SmartDrugPolicy is excited with the launch of our comprehensive website on drug policy and the history of drugs. We believe there is an urgent need to fundamentally change our existing drug policies, leaving the war on drugs approach behind while recognizing the dangers and flaws of legalizing drugs for recreational use. We are calling on you, other concerned citizens, and policy makers in particular, to join our movement to develop drug policies that will reduce drug consumption, addiction, ineffective incarceration, and the unintended consequences of fighting drugs— usually borne by developing countries.
Prescription opiate and heroin addiction are at all-time highs in the U.S., killing more Americans than auto accidents and 2.5 times more than guns. Experts agree that the opiate crisis is by far our worst drug problem, even compared to the crack epidemic of the 80s. And the challenges go beyond opiates in the U.S. After years of steady decline, cocaine production is skyrocketing in Latin America, contributing to increased use globally. In Mexico, homicides related to drug-trafficking are on the rise after years of stabilizing. Although far from being the main driver of violence, drug trafficking continues to drive crime and corruption in many Latin American countries, implicating current and former presidential administrations in countries like Venezuela, Honduras, and Guatemala.
In the face of all of this, where is the outrage? What are our politicians and policy makers doing to find solutions? Beyond knee-jerk reactions that simply throw more money to fight drugs, is there anything being done to devise more thoughtful policies, ones that can reduce drug use and addiction and the costs associated with drug trafficking? What role can you play?
SmartDrugPolicy seeks to be a resource and voice to help you understand the evolution of the global drug problem in order to develop meaningful policy reform without legalization. A drug free society may be an impossibility given the human condition, but we believe that new policies must seek to minimize drug use while reducing the harms associated with drug production and trafficking borne mostly by developing countries.
We take an integrated, historical approach to understanding the chain from drug production to drug use and the policies adopted to-date. Too often, the challenges presented by drugs are viewed from the perspective of either, consumption, trafficking or production. SmartDrugPolicy seeks to break these barriers with the ultimate goal of reaching more consensus on policy goals that are fair to all.
Please discover our website today and write us to share with us what you think should be done about drugs and drug policy at [email protected].
You can help us make a difference!
As a non-partisan 501(c) 3 non-profit organization, based in Washington, D.C., we are grateful for contributions from supporters like you. Please join us today and [Please Contribute]. Your tax-deductible donation will help:
- Educate policy makers and citizens in the U.S. and abroad to improve our current drug policies without legalizing drugs
- Develop better drug policies that seek to minimize drug use, abuse, and the unintended costs from the traditional war on drugs approach
- Grow our existing operations so that we can reach more people, especially policy makers at the federal, state and local levels