“Yes, I believe that we should invest in needle exchange programs that have shown themselves to be effective. Again, I think that that needs to be part of an overall strategy to help people get onto the path and life that they want. I don’t think any one piece is the answer just in and of itself, that it needs to be part of the strategy to get people the help that they need. Along with that strategy and those resource investments, then yes, I absolutely would [support lifting the federal funding ban on syringes], because I think we have enough evidence out there that needle exchange programs have worked. And I look at this through the perspective of how can we make sure that somebody is able to get the immediate help that they need to avoid worse outcomes? HIV or something else on top of right what they’re already dealing with and we have evidence that these work. So yes, I would [support lifting the federal funding ban on syringes].”

Julian Castro – IHRC 2020 Democratic Presidential Candidate Forum on the Overdose Crisis – Event 2
November 23, 2019

“Washington needs to be a partner for states like New Hampshire who has had quite a problem with the opioid crisis. And if I’m president I’ll be a strong partner.”

Castro visits recovery center in Laconia after launching presidential campaign
WMUR-TV, January 16, 2019 | Adam Sexton

At a conversation at the Iowa Harm Reduction Coalition drop-in center in Cedar Rapids, IHRC Executive Director asked if Castro would support removing the “X” waiver for buprenorphine and methadone prescribing. Castro responded, “Well and I agree with you. I think underlying that question is that we can do this in a way where we maintain safety for patients and integrity in the system and accountability right for those who are prescribing. So yes, I believe that we can do that without the cumbersome process that we have in place right now that requires this waiver, because you make a point, there are other prescriptions that are written now that don’t require anything like that, so I would support moving in that direction.” Ziegenhorn followed up by asking pointedly, “Would you commit to getting rid of the X waiver?” As the room and the Secretary laughed, he replied, “I am open to that. Let me research it a little bit more. Today was the first day that I heard about that, yes. I have generally avoided in this campaign, committing on the spot to things I have not fully read about, but I will take a look at it.” Ziegenhorn laughed as well, commenting, “That’s very reasonable.”

“I actually support the legalization of marijuana, and let me tell you why. Number one, we have enough experience in states like Colorado and other communities across our country that have shown how you can do this, how you can do it in a sensible way with good regulation. I mean, it’s going to be regulated, right? People are not going to be able to do whatever they want, but a well-regulated, legalized system of marijuana, I think, makes sense. On top of that, we need to go back and expunge the records of people who were imprisoned because of using marijuana. And… this part is important in part because there are a lot of people, and folks in this audience probably know some of them who have served jail time, right? And disproportionately it’s impacted communities of color and poor neighborhoods of people who have been imprisoned because of marijuana use. So, it’s not enough just to say we want to legalize it, we actually want to go back and expunge these records…”
Presidential Town Hall with Julian Castro
CNN, April 11, 2019

“We need to ensure that we build on the First Step Act and reform our criminal justice system. That we do things like legalize marijuana. That we encourage communities to go back and expunge the records of too many who have been caught up in this criminal justice system and locked behind bars for small-level offenses.”
Beto O’Rourke, Andrew Yang, Julian Castro Speak at National Action Network Event
NowThis News, April 3, 2019

“…I do think for instance when we compare it to marijuana right now, that we have good evidence that we can regulate that in a sensible way. We have it in Colorado and other states now that have allowed recreational use of marijuana, which I agree with, and so there’s good evidence out there. I’m open to the United States looking at other substances that we can either decriminalize or de-enforce, deprioritize enforcement of. That’s newer right? I mean the evidence of that in our country is newer, and so I do think though that it’s worth taking a look at that and understanding where are those opportunities to either decriminalize or at least de-emphasize enforcement so that we’re not penalizing individuals who should instead be getting the treatment that they need. I believe in that model, generally. I don’t believe in cracking down on people, and like I said, a lot of folks getting caught up in an incarceration system that takes them off of the productive path in life, and they’re never able to get back on because they have that record. And so, I’m very open to that, but you know it is for those of us who are policymakers or aspiring to be, that is newer. I look forward to understanding how we can do that, and make sure that we can do it in the same orderly way, workable way that we’ve been able to do with marijuana in these states.”
Julian Castro – IHRC 2020 Democratic Presidential Candidate Forum on the Overdose Crisis – Event 2
November 23, 2019

“I would make sure as president that we have harsh penalties against people who traffic in fentanyl and similar drugs. I also believe we need to make smart investments in our ports of entry so that we can crack down further on the trafficking of fentanyl and other drugs… One thing that I believe we should do is to better invest in security at our ports of entry so that we can do things like catch more of the fentanyl that is coming through… I agree with those who say that we need harsher sentences for people who sell those drugs. We have — when it comes to the users of drugs, for instance, people who have used marijuana in comparison, we have locked people up for generations. There are tons and tons of people who have sat in jail for relatively low-level offenses. We ought to be going after people who are selling these drugs.”
Presidential Town Hall with Julian Castro
CNN, April 11, 2019

“When it comes to the issue of [opioid] prescriptions, I hear that. I also hear from people that we want to make sure that if somebody actually needs medication or a certain drug, that they’re able to get that too, and so, I am mindful of not being overzealous in a way that hurts people who actually need certain medication.”

Julian Castro – IHRC 2020 Democratic Presidential Candidate Forum on the Overdose Crisis – Event 2
November 23, 2019

“I agree with those who have said that incarceration should not necessarily strip somebody of the right to vote. There’s a history in this country, especially in the SOuth, of African Americans being disenfranchised because they were over-incarcerated and that we need to change that… Where I would draw the line is with violent felons.”
Bernie Sanders’ call for all prisoners to be able to vote sets him apart from almost every other 2020 Democrat
Business Insider, April 30, 2019 | John Haltiwanger

“It’s #HIVPreventionDay. People of color are dealing with HIV at disproportionate rates. To #EndTheEpidemic we need to keep TaSP and PrEP affordable, improve sex ed & increase access to testing. And importantly, it’s time to end the stigma around HIV+ status. #UequalsU”
Julian Castro
Twitter, July 17, 2019

When asked by IHRC how Castro would instruct the Department of Justice as President to respond to safe consumption space efforts in cities like Philadelphia, Castro responded, “Well I would like these communities to be able to pursue these safe consumption spaces and essentially pilot out how they work. I believe that we owe it to the effort to see how we can make sure that we avoid these kinds of tragic circumstances… We’ve been trying it one way for so long, and I also believe, having been a Mayor of a city, that one of the values of local communities is that they can try out policy in their own community and measure the results and see how it works, because the system that we have in place right now doesn’t seem to be working very much at all. So… whether it’s Philadelphia or at some of the other cities that have tried it, I believe that we should allow for the piloting of these programs, and that that will help us come to a determination nationally about the approach.”

“You can’t tell me that if police can apprehend Dylann Roof –the person who shot up that church in Charleston, South Carolina– without hurting him, that Eric Garner and Tamir Rice and Jason Pero and Sandra Bland shouldn’t still be alive today, too.”
Full Video: Sec. Julian Castro at MoveOn’s Big Ideas Forum
MoveOn, June 2, 2019

“I would also restrict or even eliminate qualified immunity. Qualified immunity is a doctrine in law that has shielded police officers that engage in excessive force from being sued civilly successfully. And you know the doctrine has completely gone off the rails and protected very bad behavior. We need to change that.”
Julian Castro – IHRC 2020 Democratic Presidential Candidate Forum on the Overdose Crisis – Event 2
November 23, 2019