You Can Make a Difference

Dear friends,

The drug war’s foundation is beginning to crumble thanks to your hard work.

By just four votes, the House last week voted down an amendment that would have upheld the ban on federal funding for syringe exchange programs.  The ban has been in place since the 1980s and is one of the pillars of the drug war. 

With such a close vote, it’s clear that every single email, letter and phone call to Congress played a part in defeating the amendment.  In addition to your emails, we had staff calling congressional offices for days leading up to the vote, and our offices in California, New York, New Jersey and New Mexico organized grassroots efforts to persuade legislators from those states to end the ban. 

You and I are closer than ever to tearing down some of the worst drug war policies.  It’s time for Congress to own up to its mistakes and stop putting politics before public health and sound science.  Help us hold them accountable by making a donation today. 

While this recent victory is exciting, we’re not done yet.  Now we need your support to prepare for upcoming opportunities to dismantle failed drug war policies.

Discriminatory sentencing and mandatory minimums for nonviolent drug offenses could soon be reformed. Congress is also on the verge of repealing both the Barr Amendment, which prevents the District of Columbia from setting its own marijuana policy, and the Higher Education Act drug provision, which excludes students with drug convictions from financial aid.

We need your help to make sure we have the resources to keep the momentum going and win more victories against bad drug war policies.  Your donation will help us keep up the fight to end the drug war.

Sincerely,

Bill Piper
Director, Office of National Affairs
Drug Policy Alliance Network