Tackling addiction through policy is tricky. It calls for nuanced insight on multiple issues. Whether it be combatting the overdose epidemic with harm reduction and other strategies, removing access barriers to evidence-based treatment, or influencing reimbursement decisions for promising new therapies, people’s lives are hanging in the balance. Rarely are we afforded government officers who are in the trenches of addiction, whether through first-hand experiences or work that focuses on addressing substance use. Join us in this panel discussion, where our four speakers will touch on how their experiences in-field shape their policy perspectives, new initiatives afoot, and where change is needed.