Sometimes Stigma Prevails
On April 16, 2024, a for-profit company, Habit Opco, submitted paperwork to attain a special permit to open a clinic in Medford to treat patients with substance use disorder. Medication treatments for SUD include suboxone and methadone. Both are effective medications that have saved many lives. This clinic would have been for patients in recovery from substance use disorder. As of yesterday, June 25, 2024, Habit Opco elected to withdraw their application to open the clinic at the storefront located at 360 Salem Street because of the complications associated with that location. That location is zoned in a way that requires that medical offices attain a special permit to open. The intention of the special permit process is to prevent businesses from coming in that would cause an undue burden on the parking or traffic of the area. The intention is not for residents of the area to express their distaste for the type of business that will be opening.
At our last meeting, on June 11, 2024, around 11:30pm, I introduced a resolution supporting an initiative called Stop the Stigma. Stop the Stigma is a campaign that works to familiarize the public about the damage that negative stigma does to people dealing with substance use disorder. Stigma against people with SUD can prevent them from seeking treatment because they fear what their employers, family members, and community will think about them. I offered that resolution to begin a conversation about SUD from a place of empathy, kindness, and understanding, rather than a place of fear. Unfortunately, it was too little, too late, and the fear had already taken hold.
There is no law in Medford that says that a clinic that offers medication assisted treatment for substance use disorder cannot be located near a school, a dance studio, or a home. I do not believe such a law is necessary. This clinic would have been for people in recovery. Many people in Medford know someone in recovery from substance use disorder, whether they are aware of it or not.
The reason the company withdrew their application is because they did not believe that spending last night hearing negative comments about their company and patients, followed by another meeting with the community development board on June 26, followed by another meeting on Thursday, June 27 with the zoning board of appeals, would be productive. Even if the special permit was granted, a culture of fear has been created, and our community has been harmed by this.
Habit Opco is planning to find a location in Medford in an area zoned as commercial or industrial, that is still accessible for patients by car and public transit, that will not require any special permits so that they can open by right and will not be in this position in the future. I hope my fellow councilors and residents can understand the damage that has been done to our community by the folks that have perpetuated negative stereotypes of people with substance use disorder. That wasn’t necessary here. The patients that would have used this clinic are your friends, family members, and neighbors. They are people who already walk their kids to school at the Roberts. They go to Nappi’s for pasta. They bring their kids to the dance studio across the street. The people who use medication to help with their recovery are people like you and me.
I hope that we can learn and grow as a community from this experience. Last night we failed one of the most vulnerable populations of Medford. An organization that would have been able to offer a service to our residents, that we as a municipality are not able to offer, was denied that opportunity. I am very disappointed. But I am not giving up.
