James Mannion, a former heroin user incarcerated in a Portland jail, pleaded for buprenorphine to manage his opioid use disorder. Despite his self-diagnosis and repeated requests for help, he was denied the medication and later died from an opioid overdose in jail. This incident reflects a larger issue within the U.S. criminal justice system, where access to addiction medications like buprenorphine and methadone is limited. Many law enforcement officials are hostile towards these medications, contributing to a cycle of addiction, incarceration, and overdose deaths. Efforts to reform this approach have been slow, but some states and federal prosecutors are working towards change.
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How the criminal justice system fights medications for opioid use disorder
