IDPC/Youth RISE case study series: Drug policy, harm reduction and young people in the United States

While the United States of America (USA) has become infamous for having the largest prison population in the world as a result of its regressive drug policy, the impacts of its drug policy towards young people who use drugs are rarely discussed. This case study offers an overview of some of the main drug policy issues facing young people in the USA, looking at the impacts of the drug policy and harm reduction on young people, drawing data and evidence from official national statistics and experiences of young people who use drugs themselves. This paper then concludes with a series of recommendations for potential reform areas.

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