drug policy

The legislation would also establish procedures for expunging previous convictions from people’s records.

Between 1986 and 2010, the U.S. justice system punished crack cocaine 100 times more than powder cocaine, despite them being two forms of the same drug. Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson was part of a group that worked to address the disparity.

A year after Oregon decriminalized hard drugs like heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine, $30 million has been distributed to drug treatment centers – and many people have avoided a criminal record. Now the state is about to spend another $270 million to expand treatment options. Kellen Russoniello of the Drug Policy Alliance talks more about why Oregon reduced restrictions on drugs in 2020.

New York City opened two overdose prevention sites (also called safe injection sites) where drug users have access to clean supplies and staff nearby who can administer life-saving care in case of an overdose. The centers are a way for the city to address the opioid crisis and save lives, NBC New York’s Kay Angrum explains.