The detrimental effects of stigma on people with substance use disorders are acute and far-reaching [2–4]. Stigma ascribed to people with substance use disorders exacerbates social alienation [18] and has the potential to impact adversely all domains of life, such as employment, housing and social relationships. Research indicates that stigma contributes to a host of adverse outcomes for people with substance use disorders, including poor mental and physical health [33,39], non-completion of substance use treatment [40], delayed recovery and reintegration processes [22,41,42] and increased involvement in risky behavior (e.g. needle sharing) [43].
