Californians Made it Clear They Want a Different Approach to Addiction and Homelessness

Vern Pierson, District Attorney of El Dorado County,* California, has this op-ed with the above title in Cal Matters.

California’s drug crisis has only escalated, with so-called “compassionate solutions” like harm reduction and past policies that decriminalized hard drugs making things worse.

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Normalizing addiction is neither compassionate nor effective — it’s destructive. California must ensure the success of Prop. 36. Alongside drug courts and prevention-focused public education, this new law can address the root causes of addiction and homelessness, offering people a chance at recovery and stability.

* El Dorado County is in California’s Gold Rush area, in the foothills and mountains east of Sacramento. Mr. Pierson was a co-sponsor of Proposition 36 on last November’s ballot.