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Friend, Last night’s presidential debate had a clear takeaway: we must stay focused. While the debate was largely defined by men talking over each other, buried in the cacophony were problematic comments made by both candidates about drug policy and drug use. At Drug Policy Action, the advocacy and political arm of the Drug Policy Alliance, we refuse to let these comments get lost in the noise or go unchallenged. Because the truth is, no matter the outcome in November, we will still need to work diligently to undo the disastrous harms of the drug war and advance policies grounded in science, compassion, health, and human rights. We must stop using criminalization as our default. In response to a question on “reimagining policing” Vice President Joe Biden offered an alternative where police receive more resources and may be accompanied by a mental health professional on certain calls. But sending more resources to law enforcement is not the way to reimagine policing. We must stop operating in a way that prioritizes criminalization and stop sending police as the first responders to calls involving behavioral health and drug use. Period. The drug war has diverted valuable resources away from community health and towards militarized policing. When Carlos Ingram Lopez’s grandmother called the police because of his irregular behavior, she did not expect that they would kill her grandson. The Wendy’s employee that called the police on Rayshard Brooks also did not expect they would take his life, neither did the store owner that called the police on George Floyd. It is time to reevaluate what has fallen under the incredibly bloated scope of the police and begin redirecting resources towards appropriate community services better suited for these kinds of situations. We must stop stigmatizing people who use drugs. In a rambling exchange where both candidates were asked why voters should choose them over their opponent, President Donald Trump shamed and stigmatized Biden for his son’s drug use. Stigma can be a serious barrier to a wide range of opportunities and rights for people who use drugs, or are recovering from problematic drug use, or their family. People who are stigmatized for their drug involvement can endure severe social rejection, labeling, stereotyping, and discrimination, even in the absence of any negative consequences associated with their drug use. We must provide more harm reduction services. Trump’s claim that the pandemic had led to an increase in alcohol and other drug use underscores the need to provide evidence-based support services that provide dignity and autonomy to people who use drugs. We must increase access to medication assisted treatments like buprenorphine and methadone and expand outpatient and remote access to evidence-based treatment. We must also expand the availability and accessibility of harm reduction services, like syringe access programs and Overdose Prevention Centers. And we must protect access to medical marijuana. Friend, as this debate demonstrated, it’s going to be a very raucous election season but we can’t let our issues get lost in the noise. We must stay focused in order to end this drug war once and for all.
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