Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
About the Drug Policy Alliance
- What is the Drug Policy Alliance?
- What are your values and priorities?
- Who works at DPA?
- Where can I find information about employment opportunities?
- How do I apply for an advocacy grant?
- Where can I read your annual report?
Membership
- How do I join DPA?
- I’m already a DPA member. How do I make a contribution?
- Why do I get membership renewal mailings even though I have recently donated?
- I care about the issues, but I can’t make a monetary donation. What can I do?
- I am a member. How do I update my contact information?
- I want to receive fewer emails from DPA. What should I do?
- What is your refund policy?
Website
Legal Information
About the Drug Policy Alliance
What is the Drug Policy Alliance?
The Drug Policy Alliance envisions a just society in which the use and regulation of drugs are grounded in science, compassion, health and human rights, in which people are no longer punished for what they put into their own bodies but only for crimes committed against others, and in which fears, prejudices and punitive prohibitions of today are no more. Read more about the vision and mission of DPA.
What are your values and priorities?
At DPA our values and priorities are as follows:
- Extensively reducing the role of criminalization in drug policy, so that people are no longer punished for what they put into their bodies, but only for crimes that hurt others
- Advocating for responsible and equitable legal regulation of marijuana to reduce the harms caused by prohibition and bring in new sources of tax revenue
- Promoting health-centered drug policies by advocating for services such as treatment on demand, supervised consumption services, drug maintenance therapies, and syringe access programs
- Empowering youth, parents and educators with honest, reality-based drug education that moves beyond inaccurate fear-based messages and zero-tolerance policies
Who works at DPA?
We are pleased to hear you’d like to get to know us. Read about DPAs leaders and staff who imagine a society in which drug policies are grounded in science, compassion, health and human rights because they believe those values should infuse all public polies.
Where can I find information about employment opportunities?
You can find detailed descriptions of our available positions on the Jobs and Internships page of our website. To learn more about local volunteering opportunities, please contact a state office near you.
How do I apply for an advocacy grant?
DPA offers two advocacy grant programs. The Promoting Policy Change fund supports cutting edge drug policy reform organizations, mostly working on the local level. The Special Opportunities fund primarily supports time-sensitive drug policy reform opportunities that crop up in the United States. Read more about our advocacy grants, including qualifying guidelines and application instructions.
Where can I read your annual report?
We’re changing the conversation about the war on drugs. By doing that, we are bringing about a new world of opportunities for drug policy reform. DPA is stronger and more effective than ever before, but we have a long way to go before we can claim victory in the struggle for drug policies grounded in science, compassion, health and human rights. Read our annual report.
Membership
How do I join DPA?
With one drug arrest every 25 seconds, there has never been a greater need for people who believe in drug policy reform to make their voices heard. You can join online, by telephone 212.613.8025, or by sending a check or money order to the DPA Development Department, 131 West 33rd Street, 15th Floor, New York, NY 10001. Please, considering becoming a member today.
I’m already a DPA member. How do I make a contribution?
The easiest way to make a donation is online via our giving page. One can also make a donation by telephone 212.613.8025, or by sending a check to our development department, 131 W 33rd Street, 15th Floor, New York, NY 10001. You can find other giving options here.
Why do I get membership renewal mailing even though I have recently donated?
We make every effort to send you renewal notices before your membership expires to ensure there is no gap in your crucial support. These notices are in addition to our regular mailings. If you are concerned about the frequency of the notifications you are receiving, please contact DPA’s membership services by email or telephone at 212.613.8025.
I care about the issues, but I can’t make a monetary donation. What can I do?
Thank you for your interest in DPA. You do not need to make a monetary donation to make your voice heard. DPA has a number of current alerts that allow you to take action on a range of important issues pertaining to drug policy. We encourage you to contact your elected officials, like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter, and attend a nearby event. Our mailing list is another wonderful opportunity to stay up to date with news pertaining to our movement.
