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DRUG POLICY ACTION
NEW YORK, NY · EIN 521951197 · Form 990 · FY2024 · NTEE R20 · Civil Rights & Advocacy · Medium ($1M-$10M) · drugpolicyaction.org
revenue
$8.6M
expenses
$6.9M
net assets
$20.3M
employees
0
volunteers
5
program ratio
97%
mission · from form 990

DRUG POLICY ACTION BELIEVES THAT THE REGULATION OF DRUGS SHOULD BE GROUNDED IN EVIDENCE, HEALTH, AND HUMAN RIGHTS. WE ADVOCATE FOR A HOLISTIC APPROACH TO DRUGS THAT PRIORITIZES HEALTH AND COMMUNITY WELLBEING. WE OPPOSE PUNITIVE APPROACHES THAT DESTABILIZE PEOPLE, BLOCK ACCESS TO CARE, AND DRAIN COMMUNITIES OF RESOURCES.

profile · synthesized from sources

Drug Policy Action advocates for drug policy reform grounded in evidence, health, and human rights. The organization works to end the criminalization of drug use and advance equitable, health-centered approaches to substance use through legislative advocacy, ballot initiatives, and public education. It operates nationwide, with a focus on racial justice and harm reduction.

irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024

What they reported doing

  1. #1 primary $96K
    LOBBYING ACTIVITIES:IN CONNECTION WITH OUR PURPOSE OF PROMOTING SOCIAL WELFARE THROUGH INFLUENCING POLICY AND LEGISLATION, DRUG POLICY ACTION LOBBIES FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL LEGISLATIVE OFFICIALS AND THEIR STAFF IN AN ATTEMPT TO PERSUADE THEM TO SPONSOR, PROMOTE, AND/OR SUPPORT POLICIES AND LEGISLATION THAT IMPROVE DRUG POLICIES AND LAWS.
  2. #2 $4K
    BALLOT INITIATIVES & LEGISLATIVE CAMPAIGNS:DRUG POLICY ACTION, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH GROUND GAME TEXAS, ADVANCED AND SECURED PASSAGE OF PROPOSITION R, THE DALLAS FREEDOM ACT, WHICH DECRIMINALIZED MARIJUANA ON THE NOVEMBER 2024 BALLOT.
named programs · 3 · from sources

What they call their work

Decriminalization Ballot Initiatives
Lead advocacy and campaign support for state and municipal ballot measures to decriminalize drug possession, including Measure 110 in Oregon and Proposition R in Dallas.
Legislative Advocacy
Lobby federal, state, and local officials to advance drug policy reform, including syringe decriminalization, expungement, and health-centered approaches to drug use.
Public Education and Messaging
Produce fact sheets, public statements, and media campaigns to counter stigma and promote evidence-based drug policies, particularly around fentanyl and overdose prevention.
activities · 3 groups

What they do

  • Substance Use Policy Advocacy & Public Education 3 activities
    • Engage in electoral advocacy to promote health-centered drug policies
      Advances drug policy reform by engaging in electoral campaigns, issuing public statements on presidential candidates’ positions, and promoting evidence-based overdose prevention plans and comprehensive drug policy roadmaps during federal election cycles.
    • Lead advocacy for state and local drug decriminalization ballot initiatives
      Organizes and leads campaigns to pass ballot measures that decriminalize drug possession, including spearheading Oregon's Measure 110 and supporting decriminalization in Texas jurisdictions such as Dallas via Proposition R and others in 2022. These efforts have resulted in the first U.S. policy to decriminalize all drugs for personal use and similar local reforms.
    • Lobby for state and federal drug policy reform legislation
      Engages in direct lobbying of federal, state, and local officials to advance drug policy reforms, including syringe access and decriminalization laws in New Jersey (S3009, S3493), federal decriminalization frameworks, and legislative support for health-centered drug policies grounded in equity and human rights.
  • Criminal Justice Policy Advocacy 1 activity
    • Advocate for marijuana legalization with racial equity and reinvestment provisions
      Leads campaigns and drafts initiatives for marijuana legalization that include social equity components, such as Proposition 64 in California and state laws that prioritize participation by communities harmed by drug enforcement, retroactive sentencing reform, and reinvestment of tax revenue into impacted communities.
  • Uncategorized 1 activity
    • Conduct public opinion research and publish policy analysis on drug decriminalization
      Conducts and sponsors public opinion polling on cannabis legalization and equity policies, such as a 2020 poll of New Mexico voters, and publishes evidence-based reports like the 2017 publication advocating for decriminalization based on public health and criminology research.
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$8.57M
Contributions & grants$8.00M93%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$567K7%
Other revenue$325
expenses
Total expenses$6.94M
Program expenses97%
Admin / overhead2%
Fundraising1%
Salaries & benefits$0
Grants paid out$6.61M
Largest expense lineProfessional Fees
balance sheet
Total assets$27.05M
Cash$16.03M
Investments$9.52M
Liabilities$6.76M
Net assets$20.29M
Liquid reserves44.1 mo
6 years on record · 2019–2024 · YoY revenue +63.0%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

