"What is sensible drug policy?" by Thomas C. Higdon - BES Hybrid Sunday Platform

What is sensible drug policy?
Thomas C. Higdon
Executive Director of the Maryland Alliance for Sensible Drug Policy

This platform will be delivered in hybrid format, which means you can attend the platform via Zoom or in person at the Impact Hub Baltimore. Masks are optional.

Description:
What would it look like to move beyond punishment and fear to a drug policy grounded in health, dignity, and human rights? This talk will explore the history of the war on drugs and abstinence-only approaches to substance use disorder, and the lasting harms they have caused to individuals, families, and communities. It will outline a vision for a more sensible path forward—one that replaces criminalization with compassionate, effective strategies. As we mark National Recovery Month, this conversation invites us to rethink deeply ingrained narratives and consider how our society can create policies that honor the autonomy and humanity of people who use drugs.

Biography:
Thomas C. Higdon is the Executive Director of the Maryland Alliance for Sensible Drug Policy where he fights for policies that treat people who use drugs with dignity, not punishment. His motivation is rooted in lived experience, having endured more than two decades of drug use, homelessness, repeated encounters with the justice system, and harmful treatment programs before finding recovery and purpose in pushing for systemic change. He holds a B.A. in Political Science from Eckerd College and a J.D. from Tulane University. Thomas lives in Baltimore County with his wife, Kathryn, his stepson, Parker, and their dog, Luna. He’s a humanist, a member of the Towson Unitarian Universalist Church, and enjoys reading, swimming, biking, and running.

Location:
Impact Hub Baltimore
10 E. North Ave
Baltimore, MD 21202