OPINION –
September 29, 2019 – How we talk about addiction and substance use matters. It affects our understanding of these conditions and how we view people who have them. Language like “junkies” and “drunks” not only connotes a certain type of extreme that’s not true for everyone who has a substance use disorder, but it’s also stigmatizing. This is why, in 2017, the Associated Press recommended eliminating certain words on this subject and replacing them with more accurate, less stigmatizing ones.
