Saving a Generation Through Brain Science – Dr. Judith Grisel, Professor | Bucknell University

In this powerful and deeply human talk, neuroscientist and bestselling author Dr. Judith Grisel explains why addiction is not a moral failure but a predictable consequence of how the adolescent brain learns, adapts, and seeks meaning. Drawing on her own journey from teenage substance use to 39 years in recovery and a career decoding the neuroscience of addiction, she shows how modern environments—high-potency substances, instant digital stimulation, and rising youth anxiety—overwhelm systems designed for exploration, not constant reward. Dr. Grisel explains how dopamine, endocannabinoids, and neural opponent processes shape value, motivation, and vulnerability—and why early, repeated exposure during adolescence rewires the cortex in ways that blunt curiosity, purpose, and resilience. Yet the message is ultimately hopeful: with accurate science delivered where young people actually listen—peer-to-peer, on social platforms—societies can meaningfully reduce addiction, restore agency, and preserve a generation’s capacity to flourish. Her nonprofit initiative, True Drugs, translates cutting-edge research into accessible content for teens, empowering them not with fear, but with understanding.

About the speaker:
Dr. Judy Grisel is a behavioral neuroscientist at Bucknell University specializing in addiction’s neural mechanisms. Formerly addicted, she turned recovery into a scientific career, becoming an internationally recognized expert and bestselling author. Through research and initiatives like TrueWeed.org, she advances evidence-based approaches and youth-focused education on addictive substances.