I am a member. How do I update my contact information?
Please reach out to DPA’s membership services via email or on the telephone at 212.613.8025
I want to receive fewer emails from DPA. What should I do?
We understand that you may want to stay on the email list, but only receive the most important drug policy reform news. You can remain on our mailing list and just receive fewer emails. More information can be found on this form.
What is your refund policy?
As we are a charitable organization, DPA does not typically issue refunds. However, we understand that a donation can be made in error. We are more than willing to refund a donation made directly to DPA under these circumstances. We will honor a refund if the request is made within 30 days of the donation being received. If you donated through a third party, you will need to contact that third party to request a refund. If you’d like to inquire about a refund, please contact membership services via telephone at 212.613.8025.
Website
Does your website have a privacy policy?
DPA is committed to protecting your privacy. To make your experience on our website more convenient, we gather some information from you. The personal data we collect is saved using security technologies that adhere to policies that prevent unauthorized use of your personal information. Read more about our privacy policy and the information we collect.
Is the DPA website secure?
Any information collected by our web viewers is stored in offsite data centers that implement several layers of state of the art security, such as redundant firewalls, SSL encryption, certificate services, and sequestration from public access.
Do you use “cookies”?
Yes, DPA uses cookies in order to make visiting and using our website better. The session specific cookies we use help us see which part of our website are the most or least popular—providing information that allows us to improve our customer’s online experience.
Legal Information
Can my employer make me take a drug test?
Random drug testing is often unrelated to the ability required to fulfill one’s job requirements. However, some industries subject individuals to random drug testing. There are few laws protecting Americans in the workplace, and because of this, millions of people are subjected to these invasive tests. This informative page from the ACLU Criminal Law Reform Project addresses what to do when asked to take a drug test. Read information from the ACLU.
I need legal advice, who do I contact?
DPA does not provide direct legal services or referrals to treatment providers, however we can suggest organizations that may be able to help you with your issue. Find more information about getting treatment, counseling or legal help here.
About the Drug Policy Alliance
- What is the Drug Policy Alliance?
- What are your values and priorities?
- Who works at DPA?
- Where can I find information about employment opportunities?
- How do I apply for an advocacy grant?
- Where can I read your annual report?
Membership
- How do I join DPA?
- I’m already a DPA member. How do I make a contribution?
- Why do I get membership renewal mailings even though I have recently donated?
- I care about the issues, but I can’t make a monetary donation. What can I do?
- I am a member. How do I update my contact information?
- I want to receive fewer emails from DPA. What should I do?
- What is your refund policy?
Website
Legal Information
About the Drug Policy Alliance
What is the Drug Policy Alliance?
The Drug Policy Alliance envisions a just society in which the use and regulation of drugs are grounded in science, compassion, health and human rights, in which people are no longer punished for what they put into their own bodies but only for crimes committed against others, and in which fears, prejudices and punitive prohibitions of today are no more. Read more about the vision and mission of DPA.
What are your values and priorities?
At DPA our values and priorities are as follows:
- Extensively reducing the role of criminalization in drug policy, so that people are no longer punished for what they put into their bodies, but only for crimes that hurt others
- Advocating for responsible and equitable legal regulation of marijuana to reduce the harms caused by prohibition and bring in new sources of tax revenue
- Promoting health-centered drug policies by advocating for services such as treatment on demand, supervised consumption services, drug maintenance therapies, and syringe access programs
- Empowering youth, parents and educators with honest, reality-based drug education that moves beyond inaccurate fear-based messages and zero-tolerance policies
Who works at DPA?
We are pleased to hear you’d like to get to know us. Read about DPAs leaders and staff who imagine a society in which drug policies are grounded in science, compassion, health and human rights because they believe those values should infuse all public polies.
Where can I find information about employment opportunities?
You can find detailed descriptions of our available positions on the Jobs and Internships page of our website. To learn more about local volunteering opportunities, please contact a state office near you.
