TREATMENT AND MEDICATION

Negative media narratives often frame FDA-approved treatments for opioid use disorder, like methadone and buprenorphine, as problematic, contributing to stigma and underuse. In contrast, research supports these medications as the "gold standard of care," reducing overdose risks by over 50% and improving treatment outcomes.

Media reports often claim that fentanyl overdoses are resistant to naloxone, but this is a myth. Naloxone can reverse overdoses involving synthetic opioids, including fentanyl, though timely administration and potentially higher doses are critical for effectiveness.

Media often suggests that increased naloxone access encourages riskier behavior or "Narcan parties," though there is no evidence supporting these claims. In reality, naloxone is a life-saving opioid antagonist endorsed by health authorities, with no indication that its availability leads to riskier drug use.

Media often portrays prescription opioids as a gateway to heroin use, emphasizing risks over benefits and conflating addiction with dependence. However, responsible opioid therapy can improve patients' quality of life, and policies restricting prescriptions can negatively impact those who rely on them for pain management.

Media often portrays jail as an effective setting for addiction treatment, yet most correctional facilities lack adequate medical care for substance use disorders. Without FDA-approved medications, treatment in jail is typically insufficient, and individuals are at a higher risk of fatal overdose upon release.

Media often stigmatizes patients by labeling them as "drug seekers" or "doctor shoppers," oversimplifying the complexities of their situations. Such framing discourages people from seeking help and may push them towards dangerous, unregulated drug sources, highlighting the need for health care and supportive treatment over punitive measures.