Surgeon general says opioid crisis requires fight against stigma



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In a new comprehensive report on the opioid crisis, the US surgeon general writes that stigma remains a major barrier to treatment and advocates a more supportive approach for those in need.

Surgeon General Jerome Adams wrote in his Spotlight on opioids report that stigma has prevented people with opioid-related disorders from seeking treatment.

"The way our society perceives and regulates opioid-related disorders needs to change," Adams wrote. "The individual life and health of our nation depend on it."

The report released Thursday suggests that people are supportive, not critical, if a loved one has a problem.

Adams with Jody Jaggers, director of the Kentucky Pharmacy Emergency Preparedness Program.

Communities can help fight the epidemic by raising awareness of substance use as a public health problem.

It recommends that educators teach up-to-date scientific information on substance use disorders as medical conditions.

This follows a study by researchers from University of Pennsylvania In August, it was found that people had a negative bias towards those who were referred to as "addicts" or abusers. support for those seeking help.

The surgeon general's report also provided a comprehensive overview of information regarding the opioid crisis. This included current scientific evidence on the causes of addiction, the latest on recovery and an overview of available treatments for disorders related to opioid use.

Adams has visited the Ohio Valley many times since he has given priority to the opioid crisis. He emphasized the importance of taking the overdose medicine, naloxone, on a trip to Florence, Kentucky. He also rented Huntington, West Virginia, for the progress made in the fight against the epidemic during a visit to the most affected cities.

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