State Approaches to Addressing the Rise in Illicit Stimulants and Polysubstance Use

Fatal and nonfatal overdoses from amphetamine-type stimulant use (including methamphetamine) and polysubstance use are an increasing concern for states and communities and are entwined with the ongoing opioid crisis. This reality presents novel and unique challenges for policy, program, and practice initiatives. The Biden-Harris National Drug Strategy, its plan to address methamphetamine and other stimulants, and its impact on public health and safety is designed to reduce methamphetamine/stimulant use, prevent meth-involved overdoses, expand evidence-based treatment, and reduce methamphetamine trafficking and supply to help make our communities healthier and safer.

In addition to the federal approach, Governors are working to address the rise in stimulants and build out statewide approaches. The National Governors Association, in partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, conducted an in-depth review of state strategies, held expert roundtables, worked hand-in-hand with Governor-appointed, multi-agency teams in four states (American Samoa, Connecticut, Michigan, and West Virginia) to develop comprehensive efforts to address drug overdoses in their states. This work focused on ensuring that state responses (e.g., statewide strategic plan, health and safety partnership models, funding, policies, programs, practices, etc.) to stimulant and polysubstance use challenges knit together into a singular, comprehensive statewide approach to overdose.

This session will include data on the national context, highlights on national plan to address it and highlight successful efforts from the year-long effort and feature one state’s experience and accomplishments. State highlights will include governance structures (such as executive-led taskforces), legislative changes for reduction practices, and piloting contingency management