stigma

My Dad Quit Cigarettes in 1984. To Doctors, He Was Always a “Smoker.”

Last month, my father died. I miss him deeply, and I always will. He was nearly 84. Married for over…

July 15, 2025

“They Just Dropped Me”—When Drug-Related Stigma Replaces Pain Care

When Phillip lost motor control on one side of his body, I had only just met him. It was April…

July 14, 2025

Secret Shoppers Struggle to Buy Naloxone, Syringes at Texas Pharmacies

Since the Food and Drug Administration approved over-the-counter (OTC) naloxone in 2023, pharmacies nationwide have stocked their shelves with the…

March 25, 2025

EU Call to Ban Public Vaping Could Increase Smoking, Advocates Say

The European Commission, the executive arm of the European Union, is calling for member states to treat safer nicotine products…

September 25, 2024

Obituaries Experiment Highlights Stigma Against Overdose Victims

Stigma is a powerful force working against the health and safety of people who use drugs. It reduces medical care…

September 10, 2024

Child Drug Exposure Cases, and the Vilification of Parents Who Use Drugs

The woman, flanked by detectives in the video, hangs her head as they cuff her. “It never should have happened,”…

July 22, 2024

A Mother’s Day Dream, After Losing My Daughter to Fentanyl Overdose

Ordinarily, my wish for Mother’s Day would be to spend a bit of time with my children. Not a lot…

May 10, 2024

“Cannamoms” Find Community Can Overcome Stigma

Almost nobody in Ashley’s* life knows that she uses cannabis to help cope with her anxiety as a mother. She’s…

January 10, 2024

UK Medical Cannabis Access Beset With Social and Systemic Barriers

While a number of countries have been taking recent steps toward legalizing cannabis, the United Kingdom lags behind. Unlike in…

January 8, 2024

Organ Transplants: Why People Who Use Drugs Rarely Get Them

The perception is widespread: If you have a history of drug use, your chances of a transplant for a failing…

December 22, 2023