Publishing Platform for Addicts Launched, Attracts Thousands of Visitors

LOS ANGELES - July 2, 2015 - PRLog -- TheRealEdition.com, a new online community for those suffering and recovering from addiction, went live last week, attracting 10,000 visits in its first nine days online. The platform allows users to create profiles, publish stories, and network with other users.

According to the National Institute of Drug Abuse, “In 2013, an estimated 24.6 million Americans aged 12 or older—9.4 percent of the population—had used an illicit drug in the past month.” The Real Edition aims to bring stories of addiction to the mainstream, spreading awareness and breaking the stigma surrounding drug abuse.

The Real Edition features categories across the recovery spectrum including news, opinion, personal narratives, and science and tech. The mission of The Real Edition is to bring addiction into the open so it can be understood, analyzed, and addressed. Writers of all levels are encouraged to submit their story.

The recovery community is “custom-built for dialogue, discussion, debate, and education. For some reason there’s a void online that nobody’s been able to fill,” says Creative Director Jason Smith.

The Real Edition uses a proprietary algorithm that rates articles based on page views, number of reads, as well as recommendations so that even unknown and inexperienced writers have the opportunity to make the front page. “We our providing a platform that is inherently democratic,” says Creator Matt Mendoza.

To achieve their mission of spreading the word about addiction, the editors routinely select stories for paid and organic marketing rewards. Writers also have the opporunity to win weekly and monthly cash prizes up to $250.

THE REAL EDITION is currently accepting submissions. Users may create a profile at TheRealEdition.com/login. Visit the website TheRealEdition.com, Twitter @therealedition (http://twitter.com/therealedition), and Facebook at http://facebook.com/therealedition.


MATT MENDOZA, creator of The Real Edition, earned his Bachelors in Business from the University of California, Irvine. He is a two-time entrepreneur, having sold two companies in the medical and tech fields.

JASON SMITH is a graduate of the University of California, Davis, whose work has been published extensively in both online and print media. His memoir, The Bitter Taste of Dying, will be released by Thought Catalog on July 6th, 2015.