How do I apply for an advocacy grant?
DPA offers two advocacy grant programs. The Promoting Policy Change fund supports cutting edge drug policy reform organizations, mostly working on the local level. The Special Opportunities fund primarily supports time-sensitive drug policy reform opportunities that crop up in the United States. Read more about our advocacy grants, including qualifying guidelines and application instructions.
Where can I read your annual report?
We’re changing the conversation about the war on drugs. By doing that, we are bringing about a new world of opportunities for drug policy reform. DPA is stronger and more effective than ever before, but we have a long way to go before we can claim victory in the struggle for drug policies grounded in science, compassion, health and human rights. Read our annual report.
Membership
How do I join DPA?
With one drug arrest every 25 seconds, there has never been a greater need for people who believe in drug policy reform to make their voices heard. You can join online, by telephone 212.613.8025, or by sending a check or money order to the DPA Development Department, 131 West 33rd Street, 15th Floor, New York, NY 10001. Please, considering becoming a member today.
I’m already a DPA member. How do I make a contribution?
The easiest way to make a donation is online via our giving page. One can also make a donation by telephone 212.613.8025, or by sending a check to our development department, 131 W 33rd Street, 15th Floor, New York, NY 10001. You can find other giving options here.
Why do I get membership renewal mailing even though I have recently donated?
We make every effort to send you renewal notices before your membership expires to ensure there is no gap in your crucial support. These notices are in addition to our regular mailings. If you are concerned about the frequency of the notifications you are receiving, please contact DPA’s membership services by email or telephone at 212.613.8025.
I care about the issues, but I can’t make a monetary donation. What can I do?
Thank you for your interest in DPA. You do not need to make a monetary donation to make your voice heard. DPA has a number of current alerts that allow you to take action on a range of important issues pertaining to drug policy. We encourage you to contact your elected officials, like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter, and attend a nearby event. Our mailing list is another wonderful opportunity to stay up to date with news pertaining to our movement.
I am a member. How do I update my contact information?
Please reach out to DPA’s membership services via email or on the telephone at 212.613.8025
I want to receive fewer emails from DPA. What should I do?
We understand that you may want to stay on the email list, but only receive the most important drug policy reform news. You can remain on our mailing list and just receive fewer emails. More information can be found on this form.
What is your refund policy?
As we are a charitable organization, DPA does not typically issue refunds. However, we understand that a donation can be made in error. We are more than willing to refund a donation made directly to DPA under these circumstances. We will honor a refund if the request is made within 30 days of the donation being received. If you donated through a third party, you will need to contact that third party to request a refund. If you’d like to inquire about a refund, please contact membership services via telephone at 212.613.8025.
Website
Does your website have a privacy policy?
DPA is committed to protecting your privacy. To make your experience on our website more convenient, we gather some information from you. The personal data we collect is saved using security technologies that adhere to policies that prevent unauthorized use of your personal information. Read more about our privacy policy and the information we collect.
Is the DPA website secure?
Any information collected by our web viewers is stored in offsite data centers that implement several layers of state of the art security, such as redundant firewalls, SSL encryption, certificate services, and sequestration from public access.
Do you use “cookies”?
Yes, DPA uses cookies in order to make visiting and using our website better. The session specific cookies we use help us see which part of our website are the most or least popular—providing information that allows us to improve our customer’s online experience.
Legal Information
Can my employer make me take a drug test?
Random drug testing is often unrelated to the ability required to fulfill one’s job requirements. However, some industries subject individuals to random drug testing. There are few laws protecting Americans in the workplace, and because of this, millions of people are subjected to these invasive tests. This informative page from the ACLU Criminal Law Reform Project addresses what to do when asked to take a drug test. Read information from the ACLU.
I need legal advice, who do I contact?
DPA does not provide direct legal services or referrals to treatment providers, however we can suggest organizations that may be able to help you with your issue. Find more information about getting treatment, counseling or legal help here.