Opinion: Responsibly expanding access to methadone for people with opioid use disorder will save lives
The overdose epidemic continues to ravage communities across the country. In Washington state, where I live and work, more than 2,000 people died from a drug overdoses in 2021; country-wide, the death toll was more than 107,000.
Each loss of life is a preventable tragedy, as well as a missed opportunity for the U.S. health care system to treat addiction and save lives. But many barriers exist that prevent people with opioid use disorder from accessing care they need.
