more

Issues: End the War on Drugs and Mass Incarceration

Back to Issues


Treat drug abuse as a health problem, not a criminal problem.

Truth, Justice, and Reconciliation Commission: Appoint to address the impact of the war on drugs and mass incarceration, particularly on communities of color, and recommend policies to repair the damages.

Decriminalize Hard Drugs: Adapt the successful drug decriminalization policy of Portugal to New York. Eliminate criminal penalties for low-level possession and consumption of all illicit drugs and treat these activities as violations. A person found in possession of personal-use amounts of hard drugs will no longer arrested, but ordered to appear before a local "dissuasion commission" - comprised of one legal official and two health and social service officials - who take a health-centered approach. They will determine whether and to what extent the person is addicted and refer that person to a voluntary treatment program or order payment of a fine or other administrative sanctions. Drug trafficking offenses should remain illegal and processed through the criminal justice system.

Free Drug War Prisoners: Freedom and amnesty for all drug war prisoners who been convicted for non-violent drug offenses with the savings from reduced incarceration invested into re-entry support for former prisoners and reparations for the communities most damaged by mass incarceration.

Drug Abuse Treatment on Demand: Drug treatment should be covered by a universal public health insurance program, which should invest in drug treatment clinics sufficient to meet the need.

Ready for the next step?

Sign up for our newsletter

- or -

Volunteer Donate

Search Howie's website and previous campaign archives here: