"The misguided “war” on drugs has resulted in little more than the creation of a militarized police force that focuses on the incarceration of low-level drug users that feeds the for-profit prison industry and is waged primarily in communities of color and oppressive poverty, rather than addressing the root causes of this crisis. It is time to end this masquerade. We are not winning and we are suffering enormous casualties. This misguided initiative is clearly not providing us any relief from what is essentially a public health crisis.The opiod crisis and the increase in exploitative drug pricing demonstrates the contradiction in America’s drug policies. We can not continue to allow prescription drugs to be marketed for profit without any regard for social impact and health consequences.
I support legalization of marijuana along with taxation and regulation as a vital initiative toward ending the war on drugs and creating equitable drug policies. The crisis of drug abuse must be addressed by providing communities with economic stability, equitable access to health care resources, and quality educational opportunities."