ASPMN position statement: pain management in patients with addictive disease.

The American Society for Pain Management Nursing (ASPMN) position is that patients with addictive disease and pain have the right to be treated with dignity, respect, and the same quality of pain assessment and management as all other patients. This includes maintaining a balance between provision of pain relief and protection against inappropriate use of prescribed medications. Nurses are well positioned and obligated to advocate for pain management across all treatment settings for patients actively using alcohol or other drugs, patients in recovery, or those receiving methadone for opioid dependence.