Governor Baker: "Addiction Is Not A Choice, Addiction Is A Disease"
Channel: MassGovernor
Date: 2015-11-04

On Wednesday, November 4th, Governor Charlie Baker announced a statewide media campaign, with the bold goal of making Massachusetts a “#StateWithoutStigMA.” The campaign, built off one of the Governor’s Opioid Working Group recommendations last June, is designed to impact the negative stereotype of drug misuse, asserting that addiction is not a choice, it’s an illness.
 
See photos from this event: https://www.flickr.com/photos/massgovernor/albums/72157660835868645

“Addition is a chronic illness, not a moral failure,” said Governor Baker at a State House press conference, surrounded by people in recovery.  “Studies show that stigmas can prevent people from getting into treatment—holding them back from recovery, stability and success. This campaign is another effort to bend the trend and change the way we think about opioid misuse and addiction.”

The five-week campaign kickoff utilizes radio, billboards and digital ads, featuring Massachusetts’ residents in treatment for substance use disorders. It seeks to reduce stigma by providing detailed information about the illness of addiction, educating the public about stigmatizing behaviors and how to reduce them and encouraging those impacted and their families to talk about their journey, bringing the disease out of the shadows.

(Video Credit: Shea Brennan)