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May 10, 2022 – The $2 million grant program included in the state budget late last year specifies that the funds can be used to provide only one of the three FDA-approved medications for opioid use disorder. Some addiction experts argue that the favored medication — naltrexone, also known by the brand name Vivitrol — is the least effective of the three. At a time when drug overdose deaths have reached record numbers, medical experts argue that people with opioid addiction need access to all three medications. Having the option to use the medication that works best for an individual improves their chance of recovery and decreases their risk of overdose death. This is particularly relevant for people in jails and prisons, where people have higher rates of substance use disorder. 

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