One of the biggest benefits of the Affordable Care Act and its Medicaid expansion provision has been increased access to addiction treatment, as the measure requires insurance companies to cover substance abuse services—but this would be eliminated if the Supreme Court, backed by the Trump administration, strikes down the law. The New York Times points out that roughly 800,000 Americans with opioid addiction became eligible for treatment through the ACA, at a time when the opioid epidemic was spreading to all corners of the country.
Also in jeopardy if the ACA is overturned would be state spending on addiction medications covered by Medicaid, which more than doubled from 2013 to 2017 and are an essential component of treatment for many individuals. Overall, eliminating the ACA would be a severe blow to addiction treatment and to treatment providers just as the drug overdose rate has climbed back to record levels.
Meanwhile, a new study shows that people with substance use disorder—especially involving opioids—are at a significantly higher risk for contracting COVID-19 and are more likely to develop a serious case of the virus and die. Both social and biological factors play into the risk: opioids depress the respiratory system, and users are more likely to contract the virus while seeking drugs or if they are homeless or in jail or prison.
And finally, two years after Canada legalized weed, the Canadian Automobile Association is launching a public service ad campaign warning young people against driving while high. This follows revelations in a recent survey that 20 percent of Canadians aged 18-24 get behind the wheel after using marijuana. The ads will focus on cannabis edibles, which can stay in your system for up to 12 hours.