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
Legality of Expired Naloxone in Idaho
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Seven Policies that Advance Overdose Prevention and the Health of People Who Use Drugs
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Federal Actions and Their Impact on Harm Reduction, Public Health Emergencies, and Climate Change: A Preview of the 2025 Public Health Law Conference
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Grief, Loss, and the Gaps in Support Across Public Health
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Understanding and Implementing Updates to 42 CFR Part 2, Confidentiality of Substance Use Disorder Patient Records
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Naloxone Prescription Mandates
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Legality of Drug Checking Equipment in the United States
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Supplantation in the Context of Opioid Settlement Funds
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Policies in Schools to Reduce Overdose and Other Drug-related Harm
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Healthcare Policies to Reduce Overdose and Other Drug-related Harm
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Criminal and Legal Policies to Reduce Overdose and Other Drug-related Harm
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Community-Based Policies to Reduce Overdose and Other Drug-related Harm
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Spotlight
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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Drug Checking is Effective: More States Should Stop Criminalizing It
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