When a loved one dies of an overdose—and when we worry about protecting our families and communities from the ongoing overdose crisis—it is tempting to divide people into innocent victims and dangerous (often outsider) perpetrators. But such stark lines are inconsistent with the realities of how people acquire and use drugs.

What’s more, this perspective crowds out more nuanced conversations and real solutions to the overdose crisis. It also suggests that only those deemed “innocent” are worthy of having their lives protected or saved.