Considering the harms of our habits: the reflexive urine drug screen in opioid use disorder treatment

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to abrupt changes in the delivery of substance use treatment, notably the adoption of telehealth services and a departure from mandatory urine drug screens (UDS). Amid current circumstances, the UDS, which had evolved to signal a “successful” recovery, no longer seems feasible, safe, or necessary. Even prior to the pandemic, the UDS had notable drawbacks, including sending a message of mistrust and hierarchy, potentially causing psychological trauma, and incentivizing falsification.
Source: Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment - Category: Addiction Authors: Source Type: research