Indiana ranks among the worst states nationally when it comes to opioid use disorder – with drug overdoses in 2014 claiming more than 1,100 lives and costing the state $1.4 billion. But this year, we also may be one of the best positioned places to tackle the opioid epidemic by addressing its root causes and changing the way our state helps people overcome addiction. Two recent developments – one at the state level and one in Indianapolis – signal the momentum for addressing the challenge: In January, Republican Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb created a cabinet-level position charged with addressing Indiana’s drug epidemic, underscoring the urgency of the problem. Democratic Mayor […]

Claire Fiddian-Green is the President & CEO of the Richard M. Fairbanks Foundation. “Abusers.” “Reckless criminals.” These are the words of one pharmaceutical executive to describe the hundreds of thousands of Americans with opioid use disorder, uncovered in a wave of litigation facing the nation’s leading drug makers and sellers for their contributions to the opioid crisis. As these investigations bring more information to light, they are sure to change the way Americans think about the opioid epidemic. That’s good news. For too long, the stigma surrounding opioid use disorder has been a barrier to adopting public policies that treat the disease of addiction and prevent drug overdoses and death. Reluctance […]