Pubdate: Sun, 08 Sep 2019
Source: New York Times (NY)
Copyright: 2019 The New York Times Company
Website: http://www.nytimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/298
Author: Howard Josepher
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v19/n017/a02.html
Note: Headline by newshawk

RECOVERING ADDICTS COULD BE USEFUL IN THIS FIGHT

I want to thank Nicholas Kristof for bringing our attention to the
successful way Seattle's Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion program is
addressing the interplay of drug addiction and the law. I support his
call for more "evidence-based public health interventions." At
Exponents, we also invest in evidence-based practices that employ
recovering individuals and those with the lived experience of addiction.

Recovering addicts, especially those who have benefited from a
particular treatment or process, have great value in engaging and
helping an active addict. Medication-assisted treatments are
effective, but the recovering community is an underutilized asset in
our efforts to bring this opiate epidemic under control.

Howard Josepher

New York

The writer is co-founder and chief clinical officer of Exponents, an
organization dedicated to improving the quality of life of people
affected by drug addiction, incarceration and H.I.V./AIDS.
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MAP posted-by: Matt