A woman with silver hair and earrings is seen close up

“Fentanyl overdose survivors require little if any hospital treatment.”

Study that sentence carefully. It’s the headline of an article describing results of a recently published Canadian study.

Further on, the article states, “75 per cent of the fentanyl overdose patients were classified as “low-risk” upon arrival.”

Compass Mark recognizes addiction as a medial disease; as defined by the American Medical Association in 1956. We advocate, therefore, for treatment and recovery support services, and we appreciate recovery advocacy organization Pro-A‘s leadership in focusing on building a long-term system of recovery care.

Pro-A is specific in its recommendations, stating:

There is growing recognition that the benchmark for substance use condition remission is FIVE YEARS of continuous recovery. We must retool our service system to support long term recovery (emphasis ours.)

I’m struck by the totally opposing messages in the fentanyl study versus Pro-A’s long-term plan to address addiction recovery in Pennsylvania. No treatment vs. 5 years.

Which do you think this addiction epidemic requires?