Emerging Drug Trends: A DEA Perspective with Richard Grosfelt

In this episode of the Tall Cop Boots on the Ground™ Podcast, Tall Cop Jermaine Galloway sits down with Nigel Wrangham to talk about his purpose: helping young people prevent substance use, build confidence, and become empowered leaders in their communities. Nigel shares how he works with youth to create practical strategies, equip them to support their peers, build positive social norms, and develop the next generation of advocates. The conversation also takes a deeper look at substance use disorder and the importance of understanding the person behind the behavior. From the outside, it can be easy to see what someone is doing wrong, but understanding why substance use can feel as essential as eating or breathing can change the way we respond. For someone struggling, use may feel like survival. Jermaine and Nigel also discuss the importance of accountability, support, and consequences and why all three can play a role in helping someone move toward change and recovery.

In this episode of the Boots on the Ground™ Podcast, Tall Cop Jermaine Galloway talks with Mitch Prager of Soberman’s Estate in Arizona about the realities of addiction, treatment, and recovery. They explore why treatment works, the challenges individuals face when battling substance use disorder, and the importance of taking responsibility for recovery while treating addiction as a disease.Jermaine and Mitch also discuss what separates a quality treatment center from the rest, including the tools, strategies, and individualized approaches that can help someone move forward one day at a time. Most importantly, they examine the impact of recovery and an important question for communities everywhere: What happens when we focus on treatment and recovery instead of incarceration?

What can we learn by looking at AI through the same lens we use to understand substance use? In the latest Boots on the Ground™ Podcast, Tall Cop Jermaine Galloway sits down with Ben Gillenwater of Family IT Guy and Tall Cop Speakers Network Expert for a timely conversation about artificial intelligence, one of the fastest-changing influences in the lives of today’s youth. They explore what parents need to understand about AI, what healthy and appropriate AI use looks like, and how technology companies use algorithms designed to keep users engaged and returning.

Join Tall Cop as he breaks down findings from his latest Texas drug trend scan and what it signals for the rest of the country in 2026. This episode explores emerging and resurging substances including Kava, Kratom, THCA, Nitrous Oxide, Phenibut, Ashwagandha, and over-the-counter medications, and why they’re gaining traction in communities and schools. Tall Cop connects the dots between what’s currently on the streets and what’s likely coming next, while also examining how new laws are impacting enforcement, regulation, and the ongoing challenge for states and local agencies trying to keep up.

In this episode, Tall Cop Jermaine Galloway dives into the rapidly shifting landscape of kratom regulation across the United States. As more states, cities, and counties begin examining restrictions and outright bans, the conversation around kratom is changing fast. Tall Cop breaks down what drives these policy decisions, where regulations are emerging, and the growing concern surrounding 7-Hydroxymitragynine (7-Hydroxy) a powerful compound increasingly appearing in kratom products. Why should educators, communities, prevention professionals, and law enforcement pay attention? Because the kratom market is evolving quickly, and understanding these trends is critical. Buckle up for a fast-moving look at the who, what, where, and why behind the changing tides of kratom and 7-hydroxy regulation.