An Arnold Ventures hire raises questions about its addiction stance

A philanthropic giant’s recent hire of a researcher with controversial theories on naloxone access is raising alarms among public health advocates who worry the move marks a shift in major donors’ approach to addiction treatment.

Arnold Ventures, one of the largest nonprofit funders of criminal justice reform projects and a major player in drug policy circles, announced last month that Texas A&M University economist Jennifer Doleac would take over its criminal justice portfolio in July, replacing longtime policy reform researcher and public official Jeremy Travis. The news reignited a Twitter firestorm over Doleac’s work, including research suggesting that making the opioid overdose treatment naloxone more accessible sparked a rise in opioid use.