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August 13, 2025 44 mins

In this episode of Grieving Out Loud, we sit down for a one-on-one conversation with a man who’s spent decades on the front lines of the United States' battle against illicit drugs and overdose deaths. Derek Maltz, who recently served as acting administrator of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), built a nearly 30-year career as a special agent. He also led the New York Drug Enforcement Task Force—the nation’s oldest and largest.

Maltz opens up about why the fentanyl crisis has become so personal to him, what he believes must happen to stop the mass poisoning of Americans, and the critical missteps that have allowed the epidemic to grow.

Listen to Episode 120 of Grieving Out Loud with April Babcock: https://emilyshope.charity/episode/april-babcock/

If you enjoyed this episode, you may like this one with Art Kleinschmidt, the former Deputy Director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy: https://emilyshope.charity/episode/arthur-kleinschmidt/

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Behind every number is a story of a life cut short, a family shattered, and a community devastated.

They were...

  • daughters
  • sons
  • mothers
  • fathers
  • friends
  • wives
  • husbands
  • cousins
  • boyfriends
  • girlfriends.

They were More Than Just A Number

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For more episodes and information, just go to our website, emilyshope.charity
Wishing you faith, hope and courage!

Podcast producers:
Casey Wonnenberg King & Kayli Fitz



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