Friend,
As an important part of this movement, you know the drug war has become a dangerous tool of racial and social control, impacting every sector of your life. A drug charge, or even just drug testing, can make it harder for you to get a job, education, and housing. You could even lose your parental rights for simply testing positive for marijuana one time. Yes, one time!
That’s why, with the support of our donors and activists, we are fighting to dismantle this disastrous drug war and its pervasive punishment of people who use drugs. Instead, we should offer voluntary health and support services for those who need them.
But now, we urgently need your help to step up this fight to end the drug war. Please become one of the 50 monthly donors we need right now. When you do, you’ll become a valued member of the Reformers Club, AND, for a limited time, your new monthly gift will unlock an extra $100 for this fight, provided by another generous donor.
Do you have your own story of the harm caused by a drug war? Many of us who work at the Drug Policy Alliance do. Brian, DPA’s new Managing Director of Communications and Marketing, recently shared his story of how the drug war harmed his family:
“My mom was 16 when she was charged with possession of marijuana. A trauma survivor, she survived homelessness, and while raising 3 kids, earned her GED, then Associates, then BA, and then MA. Applying for jobs, the drug charge would come up in background checks. She was offered her dream job, but they told her she couldn’t move forward until the marijuana change was removed. She worked so hard for a weed charge to potentially ruin her livelihood! That’s the drug war, ruining lives and disproportionately targeting people of color like my mom.”
Brian’s mom scraped together the money for a paralegal who helped her remove the charge. But as Brian said, “Imagine the other people this happened to, who couldn’t afford legal help and didn’t have a favorable outcome. How unnecessary and harmful, not just to my mom, but to our whole family.”
The drug war can rob you of your livelihood and uprooting it is no small task. But when you join the Reformers Club today, you’ll help DPA fight for change so every parent, every family, and every community has the opportunity to thrive without harmful, unnecessary barriers in their way. And we can’t wait any longer!
Join us today with a monthly donation and unlock an extra $100. Together, we’ll uproot the drug war and replace it with policies rooted in justice that respect personal choice and health!
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With gratitude,
Joe Salas
Membership Director, and fellow Reformers Club member
Drug Policy Alliance |
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