“These are not criminal justice issues that warrant punishment. Beto understands that these are chronic brain diseases with the potential for both recovery and relapse.”

“We need to decriminalize the possession and use of drugs in this country. It is fundamental that we no longer pursue this as a criminal justice problem.”

“The focus on the war on drugs going on 50 years in this country not only has deprived other federal agencies and departments… it’s also militarized our communities” and thus solutions must shift funding away from the Drug Enforcement Administration.

“We need to not only end the prohibition on marijuana, but also repair the damage done to the communities of color disproportionately locked up in our criminal justice system or locked out of opportunity because of the War on Drugs,” ​O’Rourke said in a press release.​ “These inequalities have compounded for decades, as predominantly white communities have been given the vast majority of lucrative business opportunities, while communities of color still face over-policing and criminalization. It’s our responsibility to begin to remedy the injustices of the past and help the people and communities most impacted by this misguided war.”
O’Rourke Unveils a Plan to Legalize Marijuana, End War on Drugs
The Hill, September 19 2019
Chris Mills Rodrigo

“We need to not only end the prohibition on marijuana, but also repair the damage done to the communities of color disproportionately locked up in our criminal justice system or locked out of opportunity because of the War on Drugs,” ​O’Rourke said in a press release.​ “These inequalities have compounded for decades, as predominantly white communities have been given the vast majority of lucrative business opportunities, while communities of color still face over-policing and criminalization. It’s our responsibility to begin to remedy the injustices of the past and help the people and communities most impacted by this misguided war.”
O’Rourke Unveils a Plan to Legalize Marijuana, End War on Drugs
The Hill | September 19 2019 | Chris Mills Rodrigo

When voicing support for safe consumption spaces: “People who use drugs are human beings and deserve to be treated with respect.”

Regarding safe consumption spaces: “I want this to be a human and humane policy. I want it to be informed, guided and driven by the very people who are working on this, working through substance abuse challenges.”

“When you look at the population in prisons today, it is disproportionately comprised of people of color; far too many there for nonviolent drug crimes. I want to make sure that time spent behind bars does not entail a stripping of your civic and constitutional rights. I would think especially for nonviolent offenders that we rethink removing the right to vote, and allow everyone, or as many as possible, to participate in our democracy.”
O’Rourke Says He Supports Voting Rights for Nonviolent Felons.
The Hill, April 24, 2019 | Tal Axelrod

Beto wants to “Ensure access to treatment to enable long-term recovery, providing access to medication-based recovery and supporting at risk populations, including rural Americans, veterans, Native Americans, and incarcerated individuals.”

Beto “will enact Medicare for America, which will ensure universal, guaranteed, high-quality health care that includes mental health care. This will eliminate barriers to medication-assisted recovery, including coverage by insurance of FDA-approved maintenance medications, also referred to as medication-assisted recovery, including buprenorphine, methadone and Suboxone. He would also allow clinicians to prescribe buprenorphine without having to undergo an invasive process. Clinicians are currently required to undergo training, receive an additional license, and submit patient records to the DEA.”

“Improve the quality and reduce the cost of treatment by tackling abusive practices of the substance use disorder treatment industry. There is currently no entity within the federal government regulating facilities that oversee treatment for substance use disorder, and much of the U.S. substance use disorder treatment industry does not provide evidence-based, effective care consistent with long-term recovery. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has over 4,000 quality measures, but there are zero for substance use and opioid use disorder programs.”

In order to “Ensure Access to Health Care and Interventions that Promote Long-Term Recovery, …” Beto supports, “Creating needle exchanges and supervised consumption sites where people can consume drugs they have obtained elsewhere in a controlled setting, under the supervision of trained staff, and with access to sterile injecting equipment.”
Beto’s Plan to Address Substance Use Disorders and the Opioid Epidemic
Medium, October 24, 2019 | Beto O’Rourke

Beto will also, “Implement innovative models for health care and interventions related to substance use disorder such as that used in Portugal, particularly mobile vans that travel to areas of high consumption to distribute medicines or needle exchanges, where individuals caught with drugs are sent to treatment instead of jail.”

Beto’s Plan to Address Substance Use Disorders and the Opioid Epidemic
Medium, October 24, 2019 | Beto O’Rourke