Drug Policy Alliance

As we near the peak of summer, we are hard at work! Our mission to end the drug war and build a bridge toward health, equity, and human rights remains at the forefront of everything we do here at DPA.

But as a non-profit, we depend on people like you to power our work. Please, if you’re able, make a special donation now. Your gift today will help:

End the war on people. Drug possession is the most arrested offense in the U.S. In fact, every 31 seconds a person is arrested for simple drug possession in this country. Those arrests come at an enormous cost. Each year, state, local, and federal governments spend about $47 billion enforcing drug prohibition laws—money that would be better spent on supporting communities.

Fight racial injustice. Punitive drug laws are tools of racial oppression that allow law enforcement to arrest, incarcerate, and deport people of color and people living in poverty. Black people are three times more likely to be arrested for drugs than white people, despite using and selling drugs at the same rates.

Give people their lives back. A drug conviction can have devastating, lifelong consequences, including the loss of employment, educational opportunities, housing, child custody, and immigration status. Criminalizing people who use drugs perpetuates discrimination and traps individuals, families, and communities in cycles of poverty.

Prove there is a better way. Decriminalization is the first step toward reducing the harm of the drug war. DPA-backed drug decriminalization efforts in Oregon have resulted in a 60% decrease in the number of people arrested for drug law violations, while funding from regulated drug sales is flowing to community-based treatment programs.

Save lives. The drug war is a failure and has contributed to a poisoned drug supply. But we have proven—and popular—tools that address the root causes of problematic drug use and reduce harm. Since New York City opened the nation’s first-ever sanctioned overdose prevention centers last December, more than 300 lives have been saved.

Whatever reason means the most to you, donate today to help put an end to this unjust and racist drug war.

Together we can make change!