North Dakota Survey Finds Growing Public Support For Treating Addiction

A survey in North Dakota found growing public support for treating addiction through public health rather than through the criminal system. About 74% of respondents think that Naloxone (a lifesaving opioid reversal medication) should be made available to friends and family members of people with opioid use disorder, and 69% believe that government spending on addiction treatment should be increased. For those with lived experience and professional expertise regarding addiction, about 68% support public health responses to addiction, and just 12% support penalizing policies. In comparison, 53% of non-impacted respondents supported public health responses, and 19% supported penalizing policies . . .