When David E. Smith, M.D., now age 85, was a shiny new doctor just graduated from UCSF, he launched the first free medical clinic in the United States in San Francisco during the “Summer of Love” (1967). Known to people then (and now) as “Dr. Dave,” Smith’s initial plan was to help some of the tens of thousands of young people flocking to the area for sex, drugs, and rock ‘n' roll, most with little or no money. Some became ill from using hallucinogens and other drugs, and some developed addictions. Others suffered serious health problems, such as sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and other illnesses. The prevailing attitude of the medical establishment, and the community in general, was these people deserved whatever happened to them. Dr. Dave decided somebody needed to step up to take care of their urgent health care needs, and since nobody else was offering, that person would be him.

At first, Smith tried valiantly to obtain funding for his free clinic from the state to treat all these problems in one place, but to no avail. Rock stars and promoters of the time, aware of the kindness of Dr. Dave and his staff, helped fund the clinic, which became known as the Haight Ashbury Free Clinic (HAFC). David Smith was a role model to other physicians and became known as one of the fathers of addiction medicine in the United States, a title of which he is rightfully proud.

He still remembers when doctors were punished for treating people dependent on drugs. It hadn’t occurred to most people then that integrated, whole-person treatment was an option. Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous existed, as did Synanon. That was pretty much it.

Providing no-cost health care in a “Health Care Is a Right” setting was not the clinic’s only key underlying principle in 1967—or now. Instead, a major goal was to offer judgment-free treatment. According to Smith, “The initial approach to addiction at the HAFC drug detoxification program revolved around therapeutic engagement, dealing with patients’ medical and psychiatric issues. The approach emphasized management of the problems that brought them........

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