank you for having me. It's an honor and privilege to be here. I do want to say, like my disclaimer, like my views don't necessarily represent the board as a collective. However, I'm very passionate about public health and in particular harm reduction. So thank you for having me today. Yes, yes.

I'm fantastic and amazing. Thank you for having me. It's an honor and privilege to be here. I do want to say, like my disclaimer, like my views don't necessarily represent the board as a collective. However, I'm very passionate about public health and in particular harm reduction. So thank you for having me today. Yes, yes.

I think I'll let you introduce our guests or just let them introduce ourselves. I think it'd be important to really talk about how we got here or how I got here. Roughly a year ago, a gentleman by the name of Eddie, who will introduce himself, came to the Minnesota Board of Pharmacy and discussed the importance of changing the laws and what pharmacists do for syringes.

I think I'll let you introduce our guests or just let them introduce ourselves. I think it'd be important to really talk about how we got here or how I got here. Roughly a year ago, a gentleman by the name of Eddie, who will introduce himself, came to the Minnesota Board of Pharmacy and discussed the importance of changing the laws and what pharmacists do for syringes.

So we'll get into that later, but I will turn the mic over to Eddie.

So we'll get into that later, but I will turn the mic over to Eddie.

Well, thank you for having me. And so I, again, would like to kind of talk about how the Minnesota Board or how my experience came into be with this particular topic. I have a very, very large family. I grew up with people, even though we were rooted in the church, people who had substance abuse issue, heroin issues. I learned very early on that if you wanted to hide the tracks from

Well, thank you for having me. And so I, again, would like to kind of talk about how the Minnesota Board or how my experience came into be with this particular topic. I have a very, very large family. I grew up with people, even though we were rooted in the church, people who had substance abuse issue, heroin issues. I learned very early on that if you wanted to hide the tracks from

people you could shoot in between your fingers and toes. And so I saw firsthand what the stigma and criminalization of substance use did to my family, did to my community. And fast forward, I had the opportunity to hear very compelling testimony that Eddie provided to the Minnesota Board of Pharmacy about what we were doing here.

people you could shoot in between your fingers and toes. And so I saw firsthand what the stigma and criminalization of substance use did to my family, did to my community. And fast forward, I had the opportunity to hear very compelling testimony that Eddie provided to the Minnesota Board of Pharmacy about what we were doing here.

Before this act, pharmacists were able to sell 10 syringes, but a lot of stigma was surrounding that. I saw when BIPOC people would come into the pharmacy, they would be shamed. Sometimes they would be turned away. with nothing to turn to.

Before this act, pharmacists were able to sell 10 syringes, but a lot of stigma was surrounding that. I saw when BIPOC people would come into the pharmacy, they would be shamed. Sometimes they would be turned away. with nothing to turn to.