Dear Friend,

What happened to Jasmin could have happened to many of us. 

Jasmin had just started a new job as a legislative aide for a City Council member in Rochester, New York, and she was thrilled. The position was a new opportunity for her family and the chance to make a difference in her community. 

But then the results of the city-mandated drug test came back: positive for THC. 

For using a substance that is now legal in more than 20 states, Jasmin lost her new position. She was also barred from applying for any more city jobs for an entire year. But instead of giving up, she decided to fight back. 

For 4/20 this year, we are reflecting on the impact of this disastrous drug war on people like Jasmin—and the power each of us has to change these policies for the better. 

Join the Drug Policy today, and you’ll make twice the impact for people like Jasmin—because every dollar you contribute will be MATCHED, up to $42,000!

At first, Jasmin wasn’t sure how to move forward after she was blocked from her job because of a drug test. “I was devastated,” she said. “I didn’t know what I was going to do next.” But then something clicked.  

“I’ll accept that I’m not going to get the job,” she remembers thinking, “but I can’t accept this policy.” 

She started with a letter to the mayor, written with her young daughter by her side. She spoke at the City Council in solidarity with other passionate advocates like you and me, explaining why the policy was unjust.  

Jasmin fought for the change she believed in — and before the end of the year, she won her campaign. The Rochester City Council passed a bill to end marijuana testing for city job applicants and employees.  

Jasmin was thrilled with the bill, but a big part of her was frustrated that she and others were discriminated against for off-the-clock use. “I was happy that it happened,” she says, “but I was like, Why did I have to go through all of this?” 

It’s a question that still confronts countless people across the country. In some states, as many as 25% of employers still conduct drug or alcohol testing for new applicants or current employees, including in places where marijuana is legal for adult use. It’s invasive, humiliating, and not indicative of job impairment. And it cuts off paths to employment and financial stability. 

This is where you come in. We are fighting to change unjust policies like these. We need policies that help people, not punish and control them. We must uproot the drug war from every aspect of our lives. Your support today powers our work.  

Make your 4/20 gift now, while it will double in value. Together, we will fight to ensure every person is able to live freely and with dignity, regardless of drug use.

Thank you in advance for standing with people like Jasmin.