What does Trump as president mean for drugs and criminal justice policies?
Adi Jaffe, Ph.D.
Founder | Speaker | Author | Media Expert | Transformation Advisor |
Is the war on drugs about to get deadlier? Or are we going to finally see the first true federal legalization push? Trump’s presidency could change addiction and the drug war forever... But few are talking about it.
With Donald Trump returning to the presidency, questions abound regarding the implications for drug policy, harm reduction, and criminal justice reform. As someone who has spent nearly twenty years working in behavioral health, addiction treatment, and stigma change, I see potential challenges and opportunities that could profoundly impact individuals and communities nationwide.
I’ve always advocated for reframing how we understand addiction and address its root causes. Through my books The Abstinence Myth and Unhooked, My TEDX talks, and through IGNTD and my research. Our traditional policies emphasize punishment over healing, and that emphasis has consistently failed to deliver lasting, and effective, results. This has been true since the days of Nixon and has continued as we've injected more and more money into border seizures and tough criminal consequences for what we've been calling a medical condition.
For the past decade, it seemed the tide was turning... Harm reduction and more human-centric approaches were finding a way in.
But Trump’s proposed agenda and cabinet appointments suggest a return to a “law and order” approach that may sideline some of the progress made in recent years.
The Return of “Tough on Drugs” Policies
Trump’s "Agenda 47" proposes an aggressive stance against drug trafficking and addiction, including measures such as naval embargoes on cartels and the death penalty for drug dealers (yours truly would have been sent to the gas chambers if these were in place 20 years ago). While these proposals may resonate with those seeking decisive action, they ignore the complexities of addiction and the systemic issues driving drug use. Especially when you consider that most drug dealers are themselves addicted to the drugs they're selling.
The “War on Drugs” has long been criticized for its disproportionate impact on marginalized (read BIPOC but also LGBTQ and more) communities and its failure to reduce substance use and related struggles. Instead of addressing root causes—such as poverty, trauma, and lack of access to mental health care—these policies focus on punishment, exacerbating harm for individuals and families.
Why?
As I emphasize repeatedly in Unhooked, addiction is rarely about the substances or behaviors themselves. It’s about the pain, trauma, and emotional activation driving the behavior. Policies focused solely on eradication and punishment do nothing to address the real question: Why are people turning to drugs? Without tackling this, we risk perpetuating the same cycles of addiction and incarceration.
And in the U.S., people keep turning to drugs, no matter the policies.
The Potential Decline of Harm Reduction
Harm reduction strategies, such as safe injection sites and expanded access to naloxone, have saved countless lives by meeting people where they are and prioritizing safety over abstinence. But there are more subtle harm-reduction approaches that are even more crucial - like motivational interviewing and person-centric treatment that doesn't use abstinence as its only measure of success.
Trump’s administration could threaten the continuation and expansion of these evidence-based approaches.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s nomination to lead the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) adds complexity to this issue. Kennedy has been a vocal critic of the pharmaceutical industry and has supported the federal legalization of both marijuana and psychedelics, believing them to have therapeutic use. I am in full support of this concept but am not sure how this will align with the proposed appointment of Pam Bondi and Kash Patel, who are both as "tough on crime" as they come and not at all open to these alternatives.
These misaligned approaches are either going to get resolved, or they'll cause a lot of consternation in some of Trump's most important cabinet positions.
I champion harm reduction as a compassionate and pragmatic approach to addiction. Meeting people where they are—without shame or judgment—creates the foundation for lasting change. I've had success using this with soccer moms, executives, and those coming out of jail and prison. Everyone wants to feel understood and helped.
If federal funding or support for these programs diminishes, vulnerable populations could face significant setbacks.
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Criminal Justice Reform: At a Crossroads
Trump’s previous administration saw the passage of the First Step Act, a bipartisan effort to reduce recidivism and address disparities in the criminal justice system. However, his recent rhetoric suggests a pivot back to harsher sentencing, increased policing, and a stricter “law and order” approach.
