Hello press–
By Tony Newman
DRUG POLICY ALLIANCE: Trump’s speech yesterday declaring the opioid crisis a public health emergency has generated national news on the issue of overdose and opioid use in the country.
With the overdose crisis becoming a mainstream conversation, there has been a shift in the narrative. Historically, when a “drug problem” is seen as affecting primarily communities of color, as was the case during the ‘80s and ‘90s as the country grappled with crack cocaine, government intervention focuses on increased policing and criminalization. The current policy responses—now that predominantly white, suburban or rural communities are perceived as the hardest hit by overdose—invoke a distinctly public health response, a “kinder, gentler approach.”
We thought you might be interested in this coverage of the convergence of race and the overdose crisis, particularly the opioid crisis in New York, groundbreaking solutions to save lives, and the inequitable distribution of resources and access to treatment.
Please consider interviewing Kassandra Frederique, lead author on the Daily News op-ed below and organizer of the White Faces, Black Lives: Race and Reparative Justice in the Era of a “Gentler War on Drugs” conference.
Below are a few pieces featuring Kassandra’s insight.
NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
N.Y. must tackle opioid crisis with bipartisan response embracing all communities
By Kassandra Frederique and Dionna King
October 27, 2017
http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/n-y-tackle-opioid-crisis-policies-communities-article-1.3592189
CNN
Opioid addiction and the most controversial bathroom in New York
By Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Chief Medical Correspondent
October 25, 2017
http://www.cnn.com/2017/10/25/health/opioid-addiction-bathroom-safe-injection-site/index.html
VICE
Heroin Has Never Discriminated—But America’s Reaction to Addiction Sure Has
Letizia Adams
June 14, 2017
https://tonic.vice.com/en_us/article/newqjm/heroin-has-never-discriminated
TONIC/VICE
We Treat People With Addiction a Lot Better Than We Used to
By Rajul Punjabi
August 18, 2017
EBONY
The Role Race Plays in the War On Drugs
By Kassandra Frederique
February 8, 2016
http://www.ebony.com/news-views/race-war-on-drugs#axzz4wjOoKAHu
WBEZ Chicago
Race and the War on Drugs
February 18, 2016
