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Public Support for State Laws Requiring Addiction Programs to Offer FDA-Approved Medications for Opioid Use Disorder
Colleen L Barry1,2, Sarah Gutkind2, Jeff Niederdeppe1,3
1Cornell Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY.
Psychiatric Services (Washington, D.C.)
|July 30, 2026
Summary
Most Americans support state laws requiring addiction treatment programs to offer FDA-approved medications for opioid use disorder. This public backing for medication-assisted treatment (MAT) policies could help reduce overdose deaths.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Addiction Medicine
- Health Policy
Background:
- Opioid use disorder (OUD) is a major public health crisis.
- Access to evidence-based treatment, including FDA-approved medications, is crucial for recovery.
- State licensure laws can influence the availability of these medications in treatment programs.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess public attitudes towards state licensure laws mandating the offering of FDA-approved medications for OUD.
- To understand demographic and ideological factors influencing support for these laws.
Main Methods:
- A national survey of 1,552 adults was conducted using a representative probability-based web panel.
- Data collection occurred between April 7-28, 2025.
- Analysis examined support levels across different demographic groups and political ideologies.
Main Results:
- 74% of respondents supported licensure laws requiring OUD treatment programs to offer FDA-approved medications.
- Support remained high across racial groups, individuals with personal addiction experience, and varying political ideologies (>66%).
- High support persisted even among those with stigmatizing beliefs about people with opioid addiction.
Conclusions:
- There is substantial public support for policies that ensure access to medication for opioid use disorder.
- These findings suggest that state licensure laws mandating medication availability are a viable strategy to reduce overdose fatalities.
- Public backing indicates a potential pathway for implementing effective addiction treatment policies.
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