In late December, Congress passed the federal omnibus spending bill. This included provisions that signaled mixed commitments to drug policy reform.

First, the good news.

The federal spending bill included the Mainstreaming Addiction Treatment (MAT) Act. This increases access to medication that treats addiction. It ends unnecessary barriers that required doctors to receive approval from the Drug Enforcement Administration to prescribe buprenorphine, a lifesaving medication considered the gold standard for treating opioid use disorder. The bill also secures additional funding that DPA urgently wanted for the CDC to support community-based overdose prevention activities. DPA is proud to have supported both efforts. 

Now, the frustrating news.

It's disappointing that Congress took steps back when it comes to addressing the overdose crisis. Congress passed a two-year extension of the Trump-era temporary scheduling of fentanyl-related substances. And they banned federal funds for harm reduction tools, like syringes and smoking pipes.

Congress had a chance to research and test fentanyl-related substances for medical potential. This includes testing substances that could potentially reverse fentanyl overdoses.  Senator Booker’s TEST ACT would have allowed for this to happen. Yet, Congress chose to double down on the drug war playbook. They included another two-year scheduling extension which prioritizes criminalization. It also prevents potentially life-saving research.

The continued ban on federal funding from being used to purchase syringes, and a new ban that prevents funding for smoking pipes, is another step in the wrong direction. These are critical harm reduction tools that help keep people who use drugs safer. This includes by curbing infectious diseases.

Congress should be standing on the side of public health. Yet, they continue to make policy decisions based on fear, stigma, and misinformation. They continue to prioritize criminalization while ineffectively address the climbing overdose.

Finally, a package of marijuana reforms did not make it into the final spending bill. This included the SAFE Banking Act, which has been a hot topic in the marijuana advocacy space. We support access to banking for marijuana businesses. However, we recognize that increased access to banking is not the same as equitable access to banking. While we were encouraged to see proposed changes to make this bill more equitable, it still fell short. Now, we have an opportunity to make it right. You can learn more here.

Once again, Congress has sent mixed signals on drug policy. We’ll keep fighting to replace punishment with evidence-based health responses to turn the tide on the overdose crisis. And we’ll ensure federal marijuana reform centers equity, opportunity, justice.  

Together, we’ll keep fighting for what’s right and make progress in 2023.

With gratitude,