John
This week, we’re pleased to share the second installment of our series, A Human Rights Agenda for the Next U.S. Administration, focusing on drug policy. In this article, we recommend that the U.S. adopt a public health-centered approach, prioritizing harm reduction and decriminalization, and revisiting current failed drug control strategies and federal cannabis laws. We also urge the next administration to push for reform at the UN, as outdated drug-control policies continue to negatively impact human rights, security, and the environment. With many countries in Latin America and the Caribbean already leading the charge, the U.S. can play a critical role in working to align global drug policies with human rights standards.
Additionally, we hosted the event, Responding Effectively to the Fentanyl Overdose Crisis: Evidence from the Border and Beyond, where U.S. and Mexican experts discussed why military action and migration crackdowns won’t solve the crisis, while highlighting more humane, evidence-based strategies to address fentanyl overdoses. Watch it here.
Lastly, I recently joined Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees’ Ivy O. Suriyopas for a podcast to discuss the root causes of migration in the Americas, focusing on how the United States’ history of political intervention and military occupation in Latin America destabilized the region and contributed to the factors driving migration today. Understanding this history is essential for shaping future policies - from the U.S. government and philanthropy - to address the root causes of migration and establish a rights-respecting response to regional migration. Listen to the conversation here.
Wishing you a wonderful long weekend,
