It is no surprise that many people who have become addicted to opioids serve time in jail or prison. These same opioid addicts are at risk for overdose death immediately after release. Medication Assisted Treatment greatly reduces this risk. And yet some people make choices that directly put them at risk of death by refusing medication treatment. Why is this? Listen in to a group of recovering opiate addicts discuss the reasons why someone would choose to decline this medication.
Discussion Guide:
Do you know people who have died immediately after release from prison of drug overdose?
Have you been incarcerated? Did the facility allow Methadone or Suboxone administration? Did they provide comprehensive addiction treatment?
If given a choice, would you continue medication assisted treatment while incarcerated? Why?
If you were in a prison based medication assisted treatment program, would you choose to stay on the medication on release, or cease the medication before release? Why?
Supplemental Reading:
Among incarcerated populations, opioid agonist therapy has been shown to reduce the risk of post-release mortality by up to 75%, so why do some patients not want it? http://www.recoveryanswers.org/pressrelease/newsouthwales/