ADDICTS’ LIVES MATTER –

Sept. 17, 2021 – The United States is at a pivotal moment in its fight against drug overdose, with over 93,000 Americans having lost their lives to fatal drug overdose last year alone, making 2020 the worst year on record.

In an article for The Conversation, Emily Campbell, visiting assistant professor of sociology at Holy Cross, analyzes the roots and ramifications of the overdose crisis in this country, an issue she has been studying since 2016.

According to Campbell, today’s overdose epidemic is fueled by the implementation of policies that are not based on research, which often worsens the dangerous environment for people who use drugs and makes it harder for them to seek treatment.

“I’ve found that people often describe drug use as a battle between sobriety and death,” says Campbell. “But the heartbreaking surge in accidental, fatal overdose deaths tells a much more complex story. Ignoring the evidence will surely cost many more lives.

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