Friend,

Coronavirus [link removed] (COVID-19) is a public health crisis that is affecting all of us – and we at the Drug Policy Alliance are doing all we can to respond to this pandemic, protect those we serve, and carry out our shared mission.

Although much is uncertain, we are in this together and there are preventative steps [link removed] we can all take to help protect ourselves and one another.

Our staff is working remotely and monitoring this situation closely. We strongly encourage you to visit the CDC’s website [link removed] for information, updates, and resources.

We are deeply concerned about the well-being of some of our most vulnerable community members – people who use drugs; people in jails, prisons, and immigrant detention centers; and people without housing.

They face unique challenges that put them at increased risk of contracting and spreading coronavirus. Although many of us are able to take precautions such as social distancing, these vulnerable populations are in environments with conditions that can create or exacerbate harms.

We worry that people who use drugs will face even more challenges to access life-saving harm reduction services and medications. We know that people who are incarcerated and detained will remain stuck in crowded, unsanitary spaces. We’ve learned that people without housing will struggle to manage risks without adequate supports, resources, or medical care. We will continue to work in coalition with our partners to center the needs of our most vulnerable.

Many of our allies have created useful resources for protecting these communities during this critical time. Please check out the information below to learn how to protect yourselves and others:

--Harm Reduction Coalition: Guidance for People Who Use Drugs and Harm Reduction Programs [link removed]

--Vital Strategies: Practicing Harm Reduction in the COVID-19 Outbreak [link removed]

--The Justice Collaborative: COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Response and Resources [link removed]

--Yale Program in Addiction Medicine, Global Health Justice Partnership, and Crackdown: Guidance for People Who Use Substances on COVID-19 [link removed]

Public health must be a priority as we fight this pandemic. But that isn’t possible if we are leaving people behind.

We each have a critical role to play in keeping each other safe. We must step up and DPA remains committed to promoting our values of science, compassion, health and human rights at this crucial moment.

In Solidarity,

Richard Burns
Interim Executive Director
Drug Policy Alliance 


The Drug Policy Alliance depends entirely on private donations to fund our work to end the war on drugs and promote new drug policies grounded in science, compassion, health, and human rights. Your support is crucial [link removed] – thank you!

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