While gains have been made in reducing stigma around certain conditions, like depression and obesity, little progress has been made in removing the stigma around substance use disorders. The public and even health care providers continue to blame patients for their disease even though there is clear consensus that addiction is a complex brain disorder and not the result of moral weakness and flawed character. When people with addiction are stigmatized and rejected, especially by those within healthcare, it only contributes to the vicious cycle that entrenches their disease.

This activity will shine the light on shame, stigma, and MOUD (medication for opioid use disorder) in the light of harm reduction as well as the importance of meeting patients where they are.

Learning Objective:

At the end of this session, learners should be able to:

• Enhance knowledge about stigma surrounding substance use disorder and its treatment.
• Reflect on how stigma and racism have influenced drug policy in the U.S., including recent responses to the opioid epidemic.
• Recall the meaning of harm reduction and related concepts
• Identify ways to reduce harm related to substance use
• Identify ways to promote health and dignity with people who use drugs

Target Audience:

This activity is designed for family medicine physicians, and other primary care team members.

Participation and Credit:

To earn credit for this educational activity, learners must register and fully participate. Before beginning the activity, learners should review the target audience, learning objectives, and author disclosures. Learners are required to engage with the educational content online and complete the activity evaluation. Upon successful completion of these requirements, a certificate will be available as a downloadable link. Learners may print the certificate for their records; however, they may not alter it. For information regarding the applicability and acceptance of continuing education credit for this activity, please consult your professional licensing board.

Unlabeled Use Disclosure:

This activity will not include discussions of products or devices that are not currently approved for use by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Support:

This activity is sponsored by the California Academy of Family Physicians and supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and the California Department of Health Care Service (DHCS). 

Fee:

There is no charge for this activity.

Cultural/Linguistic Competency:

CAFP policy and California state law requires that each learning activity have elements of cultural and linguistic proficiency included in the content. The definition of cultural and linguistic competency is the ability and readiness of health care providers and health organizations to humbly and respectfully demonstrate, effectively communicate, and tailor delivery of care to patients with diverse values, beliefs, identities, and behaviors, in order to meet patients’ social, cultural, and linguistic needs as it relates to patient health. This activity meets these requirements.

Implicit Bias:

CAFP policy and California state law requires that all CME activities comprising a patient care element include either (1) examples of how implicit bias affects perceptions and treatment decisions of physicians and surgeons, leading to disparities in health outcomes and/or (2) strategies to address how unintended biases in decision-making may contribute to health care disparities by shaping behavior and producing differences in medical treatment along lines of race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, socioeconomic status, or other characteristics. This activity meets these requirements.

Privacy Policy:

The California Academy of Family Physicians (CAFP) is committed to protecting the privacy of its members and customers. CAFP maintains safeguards to store and secure information it has about members and customers. The safeguards may be physical, electronic or procedural. For more information, contact [email protected].

Questions:

For questions regarding the content of this activity or for technical assistance, contact [email protected].

The CAFP has made all reasonable efforts to ensure that information contained herein is accurate in accordance with the latest available scientific knowledge at the time of accreditation of this continuing education program. Information regarding drugs (e.g., their administration, dosages, contraindications, adverse reactions, interactions, special warnings, and precautions) and drug delivery systems is subject to change, however, and the learner is advised to check the manufacturer's package insert for information concerning recommended dosage and potential problems or cautions prior to dispensing or administering the drug or using the drug delivery systems.

Approval of credit for this continuing education program does not imply endorsement by CAFP of any product or manufacturer identified.

Any medications or treatment methods suggested in this CME activity should not be used by the practitioner without evaluation of their patient's condition(s) and possible contraindication(s) or danger(s) of use of any specific medication.

Copyright:

© 2025 California Academy of Family Physicians. No part of this activity may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embedded in articles or reviews.