Despite the good intentions, phrases such as “Just say no” and “You have the power to quit” may do more harm to people dealing with substance abuse than it does to help them. The abovementioned statements contribute to the stigma associated with substance abuse.
To combat this, The Addiction Policy Forum launched an anti-stigma initiative with 100 pilot locations where they handed out community surveys.
SalusCare in Fort Myers is one of the pilot locations, as the Vice President and Chief Operations Officer, Jessica Plazewski, met with WINK News anchors Corey Lazar and Lindsey Sablan to discuss the substance abuse stigma survey.