USA. Drug Policy Alliance Applauds Biden’s Commutations for Drug War Victims, Urges Elected Officials to Avoid Repeating Same Mistakes

Washington, D.C. – Today, President Joe Biden commuted the sentences of almost 2,500 Americans imprisoned for drug offenses, including many individuals serving severe prison sentences as a result of the unfair sentencing disparity that punishes people convicted for crack cocaine more harshly than those convicted for powder cocaine. This unjust sentencing disparity has long contributed to the disproportionate incarceration of Black Americans which is glaring, especially when considering that white people are actually more likely than Black people to use crack cocaine in their lifetimes. Even with Biden’s necessary and important commutations, there is concern that congressional leaders and the incoming Trump administration will repeat mistakes of past and push ineffective responses to drugs like mandatory minimums that are used to target Black communities and let people languish in prison. (DPA – Drug Policy Alliance, USA, 17.01.2025)

https://drugpolicy.org/news/drug-policy-alliance-applauds-bidens-commutations-for-drug-war-victims-urges-elected-officials-to-avoid-repeating-same-mistakes