Dr. Ayana Jordan - Racism and Substance Use in America

The Addiction Psychologist

Racial disparities in prevalence rates of harmful substance use can largely be attributed to social determinants of health, which are perpetuated by racist policies that have been implemented over the past century. The clearest example can be found in the policies related to Nixon's War on Drugs, which criminalized drug use, increased drug enforcement forces across the nation, and specifically targeted Black communities. More generally, the definition of addiction and its recovery has been determined by white scientists, religious figures, and politicians without regard to the Black community or other groups. Dr. Ayana Jordan discusses racist drug policy and the problems facing individuals in the Black community who struggle with addiction. She then discusses her work that seeks to eliminate disparities: first, by creating scaffolding for those going through white-centric treatment; and second, by creating treatments designed for Black individuals. Dr. Ayana Jordan is an Assistant Professor and the Associate Residency Program Director in the Department of Psychiatry at Yale University School of Medicine. She is also an Addiction Psychiatrist and Attending Physician at Connecticut Mental Health Center.