Opinion: Appeals court’s smart move paves the way for opioid addiction treatment in prisons and jails

A ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit in Boston that an inmate is entitled to receive medication for her opioid use disorder was a big win in the ongoing battle against the stigma that those with substance use disorders face on a daily basis. The controversy spawned by the decision underscores how much more work needs to be done to ensure that individuals with these disorders receive the treatment they need and are not judged simply as people of poor character making bad choices.

Brenda Smith, a resident of rural Maine and in recovery from opioid use disorder, was arrested for taking $40 from a, which had been prescribed by her physician as part of a approach.