Corey Davis

Opioid overdose is reversible through the timely administration of the medication naloxone and, where needed, the provision of other emergency care. In an attempt to reverse this epidemic of preventable overdose deaths, every state and the District of Columbia have modified their laws to increase access to naloxone, the standard first-line treatment for opioid overdose.

Although government agencies, nonprofit organizations, clinicians, and advocates have made great strides in reducing harm from substance use, they are often hindered by laws and policies that reflect an outdated, punitive-focused approach to drugs and individuals who use them. Attend this webinar to learn about jail diversion and access to treatment, legal aid, naloxone distribution, and other critical programs and policies to help people with substance use disorder. Continuing legal education credits will be offered with this webinar.

Syringe service programs (SSP) are places where people who inject drugs (PWID) can receive new syringes and other injection equipment and drop off used supplies. They typically also provide other harm reduction and health promotion services including referrals to treatment, hepatitis C and HIV testing, the overdose reversal medication naloxone, and other related services. Nevertheless, SSPs are controversial due to stigma around PWID and many states prohibit the use of state funds for the operation of SSPs.

Supervised consumption spaces (SCS) allow people who use drugs to consume those drugs in a controlled setting, under supervision. SCS provide safe injecting equipment and other health supplies and, in most cases, also provide services including medical care, counseling, and referrals to drug treatment. While many states have taken steps towards authorizing or implementing SCS, the federal government has taken a strong stance against them.

To address the legal and policy barriers that hamper the establishment and expansion of evidence-based harm reduction measures, the Network for Public Health Law has launched the Harm Reduction Legal Project with support from Arnold Ventures.

The United States is experiencing a crisis of maternal morbidity and mortality. Sixty percent of the roughly 700 deaths from pregnancy-related complications each year are considered preventable. In response, lawmakers have introduced a host of legislation aimed at improving maternal health and reducing the maternal mortality rate, particularly among those groups that are disproportionately impacted, including black and Hispanic mothers.

The increase in drug-related harm that began over two decades ago continues to impact individuals and communities across the country. Partly due to this unprecedented and continuing rise in overdose-related harm, states and communities have taken a number of legal and policy steps to improve access to prevention and treatment. This post provides a few highlights, in no particular order.

This resource explores how Ohio's naloxone access and Good Samaritan laws differ from those in most other states, and in ways that may make them less easy to communicate and possibly less effective.

This webinar will examine the population health consequences of lack of sanitation and hygiene access on PEH, highlighting legal, policy, and community strategies that promote access to essential services.

Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs (PDMPs) are state-run databases that collect information on specified medications at the point of dispensing. The data is available to medical professionals and others, as permitted by relevant law. PDMPs can help clinicians improve decisions regarding opioid prescribing.

Dozens of state, local, and tribal governments have sued opioid pain reliever manufacturers for their alleged role in fueling the opioid overdose epidemic, and 41 state attorneys general are investigating potential unlawful sales and marketing practices by these manufacturers. Although these investigations and lawsuits appear similar to those against the tobacco industry during the 1990s, states should mindful of the important ways in which they differ.

This resource examines Indiana's combined naloxone access and overdose Good Samaritan law, and how it differs from those in other states.