Young people do better in school if they are treated for opioid use disorders, resulting in lower costs to society. Recent research suggests that opioid users achieve lower levels of education, which may result in both individual and economic costs. Prevention programs need to not only include education-specific risk factors (e.g., social norms), but underlying precipitators such as mental health, stigma, and the myth of risk-free cognitive enhancement. Opioid specific services should be available and disseminated to student populations, including certification of campus physicians to provide buprenorphine maintenance.
Ellis MS, Kasper ZA, Cicero TJ: The impact of opioid use disorder on levels of educational attainment: Perceived benefits and consequences. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2019 Nov 2:107618. doi: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2019.107618. [Epub ahead of print]
Read more at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31757520
