“There is no easy solution to the problem of stigma associated with drug addiction and its treatment…”
—Institute of Medicine
It is because of stigma that:
- Some people don’t get treatment.
- Some doctors won’t treat addicts.
- Some pharmaceutical companies won’t work toward developing new treatments for addicts.
“…The sense of stigma is most likely to diminish as a result of public education and broader acceptance of addiction as a treatable disease.”
—Institute of Medicine