Achievements
The DPA was the guiding force behind California's Proposition 36. "Prop 36" and the formation of the Drug Courts gave non-violent drug offenders the opportunity to seek treatment in drug rehabilitation programs rather than serve lengthy jail sentences. The Drug Courts also removed unlicensed drug rehabs as options for fulfilling probation requirements, a bold move as unlicensed rehabs were plentiful in California (like Futures Foundation, Inc., in San Jose, California.)
The DPA was primarily responsible for 1996 with California’s landmark medical marijuana law, Proposition 215, which made cannabis available to seriously ill patients as well as reduced criminal penalties for possession. The DPA continued their achievements with Proposition 215 in by Alaska in 1998, Oregon in 1998, Washington in 1998, Maine in 1999, Colorado in 2000, Nevada in 1998 and 2000 and New Mexico in 2007.
In 2000, DPA helped push California’s landmark treatment-not-incarceration law called Proposition 36. It replaces jail time with substance abuse treatment for first and second time nonviolent drug offenders. More than 84,000 people were removed from jail and graduated from treatment.
In 2006 DPA got the “Blood-borne Pathogen Harm Reduction Act,” signed into law. It allows up to six cities to establish syringe access programs. This helps prevent the spread of blood-borne diseases such as HIV/AIDS.
The DPA has worked across the country to pass the “911 Good Samaritan Immunity Laws”. These laws are to help encourage overdose witnesses to call 911. They reduce drug possession charges for those who seek medical help. The DPA lead a campaign in New Mexico to pass the law and were successful in 2007.
The DPA is also working to eliminate mandatory minimum sentencing and racially biased crack/cocaine sentencing schemes at the state and federal levels.
Read more about this topic: Drug Policy Alliance
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