On this page you can learn about the people involved in World Benzodiazepine Awareness Day (W-BAD).
Who is the Founder?
W-BAD Founder, Wayne Douglas campaigning in Tokyo
Wayne Douglas is responsible for having built the W-BAD platform from the ground up and organizing this global initiative. See Wayne’s profile page to find out more.
He went about establishing W-BAD in the midst of life difficulties, while residing in Japan as an evacuee from the March 11 Fukushima disaster. This was preceded by his own medically induced drug damages as well as the additional damages caused by the injustices of the Japanese courts – the combined effect of which continues to have a deleterious effect on his life.
Such is his belief in this global initiative that most of his time spent on the W-BAD platform has been while on a razor’s edge, borderline homeless and living on the breadline – a situation that continues to this day.
In the following video (15:23 ), you can view Wayne’s public address from July 11, 2016—W-BAD’s inaugural year. Please note that some items in it may be outdated due to the fact that the video was filmed in 2016.
Who is the Chair?
W-BAD Chair, Barry Haslam
The idea for an international day was conceived by retired Chair and seasoned campaigner Barry Haslam, former Chair of Oldham TRANX, when he shared the prospect with Wayne Douglas on 5 November 2015. Introduced to each other through Prof. David Healy, a world-renowned psychiatrist, psycho- pharmacologist, scientist and author, the pair have received messages of support worldwide.
The following video features Barry and Sue Haslam (Barry’s wife) explaining how benzodiazepine drug dependence have impacted their lives and the lives of their 2 daughters. It was filmed in the Haslam home in December 2013 by the Charity, Addiction Dependency Solutions, in Manchester, North of England, a charity which now runs 3 dedicated benzodiazepine withdrawal services and after-care facilities in England (there is nothing like this available in the U.S.). The video is hard hitting, tearful and truthful but gives hope.
In this video, Barry Haslam speaks about W-BAD and how it’s an extension of his 30 years of campaigning in the UK about prescribed benzodiazepine dependence and withdrawal. It was filmed in July 2016 for W-BAD’s inaugural year: (1:43)
Who is on the Team?
The W-BAD team is made up of people representing this global movement for change worldwide. To see who is on the team, please visit the Team Page.
Who Can Participate?
World Benzodiazepine Awareness Day (W-BAD) belongs to the world. Everyone is welcome to participate in whatever way you may wish. If we can all do just a little something, together we can make a huge difference (See Participation Page for ideas).
Victims of benzodiazepines and their families, friends, caregivers, supportive doctors/medical providers as well as other concerned citizens are all welcome to help raise awareness for the sake of change in response to the problem of iatrogenic damages and the needless suffering caused by prescribed dependence to benzodiazepines.
Even Physicians Participate in World Benzodiazepine Awareness Day:
Click on CC for captions in English. To contribute translations of this video in another language, click here.
