Thread by @DrugPolicyOrg

The drug war has infested six critical systems: child welfare, employment, public benefits, immigration, housing, and education. The harmful impacts are very real. THREAD 🧵

#UprootTheDrugWar / uprootingthedrugwar.org

The drug war breaks up families and removes children from their homes. Mandatory reporting is NOT a reflection of whether someone is a good parent. It increases distrust between patients and their doctors and leads to family separation. #UprootTheDrugWar

The drug war robs livelihoods and limits access to stable employment. Drug testing applicants and employees have NO effect on workplace safety and productivity. Off-the-clock use is not an employment issue. #UprootTheDrugWar

The drug war obstructs public benefits and denies people necessities for health and well-being. Many applicants must pay for drug tests themselves. Refusal to take a test can mean denial of benefits. The result of these policies? Financial and food insecurity. #UprootTheDrugWar

The drug war targets and fuels the deportation of Black & Latinx immigrants. For non-citizens, drug law violations - even selling $10 worth of drugs - can have dire impacts: ineligibility for asylum, denial of citizenship, deportation. #UprootTheDrugWar

The drug war invades our homes and blocks people from stable places to live. Kicking people out of their homes leads to increased overdose deaths, employment instability, and school dropout rates. #UprootTheDrugWar

The drug war warps our ability to provide the real support our students and children need. 10 million students are in schools that have law enforcement policing student drug use but no social workers. #UprootTheDrugWar

For this week and next, we’ll share stories and stats about how the drug war has shown up in each of these systems. Our work to #UprootTheDrugWar is a collective and intersectional fight, we hope you are with us! ✊

Please share the site: uprootingthedrugwar.org