DEA gives NPs the authority to treat opioid use disorder. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) final rule, issued in January, gives authority to NPs to prescribe drugs to treat opioid addiction under certain conditions. The move, which the agency says was needed to conform to the 2016 Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act, is aimed at improving medication-assisted treatment, particularly for people in underserved rural areas. NPs must be licensed to prescribe Schedule II, IV, and V drugs in their state, comply with existing collaborative state requirements, and complete 24 hours of initial training. By issuing the rule, the DEA expects to reduce the economic burdens of opioid abuse.