Surgeon General Releases First Ever Report on Addiction
Today, Surgeon General Vivek Murthy released a report reviewing substance misuse, and how individuals can use their knowledge of the disease of addiction to address the issue of substance misuse and its consequences to the individual, family, and community.
Facing Addiction in America: The Surgeon General’s Report on Alcohol, Drugs, and Health focuses on addiction as a disease of the brain, a view that has been increasingly upheld in the recovery community and among the general public. Recovery advocates hope this report will legitimize addiction as a disease, and put a rest to other interpretations of addiction.
This landmark study marks the first time a U.S. Surgeon General has dedicated a report to substance misuse and related disorders. According to the HHS press release, the report addresses alcohol, illicit drugs, and prescription drug misuse, with chapters dedicated to neurobiology, prevention, treatment, recovery, health systems integration and recommendations for the future.
It also provides an in-depth look at the science of substance use disorders and addiction, calls for a cultural shift in the way Americans talk about the issue, and recommends actions we can take to prevent and treat these conditions, and promote recovery.
