Proposed Addiction Funding Cuts Draw Fire from Experts
A coalition of addiction specialists is sounding the alarm over potential budget cuts that could severely impact the nation’s response to the overdose crisis. More than 300 physicians,harm reduction workers,and researchers have signed a letter to Congress,warning of dire consequences
if funding is slashed for programs vital to combating drug overdoses.
Deep Cuts Proposed
The letter highlights proposed cuts in the White House budget for 2026,which target key agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). These cuts, the experts argue, would undermine efforts to address the ongoing crisis.
[W]e are seeing drastic cuts to key agencies.
Recent Progress at Risk
The appeal to lawmakers comes as recent data shows a critically importent decrease in overdose fatalities. According to the CDC, fatal overdoses dropped by roughly 26% in 2024 compared to the previous year. This marks the most substantial one-year reduction in deaths since the opioid crisis began in the 1990s.
The letter emphasizes the link between financial investment and positive outcomes:
The reduction in overdose deaths we witnessed in 2024 was the result of sustained and increasing financial investment. Now is not the time to reduce these investments.
community Impact
Chad Sabora, an addiction recovery activist and former drug user, helped organize the effort to lobby lawmakers.He expressed deep concern about the potential impact of the proposed cuts.
This would basically implode the current structure that treats addiction as a public health issue. This would reverse what has worked.Chad Sabora, addiction recovery activist
Experts fear that addiction recovery programs in rural areas and underserved urban communities would be disproportionately affected. Additionally, research efforts focused on identifying new synthetic street drugs could face defunding, making it harder to track and respond to emerging threats.
It will make everything basically a guessing game.Chad Sabora, addiction recovery activist
Medicaid Concerns
Adding to the anxiety, drug policy experts and healthcare providers are bracing for potential cuts to Medicaid funding. The Affordable Care Act expanded Medicaid, making it a crucial source of insurance coverage for individuals seeking addiction treatment.
It’s a scary time. We’re terrified about the possibility of what might happen if Medicaid is diminished substantially. Our hope is to be able to convince policymakers and people who have control of things to not make changes we certainly know would devastate the people we take care of.Dr. stephen Taylor, American Society of Addiction Medicine
A preliminary estimate from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) suggests that proposed Medicaid cuts could leave at least 8.6 million low-income Americans without health insurance by 2034. The exact number of those receiving addiction care is currently unknown.
