On Second Thought For Monday, June 19, 2017

Natural Hair, AthFest, Juneteenth, and Drug Overdoses

Up first, when you go into a hair salon or a cosmetics store, how much do you know about the products used on your skin or your hair? A recent study says there are dangerous chemicals in some of these products, particularly those marketed to black women. That study comes from the non-profit Environmental Working Group. Nneka Leiba is the group’s Deputy Director of Research.  She joins us with journalist A'Lelia Bundles and Atlanta hair stylist Latasha Gray.

Then, it was June 19, 1865 when slaves in Texas were told they were free. That's more than two years after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation. The anniversary of that day is called Juneteenth. Last year, Oakland Cemetery in Atlanta marked Juneteenth with a tour of many of its historic African-American gravesites. "On Second Thought" producer Sean Powers went along for that and to learn how the cemetery is working to identify who occupied many of these unmarked graves.

Next, all this week we get additions to the essential Georgia playlist from musicians playing at AthFest over the weekend, June 24-25. Athens band Five Eight is one staple in the town’s music scene. The group has performed with R.E.M., Pylon, and The Ramones. Frontman Mike Mantione adds two songs to our essential Georgia Playlist, including picks from The Glands and Vic Chesnutt.

Lastly, a cluster of drug overdoses were reported earlier this month across Middle Georgia within a 48-hour window. As of last week, 30 overall cases and five deaths have been reported. Investigators believe a potent drug disguised as Percocet made its way across the region. We discuss the growing drug addiction crisis with Chris Hendry, Chief Medical Officer of Navicent Health. Also Shannon Gordon, CEO of River Edge Behavioral Health Center in Macon; and writer and neuroscientist Marc Lewis.