Inmates released from jail are much more likely to overdose and die than the general population. Yet only a few dozen jails or prisons across the country widely offer medication to treat opioid addiction.

One California lawmaker is hoping to change that. Assemblymember David Chiu recently introduced a bill to allocate funding for jails that offer medication that can ease withdrawal symptoms and reduce cravings.

For a look into why so few jails offer this medication, KCBS Anchor Jon Bristow spoke with Basia Andraka-Christou, assistant professor in department of health management and informatics at the University of Central Florida.

Inmates released from jail are much more likely to overdose and die than the general population. Yet only a few dozen jails or prisons across the country widely offer medication to treat opioid addiction.
One California lawmaker is hoping to change that. Assemblymember David Chiu recently introduced a bill to allocate funding for jails that offer medication that can ease withdrawal symptoms and reduce cravings.
For a look into why so few jails offer this medication, KCBS Anchor Jon Bristow spoke with Basia&nbsp;Andraka-Christou, assistant professor in department of health management and informatics at the University of Central Florida.

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