"Politics Versus Policy": Qualitative Insights on Stigma and Overdose Prevention Center Policymaking in the United States.

Background: Federal, state, and municipal governments in the United States have been reluctant to authorize overdose prevention centers (OPCs), which are evidence-based approaches for preventing overdose deaths and blood-borne pathogen transmission.

Methods: From July 2022 to February 2023, we explored how stigma manifests in OPC policymaking by conducting in-depth interviews with 17 advocates, legislators, service providers, and researchers involved with OPC advocacy and policymaking in Rhode Island, California, Pennsylvania, and New York.

Results: We found that although jurisdictions differed in their OPC policymaking experiences, stigma manifested throughout the process, from planning to authorization.