Ethan Nadelmann, DPA Executive Director
Marsha Rosenbaum, Director of San Francisco Office and Safety First
Daniel N. Abrahamson, Director of the Office of Legal Affairs
asha bandele, Director, Advocacy Grants Program
Margaret Dooley-Sammuli, Acting Director, Southern California
Naomi Long, Director, District of Columbia Metropolitan Area
Tony Newman, Director, Media Relations
Anthony Papa, Communications Specialist
Bill Piper, Director, Office of National Affairs
Roseanne Scotti, Director of New Jersey Drug Policy Project
Reena Szczepanksi, Director, Drug Policy Alliance New Mexico
Clovis Thorn, Development Director
Jasmine Tyler, Deputy Director of National Affairs

Recent DPA Publications

Diversion Works: How Connecticut Can Downsize Prisons, Improve Public Safety and Save Money with a Comprehensive Mental Health and Substance Abuse Approach
Immarigeon, Russ and Greene, Judith. A Better Way Foundation. April 17, 2008. Commissioned by the Drug Policy Alliance. After leading the nation in prison population reduction in 2003, Connecticut’s prison population reached record high levels this year, with more than 19,800 men and women behind bars. A recent prison population forecast by the Connecticut Statistical Analysis Center indicates that, unless measures are quickly taken to bring prison population levels back under control, taxpayers are likely to be burdened with excessive and rising costs to pay for capacity expansion. This report outlines how Connecticut can save money and increase public safety through diverting people with mental health and substance abuse issues away from prison.

A Four Pillars Approach to Methamphetamine
Piper, Bill. New York, NY. Drug Policy Alliance. March 18, 2008. This report lays out the fundamentals of an effective national strategy for reducing the problems associated with both methamphetamine misuse and misguided U.S. methamphetamine policies. It presents policymakers with a diverse range of evidence-based policy proposals that seek to save lives, reduce wasteful government spending, and empower communities. The “four pillars” of an effective national methamphetamine strategy are prevention, treatment, policing and harm reduction.

Safety First: A Reality-Based Approach to Teens and Drugs
Rosenbaum, Marsha. San Francisco: Drug Policy Alliance. 2007.  Safety First was written to provide parents with the tools needed to evaluate and discuss strategies for protecting their teenagers from drug abuse. Since the original publication of the booklet, more than 200,000 copies have been distributed worldwide.

Disparity by Design: How Drug-free Zone Laws Impact Racial Disparity – And Fail to Protect Youth
Justice Policy Institute. Washington, DC. March 2006. A new national report, authored by the Justice Policy Institute and commissioned by the Drug Policy Alliance, finds that drug-free zones fail to protect youth from drug activity, while creating high levels of racial disparity in the criminal justice system.

Repeating Mistakes of the Past: Another Mycoherbicide Research Bill
Bigwood, Jeremy. Washington, DC. Drug Policy Alliance. March 2006 . Report shows that a proposed Congressional plan to require the Office of National Drug Control Policy to revive research into toxic fungal “mycoherbicides” is extremely reckless, dangerous and unpopular, even with White House Drug Czar John Walters. These mold-like biological agents would be sprayed on drug crops in foreign countries, such as Colombia and Afghanistan, where coca and opium are illegally produced.

Proposition 36: Improving Lives, Delivering Results
Drug Policy Alliance. March 2006. The Drug Policy Alliance published Proposition 36: Improving Lives, Delivering Results to help California state and county officials understand the positive impact of the historic Substance Abuse and Crime Prevention Act of 2000 on California’s correctional system, drug treatment centers, and state budget over its first four years. This report also introduces readers to some inspiring true stories of how Prop.36 has helped tens of thousands of people turn their lives around.

2006 Drug Policy Reform Congressional Voter Guide
Piper, Bill. Washington, DC. Drug Policy Alliance Network. 2006. a nonpartisan tool for gauging members of Congress on their commitment to reforming failed U.S. drug policies. It covers key drug policy votes and related legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives during 2005.

Treatment Instead of Prisons: A Roadmap for Sentencing and Correctional Policy in Wisconsin
Justice Strategies; January 2006. Subtitled "A Roadmap for Sentencing and Correctional Policy Reform in Wisconsin" and commissioned by the Drug Policy Alliance, this report finds that Wisconsin policymakers could generate savings of four dollars for each dollar invested while achieving significant reductions in recidivism and substance abuse.

Making Sense of Student Drug Testing
Kern, Jennifer, et al. Oakland, DA. Drug Policy Alliance. 2006. The experts agree, and the evidence is clear! Random drug testing does not reduce drug use among young people. Spending extra millions on testing students' urine will only destroy relationships between youth and adults. This booklet demonstrates the key flaws in random student drug testing and outlines promising alternatives to the invasive and expensive practice.

Beyond Zero Tolerance
Skager, Rodney. San Francisco, CA: Drug Policy Alliance; 2005. Beyond Zero Tolerance is a comprehensive, cost-effective approach to high school drug education and student assistance that is all about helping teenagers by bolstering the student community and educational environment. This unique approach combines education, interaction, assistance when needed, and restorative practices.

California Drug Policy Heroes and Zeroes
Backes, Glenn and Leverenz, Nikos. Sacramento, CA. Drug Policy Alliance. November 10, 2005. Evaluation of members of the California Legislature is based on several criteria. Chief among them is whether a member has a consistent voting record for legislation that has a positively impact on drug policy in California. However, other factors were also considered, including significant signal of political courage in support of common-sense reforms.

Alabama Prison Crisis
Judith Greene and Kevin Pranis. Justice Strategies Policy. October 2005. This report, commissioned by the Drug Policy Alliance, found that the rapid growth in Alabama’s prison population - which currently ranks fifth nationally - was fueled by the incarceration of people convicted of non-violent offenses, primarily drug and property violations.

Drug Policy Alliance 10 Year Review
Drug Policy Alliance. New York, NY. August 2005. An overview of the groudbreaking work of the Alliance since 1995.

About Methadone and Buprenorphine
Catania, Holly, JD. New York, NY. Drug Policy Alliance. 2006. The ideal resource for anyone interested in learning about methadone maintenance therapy and buprenorphine therapy, this booklet was designed for treatment providers, people in recovery, and their families.

The Marijuana Conviction: A History of Marijuana Prohibition in the United States
Bonnie, Richard J, and Whitebread, Charles H. New York, NY. Drug Policy Alliance. July 1999. Originally printed in 1974, The Marijuana Conviction is the first comprehensive history of marijuana use and prohibition in the U.S. Bonnie and Whitebread's historical overview examines the origins and history of marijuana prohibition as well as laws' unintended consequences.

Marijuana Myths, Marijuana Facts
Zimmer, Lynn and Morgan, John. New York, NY. The Drug Policy Alliance. 1997. This book provides reliable information about marijuana's effects on people. This book is for everyone interested in the drug itself, and for everyone concerned about people who use it.  It is for parents and adolescents, for school counselors and police officers, for drug treatment specialists and drug policy reformers. It is for people who love marijuana and people who hate it.