Setting the Stage: Racism in the History of Substance Use and Addiction

Setting the Stage: Racism in the History of Substance Use and Addiction

Overview

This 1-hour, online module focuses on health disparities in substance use and the causes therein, with a special emphasis on racially oppressive values that are harmful to racial and ethnic minoritized populations. This module examines the ways in which race has shaped the history of substance use and addiction in the United States. It is designed for healthcare providers treating people with unhealthy substance use and substance use disorders. 

Setting the Stage: Racism in the History of Substance Use and Addiction is the first module in a series of four modules on diversity, equity, and inclusion in addiction medicine.

The target audience for this introductory-level activity includes: social workers, counselors, and other clinicians part of the care team.

This activity addresses the following ACGME Competencies: Patient Care, Medical Based Knowledge, and Practice-Based Learning.

Learning Objectives

Upon completion, learners will be able to:

1. Define racism, structural racism, and social determinants of health. 
2. Describe the ways in which substance use and addiction have been used to exploit and control racial and ethnic minorities in the United States. 
3. Explain how the War on Drugs has disproportionately targeted and criminalized people of color. 
4. Analyze the media's portrayal of racial and ethnic minorities struggling with substance use and addiction and impact of these representations on public perception and policy. 

Registration Rates

*Residents, Fellows-in-training, Interns, and Students must join ASAM to receive a discounted registration rate. Click here to become an ASAM member. National and Chapter membership dues apply. There is no charge for Students to become a Member, but verification of student status is required.

Membership Question?  Call ASAM at 1.301.656.3920, email us, or view the ASAM website for more information.

Refunds & Cancellations

All ASAM eLearning Center refund requests must be made in writing to Education@ASAM.org within 90 days of purchase. Those requesting refunds for courses that are in progress will receive partial refunds or eLearning Center credit. Automatic full refunds will be made for any course with a live-course component that has been cancelled.

Registration Deadline: 01/30/2026

Instructions

1. Click on the Contents tab to begin this activity. 
2. Click Complete Post Test to answer multiple choice questions. Participants will have 10 attempts to pass and must answer 2 out of 3 questions correctly.
3. Click Complete Evaluation to provide valuable activity feedback. Scroll down on all questions as there may be answer options that expand past the size of the window. 
4. Click the button Claim Medical Credits in the box titled Claim Credits & Certificate. Choose the type of credit and click submit. Click the button View/Print Certificate to save or print your certificate. You can view/print your certificate at any time by visiting the ASAM eLearning Center, clicking Dashboard, and clicking Transcript/Achievements.

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CME, CE, CEU and Other Credit Types

ACCME Accreditation Statement
The American Society of Addiction Medicine is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

AMA Credit Designation Statement
The American Society of Addiction Medicine designates this enduring activity for a maximum of 1 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits^TM. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

NAADAC, the Association for Addiction Professionals
This activity has been approved by the American Society of Addiction Medicine, as a NAADAC Approved Education Provider, for educational credits. NAADAC Provider #295, ASAM is responsible for all aspects of the programming.

Continuing Education Credits (CEUs)
Non-physician participants will receive a certificate of attendance upon completion of the activity and an online evaluation confirming their participation. Participants should submit his/her certificate of attendance to their professional organization/institute.

Maintenance of Certification (MOC) or Continuing Certification Programs (CCP)

American Board of Preventive Medicine (ABPM)
The American Board of Preventive Medicine (ABPM) has approved this activity for a maximum of 1 LLSA credits towards ABPM MOC Part II requirements.

American Board of Anesthesiology (ABA)
This activity contributes to the CME component of the American Board of Anesthesiology’s redesigned Maintenance of Certification in Anesthesiology TM (MOCA®) program, known as MOCA 2.0®.

American Board of Pediatrics (ABP)
Successful completion of this CME activity, which includes participation in the activity, with individual assessments of the participant and feedback to the participant, enables the participant to earn a maximum of 1 MOC points in the American Board of Pediatrics’ (ABP) Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program. It is the CME activity provider’s responsibility to submit participant completion information to ACCME for the purpose of granting ABP MOC credit.

American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM)
Successful completion of this CME activity, which includes participation in the evaluation component, enables the participant to earn up to 1 Medical Knowledge MOC points in the American Board of Internal Medicine’s (ABIM) Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program. Participants will earn MOC points equivalent to the amount of CME credits claimed for the activity. It is the CME activity provider’s responsibility to submit participant completion information to ACCME for the purpose of granting ABIM MOC credits.

American Board of Surgery (ABS)
Successful completion of this CME activity, which includes participation in the evaluation component, enables the learner to earn credit toward the CME and/or Self-Assessment requirements of the American Board of Surgery’s Continuous Certification program. It is the CME activity provider's responsibility to submit learner completion information to ACCME for the purpose of granting ABS credit

American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (ABPN)
Successful completion of this CME activity can be used to satisfy the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology’s (ABPN) CME requirement for Maintenance of Certification program.

American Board of Addiction Medicine (ABAM)
Successful completion of this activity can be used to satisfy the American Board of Addiction Medicine (ABAM) for Tmoc as credits towards ABAM LLSA Part II requirements.

Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC)
Royal College Fellows can use participation in Accredited Continuing Medical Education to earn Section 3 Credits

Disclosure Information

In accordance with disclosure policies of ASAM and the ACCME, the effort is made to ensure balance, independence, objectivity, and scientific rigor in all CME/CE activities. These policies include mitigating all relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies for the Planning Committees and Presenters. All activity Planning Committee members and Presenters have disclosed relevant financial relationship information. The ASAM CE Committee has reviewed these disclosures and determined that the relationships are not inappropriate in the context of their respective presentations and are not inconsistent with the educational goals and integrity of the activity.