Skip to main content
| Hans-Günter Meyer-Thompson | International

USA. Fewer than half of U.S. jails provide life-saving medications for opioid use disorder 

USA. Fewer than half of U.S. jails provide life-saving medications for opioid use disorder 

NIH findings highlight critical gaps in treatment access in correctional facilities, where almost two-thirds of people have a substance use disorder 

A new look into addiction treatment availability in the U.S. criminal justice system reveals that fewer than half (43.8%) of 1,028 jails surveyed across the nation offered any form of medication for opioid use disorder, and only 12.8% made these available to anyone with the disorder. With two-thirds of people who are incarcerated in U.S. jails experiencing a substance use disorder – in many cases, an opioid use disorder – the failure to make these medications widely available in criminal justice settings represents a significant missed opportunity to provide life-saving treatments in an environment where people in need of care can be easily reached. (NIH-NIDA, USA, 24.09.2024)

https://nida.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/2024/09/fewer-than-half-of-us-jails-provide-life-saving-medications-for-opioid-use-disorder