Substance Use Prevention and Harm Reduction
The national opioid epidemic began with widespread addiction to, and misuse of prescription painkillers. More recently, illegal drugs such as heroin and illicitly manufactured fentanyl are responsible for a majority of fatal overdoses. As well, a growing number of states are legalizing marijuana, still considered an illicit drug at the federal level, for medical and adult recreational use. Law and policy can help or hinder harm reduction and overdose prevention measures.
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Resources
Harm Reduction Policy in Practice
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Opioid-related Public Health Emergency Declarations
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Key Public Health Initiatives: A Year in Review
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Indian Health Service and Military Medical Prescription Drug Monitoring Program Requirements
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Litigation Against Opioid Manufacturers: Lessons from the Tobacco Wars
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Fatal Overdose Review Panels
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Declared States of Emergency – Opioid Crisis
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Overdose Reporting Requirements
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Mandatory Drug Stewardship Programs
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Legal Interventions to Increase Access to Naloxone in Colorado
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Spotlight
State Laws in Support of Drug Checking Programs Can Help Reduce Overdose
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To Address Overdose, The U.S. Should Ramp Up Proven Interventions at Home, Not Performative Attacks Abroad.
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Paying People to Refrain from Drug Use Works. Recent Policy Changes Have Eased the Legal Barriers to this Promising Practice.
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