paid leadership · 2
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
KASSANDRA FREDERIQUE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 8 $323K
MELISSA GARCIA CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER 8 $122K
board members · 5
  • DEREK OSCAR HODEL — PRESIDENT
  • JUAN CARTAGENA — DIRECTOR
  • KENNETH T MONTEIRO — TREASURER
  • PAMELA G LICHTY — DIRECTOR
  • SONDRA YOUDELMAN — SECRETARY
relationships · 20

Who they work with

  • Academy of Family Physicians Partner — Endorses Measure 110, supported by Drug Policy Action
  • American College of Physicians Partner — Endorses Measure 110, supported by Drug Policy Action
  • California Community Reinvestment Program Partner — Funded through tax revenue from marijuana legalization to benefit communities most harmed by the drug war.
  • Change Research Partner — Conducted a poll on cannabis legalization and equity policies in New Mexico on behalf of Drug Policy Action.
  • Coalition of Communities for Color Partner — Endorses Measure 110, supported by Drug Policy Action
  • Crime Victims’ Rights Alliance Partner — Endorses Measure 110, supported by Drug Policy Action
  • Drug Policy Alliance Network — Drug Policy Action is the advocacy and political partner of the Drug Policy Alliance.
  • Drug Policy Alliance Network — Drug Policy Action is the advocacy partner of the Drug Policy Alliance.
  • Ground Game Texas Partner — Partnered to advance marijuana decriminalization initiatives in Texas, including Proposition R in Dallas and multiple municipal measures in 2022.
  • Latino Network Partner — Endorses Measure 110, supported by Drug Policy Action
  • Latino Network Partner — Partnered to advance and defend drug policy reform in Oregon.
  • Law Enforcement Action Partnership Partner — Endorses Measure 110, supported by Drug Policy Action
  • Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act Partner — Supports the MORE Act as a key legislative vehicle for marijuana reform and expungement.
  • NAACP-Portland Partner — Endorses Measure 110, supported by Drug Policy Action
  • New Jersey Harm Reduction Coalition Partner — Worked closely with to pass syringe access and decriminalization legislation in New Jersey.
  • Oregon Criminal Justice Commission Government — Collaborated with or referenced in research related to the impact of Initiative Petition 44 on racial disparities in drug arrests and convictions.
  • Oregon Nurses Association Partner — Endorses Measure 110, supported by Drug Policy Action
  • Oregon School Psychologists’ Association Partner — Endorses Measure 110, supported by Drug Policy Action
  • Unite Oregon Action Partner — Partnered to advance and defend drug policy reform in Oregon.
  • Urban League of Portland Partner — Partnered to advance and defend drug policy reform in Oregon.
strategies · 4

How they approach the work

Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.

  • Decriminalization as Systemic Reform Foundation
    methodology: drug_decriminalization_as_first_step
    By decriminalizing drug possession first, we dismantle the drug war’s infrastructure because removing criminal penalties creates space for health-centered systems, reduces incarceration, and enables broader structural reforms.
  • Health-Centered Harm Reduction
    methodology: health-based harm reduction
    By shifting drug policy from criminalization to public health, we produce better health and social outcomes because treating substance use as a medical issue reduces stigma, increases access to care, and prevents overdose deaths.
  • Impacted Community Leadership in Policy Design
    methodology: impacted_community_leadership
    By placing decision-making power in the hands of people most impacted by drug criminalization, we create more just and effective policies because lived experience ensures accountability, equity, and responsiveness to community needs.
  • Reparative Justice Through Community Reinvestment
    methodology: reparative justice
    By legalizing cannabis and reinvesting in communities most harmed by the drug war—particularly Black, Hispanic/Latino, and Native populations—we repair systemic inequities because targeted investment restores economic opportunity and addresses historical harms caused by punitive policies.