Association for Public Policy Analysis & Management

Individuals with substance use disorders face high levels of social stigma, with potentially important policy implications. Despite the ongoing prescription opioid epidemic, little is known about how the public perceives those with prescription opioid use disorder and how these perceptions inform policy attitudes. In this study, we use data from a nationally representative survey of U.S. adults to examine stigma toward individuals with prescription opioid use disorder and the relationship between stigma and policy support. We find that higher levels of stigma are associated with greater support for punitive policies and lower support for several public health-oriented policies. Reframing prescription opioid use disorder as treatable and highlighting structural contributors to the problem may lessen stigma toward the affected population. While abatement in stigma may contribute to declines in public support for punitive policy, it is unclear whether reduced stigma will translate into meaningfully increased support for public health-oriented policies.