Addiction and the Law

The risk factors and consequences of substance use disorders (SUDs) have become
even more prominent with the opioid crisis in the United States. Given our
greater awareness of the links between SUDs and other mental illnesses,
psychiatry and medicine have been developing new, less moralistic approaches to
treat SUDs. Meanwhile, patients continue to run up against a legal system that
can be morally inflexible. Clinicians must promote the best treatment for their
patients while also being aware of consequences in the legal realm.

That's
what makes Addiction and the Law such a necessary resource. This new book
examines the many intersections between SUDs and the law-arrest, incarceration,
and employment among them-helping readers navigate the overlap between the
medical management of addictive disorders and the current legal
framework.

In four exhaustive sections, the book covers crucial issues in
treating SUD patients:

The philosophy behind how the legal system has
traditionally approached SUDs, and how it has informed recent trends in
decriminalization, the legal regulation of substance use, and the treatment of
SUDs. Civil issues that include the interplay of SUDs and the Americans with
Disabilities Act; the basis of drug and alcohol testing; child custody and
welfare issues; personal injury cases; and professional malpractice. The legal
standards used in SUD-related criminal case evaluations; interventions such as
pre-arrest diversion, drug courts, and reentry services; and the treatment of
SUDs in jails and prisons. Special topics, including cannabis legalization,
changes to the regulation of buprenorphine during COVID-19, and the legal
regulation of therapeutic hallucinogenic substances.

This guide features
key points at the end of each chapter and tables throughout that help readers
quickly access its evidence-based information. Readers will achieve a better
understanding of the legal and regulatory issues that may affect their practice
and be better positioned to more effectively assist their patients.