The War on Drugs
The ACLU works in courts, legislatures, and communities to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties that the Constitution and the laws of the United States guarantee everyone in this country.
The Latest
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ACLU Applauds Merrick Garland for Directive to End Crack and Powder Cocaine Sentencing Disparity
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The Coast Guard Destroyed Their Livelihoods. Will the Supreme Court Hear Their Case?
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Sheriff Kristin Graziano and the New Movement for Public Safety
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ACLU of Wyoming Supports Funding Mental Health, Substance Use Diversion Programs
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What's at Stake
Drug arrests now account for a quarter of the people locked up in America, but drug use rates have remained steady. Over the last 40 years, we have spent trillions of dollars on the failed and ineffective War on Drugs. Drug use has not declined, while millions of people—disproportionately poor people and people of color—have been caged and then branded with criminal records that pose barriers to employment, housing, and stability.
Drug arrests now account for a quarter of the people locked up in America, but drug use rates have remained steady. Over the last 40 years, we have spent trillions of dollars on the failed and ineffective War on Drugs. Drug use has not declined, while millions of people—disproportionately poor people and people of color—have been caged and then branded with criminal records that pose barriers to employment, housing, and stability.
