OPINION
“Somebody told a lie one day. They couched it in language. They made everything Black, ugly, and evil. Look in your dictionaries and see the synonyms of the word Black. It’s always something degrading and low and sinister.” OPINION
— Martin Luther King Jr.
As we commemorate Martin Luther King Jr. Day, I am reminded of the sometimes insidious and hateful power of language. Epithets and slurs have been used throughout history to degrade people based on the color of their skin, their ethnicity, and their religion. Similarly, the language used to refer to people with substance use disorders, which is rooted in the cognitive distortion that those people lack willpower and are weak, has been used to degrade such individuals for decades. The treacherous notion that substance use disorders are a moral failing is permeated through the very words by which we refer to this public health crisis. However, these beliefs have been proven scientifically and medically false and have contributed to the devastating impacts of the drug epidemic New Jersey and America currently endure.
The stigmatizing language used to portray people with substance use disorders as meek and unworthy is a persistent barrier to people accessing healthcare and engaging in life-saving services. It is estimated that fewer than 1 in 10 people with substance use disorders ever receive treatment, in part due to stigma. In addition, stigmatizing language is scientifically and medically incorrect. More specifically, since 2013, the terms ‘substance abuse’ and ‘substance dependence,’ were replaced with the term ‘substance use disorder’ in The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, which is authored by the American Psychiatric Association. Accordingly, words such as drug abuse, drug abuser, addict, addicted, alcoholism, and alcoholic should no longer be used. Yet such deplorable language endures in our statutes, laws, and the names of the departments and entities whose mission it is to serve people with substance use disorders.
Given the plethora of concrete data, New Jersey recently took an incredibly bold step, becoming the first state in the nation to remove all stigmatizing language concerning substance use disorders from its laws and the names of its entities and institutions. The bill (A5096/S3511) was passed unanimously in the New Jersey Senate, 37 to 0, and passed in the Assembly 76 to 2. It is rare to see near consensus in today’s polarized political landscape; however, saving lives is not a political issue, and this law has nothing to do with being politically correct or woke. On November 20, 2023, Governor Murphy signed the bill into law, effective immediately.
New Jersey has taken a critical first step to dismantle structural and public stigma by embracing the simple, no-cost, and evidence-based principle of using person-first, medically correct language in relation to substance use disorders. However, we now need to implement and execute the letter and intent of this law and spread awareness to all stakeholders. Effective January 1, 2022, “New Jersey Statewide Drug Court” was mandated to change its name to “New Jersey Statewide Recovery Court.” According to a memorandum from Glenn A. Grant, J.A.D., “[t]he name change highlights the importance of language, how language can be used to combat stigma, discrimination, and garner support for an often-marginalized population.” It is essential that Judge Grant’s sentiment and his recognition of the power of language persist, and all New Jersey government entities immediately comply with the new law and remove stigmatizing, discriminatory, and pejorative language from their names, their websites, their letterhead, and similar communications with the public.
Hopefully by making these critical changes, New Jersey government entities and institutions will also use it as a teachable moment—to educate and spread awareness like when the name of Drug Court was changed to Recovery Court. There are no-cost resources and training widely available to assist New Jersey with its moral responsibility to end the use of ugly and evil language when referring to people with substance use disorders. I am hopeful that all stakeholders will collaborate to implement this humane, empathetic, and evidence-based practice of removing stigmatizing and discriminatory language. It will save lives.