substance
use
The United States has long treated substance use as a crime rather than a public health issue, resulting in stark inequities in how Black people are punished for drug use. Decades of criminalizing certain substances have failed to eliminate drug use, instead creating a profound stigma and fear of punishment that prevents people from accessing treatment and support.
All people who experience overdose or use drugs deserve a nonjudgmental and non-carceral response that provides a pathway to treatment and services. While policymakers work to decriminalize or legalize the use of drugs, police departments have a significant role to play in adapting their enforcement of drug laws.
Featured Post
Substance Use and Public Health: Solutions Beyond Policing
data by-the-numbers
Just 11% of surveyed officers believe the war on drugs is reducing drug use.
Black people are more likely to be arrested for marijuana possession than their White counterparts in every state, with an average disparity of 3.64 times higher arrest rates.
Of people who recently sold drugs have a substance use disorder themselves
Drug overdose rate among White people from 2019 to 2020
Drug overdose rate among Native people from 2019 to 2020
Drug overdose rate among Black people from 2019 to 2020
Featured Resources
Substantial and effective change in our collective approach to public safety can only be driven by community voice.
