Family Practice substance use disorder theme issue: commentary

Abstract

Both substance use and substance use disorders (SUDs) are common problems suffered by patients seeking primary care. Since its second volume in 1985,1 Family Practice has continually highlighted research related to detecting and treating legal, illegal, and prescription substance use, abuse, and dependence. Twenty-five years later, many of the same research questions and clinical challenges still face family medicine and primary care, with the potential exception that there seems to be a growing acceptance that SUDs can and should be treated in primary care.