End Substance Use Disorder Praises U.S. Department of Justice for Protecting Rights of People with Opioid Use Disorder

Today, the U.S. Department of Justice issued guidance on protecting people with opioid use disorder from discrimination under the Americans with Disabilities Act. End Substance Use Disorder released the following statement:

“Opioid use disorder is a medical condition. Every person with opioid use disorder should have access to the care they need to be well without facing stigma or discrimination,” said Erin Schanning, president of End Substance Use Disorder. “But too often, people who are trying to access treatment or stay in recovery are prohibited from taking the medications their doctors have prescribed to them to stay healthy and safe from overdoses. This discrimination is costing lives. We applaud the U.S. Department of Justice for holding us all accountable to building a country that supports recovery.”

Medications for opioid use disorder are considered the gold standard of care for the condition. They cut the risk of overdose in half and support long-term recovery. But, people with opioid use disorder who take these medications often face discrimination from treatment facilities, recovery housing, employers, and drug courts. These entities are not only violating federal law that prohibits discrimination against people with opioid use disorder, they are ignoring the evidence that demonstrates that medications for opioid use disorder save lives.

The American with Disabilities Act safeguards people with opioid use disorder who are receiving legitimate treatment. The U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights division is actively enforcing these laws. Read more about the U.S. Department of Justice’s guidance here.

End Substance Use Disorder is committed to ending discrimination against people with substance use disorder. The organization is leading a national campaign to remove a federal law that discriminates against people with opioid use disorder by preventing healthcare providers from prescribing medications for the condition. The bipartisan Mainstreaming Addiction Treatment Act is among the most broadly supported overdose prevention bills in Congress. The legislation will increase access to treatment, reduce stigma, and save lives by making medication for opioid use disorder easier to access.