Release Date
Geography
Language of Resource
Full Text Available
Open Access / OK to Reproduce
Peer Reviewed
Objective
This study sought to understand the role of stigma in the implementation and perspectives on overdose prevention centres (OPCs), as governments in the United States have been very reluctant to implement them despite being evidence-based approaches for preventing overdose and blood-borne pathogen transmission.
Findings/Key points
The study found that although jurisdictions differed in their OPC policymaking experiences, stigma manifested throughout the process, from planning to authorization. Participants described OPCs as a tool for destigmatizing overdose and substance use, yet confronted institutionalized stigma and discriminatory attitudes toward people who use drugs and harm reduction from multiple sources (eg, politicians, media, and members of the public). Opposition toward OPCs and harm reduction approaches more broadly intersected with public discourse on crime, homelessness, and public disorder.
Design/methods
In-depth interviews were conducted from July 2022 to February 2023 with 17 advocates, legislators, service providers, and researchers involved with OPC advocacy and policymaking in Rhode Island, California, Pennsylvania, and New York.
