McCann Health Campaign for Shatterproof seeks to change the perception about opioid addiction and reduce stigma

Background

The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)1 defines addiction as a chronic brain disease. Opioids actually change the chemistry in your brain, including the areas that are critical to judgment, decision making, and behavior control. The goal of McCann Health’s non-profit client, Shatterproof’s HopeStems campaign is to change the perception about opioid addiction and reduce stigma by letting the public know the medical truth. Opioid addiction is a brain disease, not a moral weakness. When addiction is treated as a disease, people who are addicted will feel less shame and be more likely to seek treatment, and ultimately recover.