Substance use disorders and avoidable mortality after prison

Worldwide, more than 30 million people spend time in prison every year.1 The USA incarcerates 25% of these people and one in 31 Americans is currently under correctional control, either in jail, prison, or on probation or parole.2 Most prisoners will eventually be released, and the 2 weeks after release have been shown to be associated with a substantial increase in mortality, especially from overdose.3 Substance use disorders are highly prevalent among incarcerated populations, with more than half of prisoners in some countries being imprisoned for drug-related convictions.4 In the USA, 85% of people in prisons or jails are substance involved, with 1·5 million individuals meeting DSM criteria for a substance use disorder and an additional 458 000 either with a history of substance use, under the influence at the time of arrest, or convicted of a crime committed to obtain money to buy drugs.5