Drug Policy Alliance - New York Office

08/24/2022

Take Action!

Overdose continues to kill New Yorkers at alarming rates, claiming more lives than car accidents, suicides, and homicides combined. It doesn’t have to be this way.

We need to build on our advocacy that led to the nation’s first sanctioned overdose prevention centers (OPCs) in New York City which have already saved more than 415 lives since opening last December. Unfortunately, because OPCs are awaiting state authorization, this lifesaving approach remains unavailable to the vast majority of people who need it.

That’s why we’ve been pushing the Governor to authorize overdose prevention centers to open across the state.

Please use the link below to send a message urging Gov. Hochul to take executive action on OPCs by Overdose Awareness Day next Wed, August 31.

Take action to help us bring OPCs statewide to curb the overdose crisis and save the lives of our loved ones.

05/26/2022

It’s time to ! Join the Informed Consent Campaign in calling on NY Legislative leaders Carl Heastie and Andrea Stewart-Cousins and lawmakers to pass the Informed Consent Bill.

A positive drug test does not equal abuse or neglect, yet hospitals still target Black mamas for non-consensual drug tests and report positive results to the family regulation system.

The Informed Consent Bill will require medical providers to obtain oral and written consent from pregnant and prenatal people before drug testing them or their newborn. Support for the Informed Consent bill—and more importantly, the fundamental belief that all pregnant people and parents deserve bodily autonomy and self-determination—is broad and deep. Supporters range from parents impacted by the family regulation system, activists, and organizers, to radical doulas, medical providers, and civil rights and reproductive justice advocates.

Join us in calling on Carl Heastie and Andrea Stewart-Cousins and your local lawmakers to and pass the Informed Consent Bill now: bit.ly/IC-Toolkit

01/19/2022

Black and Brown mothers have the right to informed consent, autonomy, dignity, and respect -- yet the family regulation system operates against parents behind their backs with unjust practices like test and report.

Many Black and Brown parents are subjected to drug testing without consent, and the consequences are devastating and traumatizing for their families. They love and care for their children, and results of a drug test will NEVER change that.

Read these powerful words from Ericka Brewington about her experience fighting the racist healthcare system and
NYC Administration for Children's Services- ACS after they took her child away — just minutes after his birth.

We must END the hospital-to-family-policing pipeline.

Read about Ericka's experience at http://bit.ly/ErickaBrew

12/15/2021

For parents like , the war on drugs tore her family apart and took away her agency as a patient.

Read Elizabeth Brico's article on informed consent, and join to end the war on drugs on pregnant and parenting people.

READ: bit.ly/TalkBrico
JOIN: bit.ly/reimagine-support

12/15/2021

Black and Brown people have the right to healthy, happy, and safe families that remain together, whatever form that family takes. Join to stop doctors from drug testing pregnant people, parents, and their children without informed consent.
READ bit.ly/TalkBrico

02/22/2021

Ok New York, we’ve got next! Together we can ensure that cannabis legalization also means justice for impacted communities!

New York, NY – In response to New Jersey becoming the 13th state to pass and implement ma*****na legalization for adult use, following the legislature voting for—and Governor Murphy signing legislation into law—Melissa Moore, New York State Director for the Drug Policy Alliance, released the f...

02/19/2021

We’ll be tuning into this tonight and tomorrow! Will you join us?

Tonight at 7pm ET, join Women Grow for the start of their two-day summit February 19 and 20 about the business of cannabis.

Tune in to hear Drug Policy Alliance’s Executive Director Kassandra Frederique discuss the importance ma*****na justice.

The summit will be live-streaming on YouTube today and tomorrow: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCN7AXTISrYXYs7GYrmYKY2g

01/28/2021

New York State has the opportunity to legalize cannabis AND address the harm caused by criminalization through restitution to impacted Black and brown communities. There is only one path for legalization and it must center racial justice.

After two years of false starts, could 2021 be the year that New York finally legalizes ma*****na? All the stars ...

01/21/2021

We demand ma*****na legalization AND ma*****na justice! Put the revenue back into the Black and brown communities you targeted and terrorized for decades.

“This program will generate much-needed revenue, while allowing us to support those that have been most harmed by decades of failed cannabis prohibition”