Foundation for Drug Policy Solutions Urges RNC, DNC to Commit to Combating Harmful Drug Access and Addiction in Party Platforms
(WASHINGTON, DC) – With Republican and Democratic national conventions just weeks away, the Foundation for Drug Policy Solutions (FDPS) is calling on both parties to commit in their respective platforms to combatting the nation’s drug crisis. With more than 100,000 drug overdose deaths in the United States last year and new data showing daily use of dangerous psychoactive drugs now outpacing alcohol, the organization is urging political leaders to prioritize the issue in this year’s campaign.
“Party platforms clearly outline values and priorities to voters and laying out a plan to address the nation’s deadly drug crisis should be given the attention it deserves, on a bi-partisan basis at all levels of our political conversation,” said FDPS President Dr. Kevin Sabet, a former White House drug policy advisor to Presidents Obama, Bush, and Clinton. “Americans are seeing the pain and suffering inflicted upon them by legal and illicit drug peddlers and they’re crying out for help. The lives lost and destroyed continue to mount. The nominees for president and the political parties have a solemn responsibility to fight drug normalization and promote a future for America that prioritizes treatment, recovery, and drug-free living.”
“Americans will head to the polls this November in one of the most consequential elections in American history. The addiction industry’s determination to prey on the most vulnerable among us should not go unanswered. The infiltration of our communities by drug cartels should not go unanswered. Patries can earn the trust of the electorate by meeting the challenges of increased drug use head-on in a variety of ways. Any party that doesn’t adopt some framework to reduce addiction and drug dependency should be viewed skeptically by the public. Failure to acknowledge and address this threat would send a terrible message that drug industry investors making big profits off addiction and criminals that take lives every day have the upper hand,” Sabet added.
A copy of the language provided to the policy committees for each national committee can be found below. FDPS has also offered both committees the opportunity to meet with its policy experts for more in-depth conversations about how they can address the drug crisis and enact drug policy reforms that will stem the tide of addiction and heartbreak.
Fighting the Drug Crisis (Proposed Language for the 2024 RNC and DNC Party Platforms)
Every community is affected by the drug crisis ravaging our country. Every American has been touched by the damage caused by increasing drug use and addiction. Even though more than 100,000 Americans are killed by drugs every year, our country’s attitude toward substance use grows more permissive.
Our party supports increasing efforts to curtail not only illegal drug supplies but also industries that prey upon the vulnerable and increase addiction rates across the country for profit. We support increasing the availability of treatment options and provide a road to recovery for all Americans impacted by addictive drugs. We support efforts to push back against the false narrative that drug use is safe and acceptable, both at a political and societal level.
We commit to fighting radical drug legalization ideology that has proven to be deadly and destructive to the nation. We oppose so-called “safe” supply of free drugs and drug supplies to addicts and blanket efforts to legalize and decriminalize all drugs.
Our party commits to taking the drug crisis seriously. We pledge to fight drug normalization and promote a drug-free America for our children.