It’s Time To Talk About Drugs

Just over 50 years ago, President Nixon declared the war on drugs, styling them as “public enemy number one.” Five decades later, this top-down approach has become one of the most destructive examples of over criminalization in our country. It’s produced an inequity of penalties across the criminal justice system. As overdose rates climb, and with over one million arrested last year for possession, we’re left to consider whether we’re fighting the right war.

America’s criminal justice system must prioritize public safety and empower those closest to the problems to solve them by offering meaningful opportunities for redemption and rehabilitation. We support community-based solutions, and the entrepreneurs behind them, that are offering a better path to solving justice system failures. A bottom-up approach redirects the justice system’s focus to threats to public safety, using data to drive better policy decisions and expand second chances for individuals reentering society.

Join this discussion on March 12 as we talk about, “Women and the War on Drugs: A New Wave of CJR,” “Post Pot Legalization: The Good, The Bad & The Ugly,” and “We're Spending Billions...Why Don't We Feel Safe?” Hear from those who are asking the right questions and providing solutions.

Photo provided by Stand Together Trust