https://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle-old/394/nowresolution.shtml

Meeting for its annual convention in Nashville last weekend, the National Organization for Women approved a resolution opposing the current drug war and calling instead for an approach to drug use, abuse, and addiction that emphasizes compassion, health, and human rights. In addition, the resolution calls on NOW to educate its membership about the harms perpetrated by current drug policy and to create an ad hoc committee to develop an action plan to work for drug policy reform.

NOW is the nation's largest feminist organization, with some 500,000 contributing members and 550 local chapters. While it is best known for its defense of abortion rights, NOW is dedicated to achieving equality for women, and equal justice for all.

NOW's collective decision to take on the drug war came as a result of a careful intervention by a handful of drug reform movement activists, including Deborah Small of Break the Chains, Angelyn Frazer of Families Against Mandatory Minimums, Wyndi Anderson of National Advocates for Pregnant Women, Jean Marlowe and Cher Ford-McCullough of the Women's Organization for National Prohibition Reform, and Students for Sensible Drug Policy executive director Scarlett Swerdlow. This small group of activists laid the groundwork for the resolution by organizing and hosting a session at the convention exposing the drug war's dire consequences for women, children, the poor, and minorities.

"With Deborah's help, I was able to draft a resolution that the NOW Congress voted on," said Swerdlow in a message to supporters announcing the news. "The gist of it is that NOW has adopted a resolution opposing the war on drugs."

In the 1960s, some activists opposing the Vietnam War spoke of the need to have their opposition embraced by existing social and political organizations -- unions, professional organizations, civic groups, and the like. Such a strategy they called "the long march through the institutions." Thanks to good work on the ground in Knoxville, drug reform's long march just got one step shorter.

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