These policies disproportionately affect communities of color and low-income individuals, perpetuating cycles of poverty and incarceration. Through personal experience and working with clients, I’ve seen how criminalizing addiction compounds the challenges of recovery. A criminal record stopped me from gaining employment and social reintegration, and I am in the privileged group... Others aren't so lucky.
The Psychological Toll of a Punitive Approach
Over the past 10 years, I've developed a framework for addressing addiction and behavioral health issues that breaks away from punitive paradigms. My work focuses on helping individuals understand the root causes of their behavior, take responsibility for change, and embrace growth.
This approach is rooted in compassion and data, emphasizing sustainable solutions over quick fixes. In an environment where harm reduction programs may face challenges, models like ours become even more critical. By addressing the pain, trauma, and systemic issues driving addiction, we aim to empower individuals to create meaningful, lasting change.
But a return to punitive policies has serious psychological consequences for individuals and society. Shame, fear, and punishment often exacerbate the very behaviors they aim to eliminate. Research shows that addiction thrives in isolation and despair—conditions that punitive approaches tend to worsen.
In Unhooked, I highlight the importance of addressing the emotional and psychological drivers of behavior. Addiction is not a moral failing; it’s a response to pain. Policies that ignore this reality and punish people for being addicted risk pushing people further into the shadows, making recovery even more challenging.
What Lies Ahead?
While Trump’s proposed policies pose significant challenges, there is hope. Public attitudes toward addiction and criminal justice are shifting, driven by advocacy, research, and lived experience. Grassroots movements and state-level reforms continue to push for more humane and effective solutions.
As professionals, advocates, and citizens, we must remain vigilant and proactive. This means:
A Call to Compassion and Action
The next four years may reshape the future of drug policy and criminal justice in America. As we navigate this uncertain landscape, we must center our efforts on compassion, evidence, and humanity. Addiction and systemic injustice are not problems we can solve with punishment alone—they require a deeper understanding of the human experience.
Through my work, I’ve seen the power of transformation, both personal and systemic. Change is possible, but it requires courage, resilience, and a commitment to the truth, no matter how uncomfortable it may be.
As we move forward, let’s remember: the goal is not just to stop harmful behaviors—it’s to create the conditions for people to live healthy, meaningful lives. Together, we can build a future where compassion leads the way.
What are your thoughts on the future of drug policy and criminal justice? How can we advocate for meaningful change in these areas? I’d love to hear your perspective in the comments below.
Semi Retired at None
2 个月Even with all we know today about addiction, addicts are still seen by many (supposedly) sober people as simply being products of weak willpower and/or moral crime. At the same time, pharmaceutical corporations have intentionally pushed their own very addictive and profitable opiate resulting in immense suffering and overdose death numbers — the real moral crime — and got off relatively lightly and only through civil litigation.? Although always sympathetic, decades ago I'd also look down on those who had ‘allowed’ themselves to become heavily addicted to hard drugs or alcohol; yet, I myself have suffered enough unrelenting PTSD symptoms to have known, enjoyed and appreciated the great release upon consuming alcohol or THC. The unfortunate fact is: the greater the induced euphoria or escape one attains from the self-medicated experience, the more one wants to repeat the experience; and the more intolerable one finds their non-self-medicating reality, the more pleasurable that escape will likely be perceived. In other words: the greater one’s mental pain or trauma while not self-medicating, the greater the need for escape from one's reality, thus the more addictive the euphoric escape-form will likely be. ....
Encouraging Autonomy Combats Demoralization
2 个月Improvement cannot come from the social, political or CJS sciences. We simply must empower. If you don't have a model then use mine.
Mend Mind Care? | Enriching Self Care?
2 个月We are absolutely in a shift in always of being. What do we do about all the universities that didn’t educate any of their graduates with the most medicines available. The drug war now has turned into a medicalization war as everybody’s been diagnosed and not one has been mis? Somehow the person seeking help is always blamed while the investors tout how well they’re doing.