The War on Drugs has fostered a culture of punishment in our country; instead of responding to those abusing drugs with opportunities for healing, the societal impulse has been simply to judge and to punish. This War is unjust as its policies and enforcement mechanisms have primarily targeted poor people and people of color. The Drug War has left no room for forgiveness, mercy, and redemption, evinced most clearly in the severe collateral consequences that accompany a criminal record. To the contrary, it has sown hard-heartedness and mercilessness. The War on Drugs has justified theft of property and assets by local law enforcement through corrupt forfeiture seizure laws. It is a hypocritical war waged by a government that demands research on the medicinal utility of drugs, specifically marijuana, but will not provide the funding or permission to conduct the research it says is needed. Finally, the War on Drugs represents waste: each year the United States spends over $51 billion to maintain the war and in order to do so, social services—such as drug treatment models, educational programs, and harm reduction services—have been ignored or cut. Our faith calls upon us to love God with our minds as well as our hearts. There is no evidence that the War on Drugs has succeeded in its stated goals of reduced drug use and increased public safety even as it has drained the public treasury and inflicted great damage especially on poor communities of color.

For more on this topic, see the Religious Declaration for a New Drug Policy and the Values at Stake pages.

It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.