Contributor: Stigma only makes drug use more dangerous

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Until we stop framing all drug use and every overdose as problems of “addiction” and “substance use disorders,” we’ll keep missing the mark on overdose prevention. Historically, overdose was seen as a severe indicator of addiction — but that was never the best way to understand it, given that someone early in their use is potentially at higher risk than someone who uses chronically and has developed a tolerance. The drug supply’s unpredictability has further weakened the link between overdose and chronic use, because anyone — a decades-long habitual user or a first-time dabbler — can overdose on drugs that are more potent than expected or that contain substances such as fentanyl.

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