U.S. Surgeon General and White House Director of National Drug Control Policy to Join Over 650 Diverse Organizations in a Coalition Effort to Mark "The Day the Silence End at the UNITE to Face Addiction Rally
Additional Special Guests Just Announced Include Doctor Mehmet Oz, The Cast and Co-Creator of TV Show Mom – Allison Janney, and Chuck Lorre – and Many More
Event to Feature All-Star Musical Performances by Joe Walsh, Steven Tyler with his Nashville-based band, Loving Mary, Sheryl Crow, Jason Isbell, The Fray, and John Rzeznik of the Goo Goo Dolls
"The Day the Silence Ends" will feature powerful remarks from celebrities, public officials and advocates, including U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek H. Murthy, Director of National Drug Control Policy at the White House Michael Botticelli, Dr. Mehmet Oz, The Cast and Co-Creator of TV Show Mom – Allison Janney, and Chuck Lorre – Darryl Strawberry, Patrick Kennedy, Alex Newell, Chris Herren, Pat O'Brien, William Cope Moyers, Christopher Kennedy Lawford, Tara Conner, Dr. David Satcher, Governor Bill Weld, Chef Natalie Young, Councilwoman Rosie Mendez, Richie Supa, Elisa Hallerman, members of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), and Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and several others.
Joe Walsh, Steven Tyler with his Nashville-based band, Loving Mary, Sheryl Crow, Jason Isbell, The Fray, and John Rzeznik of the Goo Goo Dolls will join these speakers on stage at UNITE for moving musical performances.
"We live in a time when addiction touches every segment of our society – our friends, loved ones, and our communities," said Dr. Vivek H. Murthy, U.S. Surgeon General. "We need to stop treating addiction as a moral failing, and start seeing it for what it is: a chronic disease that must be treated with urgency and compassion."
"Those of us who have lost loved ones and those of us in in recovery from substance use disorders must speak up and tell our stories," said Director Botticelli, who has been in recovery from a substance use disorder for more than 26 years. "By putting faces and voices to the disease of addiction and the promise of recovery, we can challenge the stereotypes and misperceptions that still keep too many people from getting the help they need."
"On behalf of myself and everyone associated with Mom I want to say how proud we are to participate in this ground-breaking event," said Chuck Lorre, co-creator and executive producer of Mom. "Since our first episode three years ago, our goal has been to highlight a simple fact - that there is laughter, joy and camaraderie in recovery from alcoholism and drug addiction. It is not a lonely and glum process."
"Addiction affects people everywhere, regardless of political viewpoints, socioeconomic status, religion, sexual orientation, race or geographic location," said Greg Williams, co-founder of Facing Addiction. "The coalition coming together for this historic event is made up of diverse groups from across the country – from church councils to LGBT support groups and youth-focused organizations to labor unions. Though all of these groups vary in scope, size and purpose, they all have one thing in common. Together we are uniting to face addiction and end the silence, once and for all."
