Drug Policy Alliance Names Amanda Reiman Policy Manager in California

The Drug Policy Alliance, the nation’s leading organization promoting alternatives to the war on drugs, has appointed Amanda Reiman policy manager. Reiman will provide oversight, strategy and direction for DPA’s California efforts around marijuana law reform.

DPA fights for drug policies grounded in science, compassion, health and human rights and seeks to promote dialogue on cutting-edge drug policy issues around the country. Headquartered in New York City, DPA maintains offices in California, Colorado, New Mexico, New Jersey, and Washington, D.C. DPA also operates an advocacy grants program that promotes policy change and advances drug policy reform at the local, state, and national levels.

“We are thrilled to have Amanda join our team and lead DPA’s marijuana reform work in California,” said Lynne Lyman, DPA’s California state director. “Amanda has been a leader in this field, bringing an impressive track record as a researcher, an academic, a clinician, and an advocate. She is well known to all the stakeholders and is both a trusted voice and a unifying force in marijuana policy reform.”

Reiman joins DPA from the Berkeley Patients Group, a medical marijuana dispensary, where she was the director of research and patient services. Reiman has conducted research and published in the areas of medical marijuana dispensaries, patients, and the use of marijuana as a treatment for addiction.  Reiman is currently a lecturer in the School of Social Welfare at the University of California, Berkeley, where she teaches courses on drug and alcohol policy, substance abuse treatment, and sexuality and social work.

Originally from Chicago, Reiman moved to Oakland, CA in 2002, and has been active in the regulation of the medical marijuana industry, serving as the first Chairwoman for the Medical Cannabis Commission for the city of Berkeley, CA and consulting with numerous states and municipalities on the regulation of marijuana. Reiman earned her PhD from the University of California, Berkeley and her M.S.W. and B.A. from the University of Illinois, Chicago.

“I have been a long-time supporter of DPA and it is my honor to be a part of this visionary organization,” Reiman said. “I am a social worker, and I follow the tenets of my profession, which include social justice, and the dignity and worth of individuals. The war on drugs, including the criminalization of marijuana, is in direct contrast to the direction needed to improve the lives of vulnerable individuals. I look forward to working for DPA and toward an alternative to marijuana prohibition in California.”