The Health Impacts of Climate Change on People Who Use Alcohol and Other Drugs: Position Statement of AMERSA,Inc. (Association for Multidisciplinary Education and Research in Substance use and Addiction)

Abstract

Climate change broadly threatens the health of individuals and communities. As adverse health impacts of climate change become more prevalent, researchers are beginning to investigate how climate-related events (CRE), such as extreme temperatures, intensified hurricanes, etc., impact the health of people who use alcohol and other drugs (PWUD). A growing body of evidence suggests that CREs exacerbate harms related to substance use and disrupt treatment and harm reduction services, exposing PWUD and those with substance use disorders (SUDs) to increased morbidity and mortality. The adverse health impacts of CREs and substance use interact in a synergistic manner, influenced by individual, community, and structural factors. Understanding this evolving intersection is crucial for developing policies and interventions to reduce the increased risk to PWUD. CREs exact a costly toll on health and healthcare infrastructure and are increasing in frequency and severity. Concurrently, substance use and addiction result in thousands of deaths each year and cost the United States hundreds of billions of dollars annually. Without efforts to improve our understanding of the social, medical, and economic implications of CREs on PWUD, and develop more prepared, resilient systems of care, we can expect this compounding burden to intensify over time with deadly consequences. Effective action will require sustained, multi-level commitments from researchers, policymakers, as well as frontline clinical and non-clinical service providers. AMERSA recommends 3 areas of action: advancing research at the intersection of CREs and substance use, enhancing policies and practice guidelines to ensure uninterrupted treatment and harm reduction services during and following CREs, and facilitating education and training for awareness and preparedness. AMERSA endeavors to provide leadership and guidance in fostering more resilient and adaptive systems of care for PWUD and those with SUD as characterized by driving awareness, understanding, preparedness, and the production of a climate change-prepared addiction workforce.