American Society of Addiciton Medicine

Home Advocacy Public Policy Statements

The Public Policy Committee (PPC) drafts ASAM's public policy statements on emerging addiction issues. The PPC Chair selects a writing committee of ASAM members, which draft and deliberate each policy statement. In addition, every year, the PPC reviews statements that have reached five years of age for archival or revision. Final approval is subject to the ASAM Board of Directors. 

 

Apr 23, 2025

Ensuring the Financial Sustainability of Addiction Treatment Services in the United States

Apr 23, 2025

This statement underscores the need for additional policy actions to ensure that the proper infrastructure is in place to support high-quality SUD and other addiction treatment services in the right place, and at the right time.

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Jan 23, 2025

Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder in Correctional Settings

Jan 23, 2025

Correctional settings are diverse and may face significant barriers to providing MOUD access. Therefore, ASAM advocates for systemic changes to ensure universal access to MOUD within correctional institutions.

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Jan 23, 2025

Housing’s Role in Addressing Substance Use and Facilitating Recovery

Jan 23, 2025

This public policy statement recommends policies that promote stability in housing, and therefore, are important for SUD recovery and overall health and wellness.

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Dec 12, 2024

Reducing Risk of Federal Investigation or Prosecution for Prescribing Controlled Addiction Medications for Legitimate Medical Purposes

Dec 12, 2024

Addiction medications are lifesaving treatments for addiction. This policy statement recommends various reforms to reduce the risk of federal investigation or prosecution for prescribing these medications for legitimate medical purposes.

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Dec 12, 2024

Physicians and Other Healthcare Professionals with Substance Use Disorder (SUD)

Dec 12, 2024

This policy statement articulates the American Society of Addiction Medicine’s recommendations for promoting the health of healthcare professionals with addiction and thereby contributing to their safe practice.

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Jul 19, 2024

The Role of Pharmacists in Medications for Addiction Treatment

Jul 19, 2024

Pharmacists help ensure the safe and effective use of addiction medications. This policy statement identifies and addresses common challenges to accessing these medications at pharmacies.

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Apr 03, 2024

Medical Ethics in Addiction Medicine

Apr 03, 2024

The American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) has adopted the American Medical Association’s (AMA) Principles and Code of Medical Ethics (“the Principles”) that guide physicians in the ethical practice of medicine. This statement elucidates the Principles to help guide ethical decision-making in the clinical practice of addiction medicine.

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Jan 19, 2024

Government Strategies to Foster Ethical Addiction Treatment

Jan 19, 2024

This policy statement urges policymakers to prioritize policies that foster quality addiction treatment and enact long-term government strategies to address persistent unethical practices.

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Oct 21, 2023

Strengthening Good Samaritan Laws to Prevent Fatal Overdose

Oct 21, 2023

To encourage more individuals to call for emergency medical assistance during an overdose, this policy statement recommends enactment of stronger Good Samaritan laws.

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Oct 21, 2023

Refocusing Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs (PDMPs) to Serve Public Health

Oct 21, 2023

ASAM supports measures that protect public and patient health and safety, which includes a proper role for Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs (PDMPs) that promote safer prescribing and dispensing practices for controlled medications. This statement makes recommendations to ensure PDMPs serve public health.

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Jul 27, 2023

Prevention

Jul 27, 2023

This policy statement makes recommendations that can increase access to high-quality, evidence-based prevention measures, which not only prevent substance use and related harms, but also promote health, wellbeing, and advance equity in society.

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Dec 15, 2022

Racial Justice Beyond Health Care: Addressing the Broader Structural Issues at the Intersection of Racism, Drug Use, and Addiction

Dec 15, 2022

This policy statement makes recommendations to address the broader structural issues at the intersection of racism, drug use, and addiction.

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Oct 02, 2022

Optimizing Telehealth Access to Addiction Care

Oct 02, 2022

This policy statement makes recommendations to optimize telehealth access and utilize it to advance health equity in addiction medicine.

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Oct 02, 2022

Substance Use and Substance Use Disorder Among Pregnant and Postpartum People

Oct 02, 2022

This policy statement promotes reforms to reverse the punitive approach taken to substance use during and after pregnancy and respond to the shared interests of the parent-newborn dyad.

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Jul 28, 2022

Advancing Racial Justice in Health Care through Addiction Medicine

Jul 28, 2022

This policy statement focuses on actions that healthcare professionals, healthcare systems, and others can take to help advance addiction medicine and its role in addressing health disparities for people of color.

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Jul 28, 2022

Hepatitis C Virus, Substance Use, and Addiction

Jul 28, 2022

The Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is the most prevalent bloodborne infection associated with drug use. This policy statement recommends policies to improve the prevention and treatment of HCV.

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Jan 28, 2022

Recognition and Role of Addiction Specialist Physicians in Health Care in the United States

Jan 28, 2022

Addiction specialist physicians (ASPs) include physicians from multiple different primary specialties. This public policy statement describes the important role and skills of ASPs in U.S. health care, as well as policy recommendations that can further enhance their leadership in patient care.

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Dec 16, 2021

Morphine Milligram Equivalents for Medications for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD)

Dec 16, 2021

This difference in doses of methadone and buprenorphine used to treat addiction and opioids used to treat pain may cause confusion among policymakers and payers attempting to set policies to prevent opioid overdose by limiting MME, as well as among state medical board officials attempting to enforce clinical guidelines and stem the over-prescription of opioid analgesics.

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Oct 23, 2021

Regulation of the Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder with Methadone

Oct 23, 2021

This policy statement outlines existing regulatory barriers that prevent broader access to methadone treatment for OUD; summarizes current challenges to optimizing the quality of care offered by OTPs, and provides recommendations that can improve both access to, and the quality of, methadone treatment for OUD.

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Jul 22, 2021

Overdose Prevention Sites

Jul 22, 2021

The United States has seen staggering increases in drug overdose deaths since the beginning of the 21st century. The 12 months ending in May 2020 witnessed the largest number of drug overdose deaths for a 12-month period ever recorded.

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Jul 22, 2021

Patient Review and Restriction (PRR) Programs

Jul 22, 2021

Patient Review and Restriction (PRR) programs allow payers to curb a beneficiary’s overutilization, and possible misuse, of physician services and/or prescription medications by restricting the patient to a single designated provider, pharmacy, or both. This policy statement makes recommendations that can help guard against unintended consequences.

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Feb 25, 2021

Advancing Racial Justice in Addiction Medicine

Feb 25, 2021

This policy statement reiterates and addresses the fundamental axiom that systemic racism is a social determinant of health that has had profound, deleterious effects on the lives and health of BIPOC.

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Jan 21, 2021

Access to Medications for Addiction Treatment for Persons Under Community Correctional Control

Jan 21, 2021

Individuals under community correctional control include those on probation or parole. This policy statement includes recommendations that can increase their access to high-quality, affordable addiction care.

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Oct 10, 2020

Cannabis

Oct 10, 2020

This policy statement on cannabis makes recommendations that protect public health and safety and promote access to timely, high-quality addiction treatment.

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