CPDD Statement on Recent Events in Washington, DC

Dear Members of the CPDD Community,

As our nation’s leading organization of scientists studying the causes and consequences of substance use disorders, CPDD condemns this week’s assault on the U.S. Capitol. We deeply value the integrity of our nation’s electoral process and its democratic institutions, and we are concerned about the traumatic impacts of these events on our Members of Congress, their staff, and the American public—a public that has already been traumatized by the COVID pandemic, including the loss of over 365,000 individual lives in the U.S.

This week’s events demonstrate the fragility of our democratic system of government. Equally threatened and fragile at this time is the mental and physical health of the American people. As indicators of this fragility, we have seen increases in mental health challenges as well as further increases in substance use and collateral adverse health consequences, including drug-related overdose deaths.

We call for a restoration of reason, peaceful resolution of conflict, and respect for and preservation of our democratic values and institutions.

Sincerely,
Stacey Sigmon, Ph.D., President
William Stoops, Ph.D., President-Elect
Jack Bergman, Ph.D., MPH
Elise Weerts, Ph.D., Past-President
Sandra Comer, Ph.D., Public Policy Officer
Jesse Howard, Executive Office