The Problem

Like many other states in the country, Maryland is struggling with the consequences of decades of ineffective and harmful drug policies that have destroyed lives, families, and entire communities. Arrests, incarceration, and stigmatization have done little to reduce drug use, but instead have only fueled a cycle of addiction, poverty, and marginalization.

Despite growing recognition that drug use is a health issue rather than a criminal one, people who use or have used drugs and their families continue to face significant barriers when accessing care, including stigma, affordability, and systemic gaps in services. While Maryland has made important strides, such as expanding access to treatment and recovery support services, other evidence-based interventions such as overdose prevention centers remain politically contentious. Alarmingly, recent legislative proposals, such drug-induced homicide laws, threaten to reverse progress by reviving punitive approaches reminiscent of the War on Drugs.

Our Solution

At the center of our advocacy is the principle that those most affected by drug policies—people with lived or living experience—must have a voice in the solutions. We use our own experiences together with the best available research to advocate for sensible drug policies that save lives.

The Alliance works through organizing and advocacy to:

• Empower people with lived or living experience with substance use, and their loved ones to get involved in the policymaking process; 
• Ensure harm reduction, treatment, and recovery support are accessible, affordable, and evidence-based; and 
• Educate policymakers, the public, and stakeholders about the harms of criminalization and the benefits of a health-centered approach.

By shifting the focus from punishment to health, we can create a future where people who use or have used drugs live healthy self-directed lives.