In 2025, the Maryland Alliance for Sensible Drug Policy (and our affiliate the Maryland Fund for Sensible Drug Policy) went from an idea to a real, working movement with a growing base of people who use or have used drugs, their loved ones, and allies.

We’re here because drug policy in Maryland (and everywhere) too often runs on stigma and punishment, not health and dignity. Overdose deaths are only the most visible part of the crisis. Criminalization shapes everyday life, pushes people away from help, and toward risk. So we’re building something different: a response rooted in evidence and lived experience.

1) We built the foundation

Starting two nonprofits from scratch is a lot. In 2025, we:

  • Formed two organizations and completed unglamorous work of incorporation and IRS filings
  • Created websites
  • Secured IRS determination letters in record time

2) We educated, publicly and consistently

We started putting out ideas and creating space for real conversations:

  • Published blog posts and started a social media presence
  • Hosted or co-costed public events, including:
    • 8/27: “The Harm Reduction Gap” with Sheila P. Vakharia
    • 9/14: “The Failed War on Drugs: Moving Beyond Punishment”
    • 10/7: “Drug Legalization: A Panel Discussion” 

3) We organized across the state

A movement is relationships plus reps. In 2025 we:

  • Tabled at recovery and harm reduction events in Baltimore City and Baltimore, Cecil, Howard, and Montgomery counties
  • Held countless partner meetings with groups across the state
  • Connected with subject matter experts at Rx Summit in Nashville and the Drug Policy Reform Conference in Detroit

We also joined key coalitions and built credibility by showing up consistently, including the BRIDGES Coalition and the NCADD's Addiction Treatment Advocacy Committee (ATAC).

4) We advocated and won a real policy victory

In Annapolis, we moved from “new org” to “effective org” fast:

  • Submitted written testimony on 6 bills
  • Delivered oral testimony on 2 bills
  • Helped draft and pass HB1066, creating a state workgroup to study the impacts of criminalization as a first step in a multi-year strategy toward decriminalizing possession for personal use

5) People actually joined this thing

Year-one growth snapshot:

  • 159 people receiving our emails
  • 51 members
  • 13 donors
  • 9 active volunteers
  • 1700+ hours donated

What we learned (and what we’re taking into 2026)

  • Focus wins. We can do a lot, but our biggest impact comes when we pick a few priorities and execute them really well.
  • Fundraising fuels impact. A shoestring budget can launch a movement, but sustainable funding is what lets us scale statewide and make change stick.

If you were part of this first year in any way, thank you. Seriously. You helped prove this movement is not only needed, it’s possible.

Ready to be part of it? Join the Alliance Today!