In Case You Haven't Heard…

Abstract

The most recent NSDUH (see story, page 4) found that almost as many people use stimulants as use opioids. Yet the federal government still imposes a $75 limit on payment for contingency management — the only treatment proven to work for stimulant use disorders — if the payment is high enough (see https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/adaw.33437). Seventy‐five dollars is not high enough to keep someone who is addicted to stimulants from using them. So it's significant that providers, like the American Society of Addiction Medicine, are taking notice. The organization recently — but before the NSDUH was released — signed on to a letter to the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy requesting a change in this policy. For the letter, go to https://sitefinitystorage.blob.core.windows.net/sitefinity‐production‐blobs/docs/default‐source/advocacy/letters‐and‐comments/letter‐to‐ondcp‐on‐contingency‐management‐policy‐barriers.pdf?sfvrsn=a84585e6_7/Letter‐to‐ONDCP‐on‐Contingency‐Management‐Policy‐Barriers.pdf). What is the government waiting for, another drug crisis? If so, it's already here. Time to act.