In this editorial, authors Sarah Hemeida and Daniel Goldberg assert stigma is an under-recognized health malady that is both rampant for vulnerable communities and difficult to measure for researchers. Stigma has enormous and compounding negative health impacts, associated with lower education levels, employment and income, and poorer control of chronic conditions and illness. Stigmatizing laws against individuals with addiction have a powerful role in downstream health, including opportunities for employment, access to health insurance, self-stereotyping, and reduced willingness to access recovery resources.

In addition to traditional interventions such as peer supports, addiction counselors, and community-based rehabilitation programs, the legal determinants of health contributing to structural stigma against substance use disorder need to be addressed and corrected.
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