Marcel Gemme is Drug and Alcohol Treatment Specialist (DATS) and a member of NAADAC, the Association for Addiction Professionals who concentrates on helping families find help for their loved ones. He is the founder and CEO of DRS, which includes Addicted.org and Drugrehab.ca, two websites that have helped thousands of people find treatment for substance use disorder in the United States and Canada. Marcel is also a member of International Society of Substance Use Prevention and Treatment Professionals (ISSUP).
Marcel started as an intake counselor for a drug rehabilitation center in 2000. During his five years as an intake counselor, he helped many addicts get the treatment they needed. He also dealt with the families and friends of those people; he saw first-hand how much strain addiction puts on a family and how it can tear relationships apart. With drug and alcohol problems constantly on the rise in the United States and Canada, he decided to use the Internet to educate and help many more people in both countries.
For the past 17 years, Marcel has been working with his family and other addiction professionals to build two of the largest substance use resource websites in the U.S. and Canada. These websites help millions of people each year by providing listings for every type of drug rehab service available in the country. To complement this, Marcel is constantly writing helpful tips and providing resources to keep individuals updated with the ever-evolving subject of addiction recovery. The quality of his work has not gone unnoticed, and the Government of Canada has recently included his Canadian website, Drugrehab.ca, on a short list of country-wide resources for getting help with substance use.
Why Substance Use and Addiction Recovery?
We asked Marcel about his motivations for dedicating his life to helping individuals and their families with substance use issues.
What motivates you to help people with drugs and alcohol?
This is an excellent question. When I was 15, I had a significant adverse change in my life. I started to get bored, and drugs became a solution for me. Until 27, I had used drugs every day for the last seven years, and it almost killed me. I had help and have been sober for over 30 years. From that point, it became my purpose in life to help others so they could have the same chance I had to get help.
Why should people trust you when it comes to the topic of drug rehabilitation?
First, my experience goes beyond books and courses. When I talk to someone with a substance use problem, I fully understand their feelings, thoughts, and urges to use drugs or alcohol since I have experienced it first-hand. For me, you can have read all the books and classes about a subject, but if you did not go in the field, see the devastating destruction of substance use, see someone getting through his demons and get his life back. You cannot understand addiction! I worked at a drug rehab facility for five years with addicts and families as an intake counselor to help people recover their lives. I am also certified by three different organizations in the field of addiction.
What is the most defining personal experience that solidified your purpose?
It started when I was nine years old. I was back from school, and my mom told me that one of my cousins went into my uncle’s baseman and shot himself. Fortunately, he is still alive today. Then she said: “Son, this is what is going to happen if you use drugs.” I was terrified.
So, that was my education about drugs!
I got to age 15, I saw one of my friends smoking pot, and he, for sure, did not want to kill himself. I tried it and thought she did not know what she was talking about. I used drugs for 11 years, and I got to the point where I was using every day for seven years. It was until I achieved sobriety that I realized the effects of lousy drug education. Therefore, we are now building drug education programs for kids and teens. The goal is to create one of North America’s most extensive drug education programs.
If you have any questions for Marcel, you can email him directly at Marcel@addicted.org
Marcel Gemme's Certifications
STAYING INFORMED
The ever-evolving addiction recovery world requires someone to stay up to date with current trends and information constantly. Marcel continues his education in a variety of ways so he can provide the most relevant information to the public.
- He is a Licensed Drug and Alcohol Treatment Specialist graduate with Honours of Stratford Career Institute.
- A certificate from The University of Adelaide for completing a course entitled AddictionX: Managing Addiction: A Framework for Successful Treatment.
- Marcel has also received a certificate from Harvard for completing a course entitled The Opioid Crisis in America.
- Marcel is also an active member of the Association for Addiction Professionals (NAADAC)
Marcel Gemme's Top Guides
Marcel uses his experience to provide helpful information to individuals affected by substance use. He also has guides to help prevent drug and alcohol use.
He has also written a Drug Education Series that is available on Amazon.
Marcel Gemme's Writer Profile
MARCEL GEMME ON THE WEB
Marcel regularly uses his expertise to provide information on drug safety and education. He has helped many websites spread awareness on the issues surrounding substance use.
MARCEL GEMME IN THE NEWS
Marcel regularly contributes to news outlets around the country to further educate the public on the dangers of substance use. From general commentary about the current trends in recovery to hyperlocal pieces that educate specific regions, his journalism helps people stay informed about risks relevant to them.
- Iowa Press Citizen – IA
- Baltimore Post Examiner – MD
- Herald and News – OR
- Fairfax County Times – VA
- Miami Valle Today – OH
- The Equity
- News Press – FL
- Times Record – AR
- The Willits News – CA
- Lake Mills Graphic – IA
- Daily Journal – MS
- News Graphic -K.Y.
- The Lincoln Sentinel – KS
- The Republic – IN
- Palm Beach Post – FL
- The Santa Ynes Valley News – CA
- Inland Empire Community News – CA
- The Florida Times Union – FL
- Sit News – AK
- Santa Marie Times – CA
- Ther Garden Island – HI
- Hutchinson Leader – MN
- San Diego Downtown News – CA
- Mount Desert Islander – ME
- The Trinity Journal – CA
- The Picton Gazette
- Huron County View – MI
- Daily Journal Online – MO
- The Salem News – M.A.
- L’Observateur – LA
- The Bay Area Reporter – CA
- The Delta News Web – AK
- Sacramento News & Review – CA
- Calhoun Times – GA
- Herald-Tribune – FL
OTHER ENDEAVOURS
Marcel also works on a senior care website, Excellent Care Decency & Optimal Living, ECDOL. When Marcel’s mother became older, he saw a lot of similarities between finding proper care for aging adults and finding proper drug rehab. With so many options and misinformation on the subject of senior care, he decided to create a resource for individuals and families to help them make informed decisions.