The hottest Drug policy Substack posts right now

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Top U.S. Politics Topics

How a Billionaire Friend Changed Trump’s Mind About Pot

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 222 implied HN points • 16 Mar 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Drug policy
  1. A billionaire friend persuaded the president to reverse long-standing Republican opposition to marijuana through a close personal relationship.
  2. The influencer made his fortune by pioneering affinity credit cards and now lives in a lavish Palm Beach estate.
  3. Personal ties can change political positions, showing that relationships sometimes matter more than party orthodoxy.

When Reality Hits You Over the Head

Life Since the Baby Boom • 1152 implied HN points • 27 Feb 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Drug policy
  1. Experts who favor elegant theory over messy reality can be wrong when policies ignore actual outcomes, so evidence should steer decisions.
  2. Legalizing and taxing drugs does not automatically eliminate black markets or crime, because tax incentives, regulatory burdens, and cross‑jurisdictional demand keep illegal supply alive.
  3. Basing budgets and policy on optimistic models or drug tax revenue can backfire, since oversupply and falling prices can collapse revenues and undermine promised services.

Why Fentanyl Deaths Are Falling

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 459 implied HN points • 23 Jan 26
🏥 Health & Wellness Drug policy
  1. Fentanyl was mixed into the heroin supply starting around 2014, and many dealers and users didn’t even know they were getting it.
  2. Because fentanyl is about 50 times more potent than heroin, its effects hit faster and stronger, which accelerated addiction and initially increased overdoses.
  3. Big shifts in supply and demand, plus the toll of roughly a million deaths, have disrupted the fentanyl market and contributed to falling fentanyl-related deaths.

104 murders in 107 days

The Watch • 973 implied HN points • 19 Dec 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Drug policy
  1. The administration has carried out repeated lethal strikes on alleged drug boats, killing scores of people without due process; those attacks are morally wrong and likely illegal.
  2. These strikes won’t stop the overdose crisis or fentanyl flow — fentanyl mainly comes through Mexico and the boats were often not headed to the U.S. — and the administration is also cutting harm-reduction programs while pardoning major traffickers.
  3. The policy and rhetoric normalize extrajudicial violence and expand unchecked executive power, undermining the rule of law, alienating allies, and threatening civil liberties and international norms.

A Modest Disposal

The Fry Corner • 2457 implied HN points • 01 Mar 24
🏥 Health Politics Drug policy
  1. Banning a specific drug could significantly improve the world. The idea is that removing this drug will bring about positive change for humanity.
  2. Many people have different experiences with drugs. Some have never tried anything, while others have tried many different kinds.
  3. There is a strong belief that finding solutions to drug-related issues can lead to happiness and fulfillment for society. A comprehensive plan may help tackle these challenges.
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Could Massachusetts Become the First State to Undo Legal Weed?

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 663 implied HN points • 03 Dec 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Drug policy
  1. Activists in Massachusetts gathered over 74,000 signatures to try to repeal recreational marijuana and put the question on the 2026 ballot; the measure now goes to the state legislature, and if lawmakers don’t pass it organizers will need about 12,000 more signatures to force a statewide vote.
  2. There’s a broader anti-weed backlash nationwide, with Idaho moving to block future legalization ballot measures and a recent federal provision that would ban many hemp-derived THC products.
  3. Kevin Sabet and his group Smart Approaches to Marijuana have been leading and funding these efforts, arguing legalization harms public health and likening the cannabis industry’s tactics to Big Tobacco.

The Drug Turning Philadelphia into a Zombieland

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 593 implied HN points • 09 Dec 25
🏥 Health & Wellness Drug policy
  1. Kensington Avenue is an open-air drug market that has shifted from heroin to fentanyl and then to animal tranquilizers, and now a new drug called medetomidine is appearing.
  2. Medetomidine is being mixed into fentanyl and other street drugs, intensifying harms and producing the extreme, 'zombifying' effects people describe.
  3. The area draws people chasing the strongest, cheapest highs, leaving families and the community grappling with a worsening public-health and safety crisis.

The Case Against California Proposition 36

Astral Codex Ten • 8603 implied HN points • 29 Oct 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Drug policy
  1. Proposition 36 would increase penalties for certain drug and theft crimes, but tough sentences don't actually lower drug use or reduce crime rates. It's important to focus on better treatment options instead of just harsher punishments.
  2. The law proposes a new 'treatment-mandated felony' but lacks funding for adequate treatment facilities. California desperately needs more treatment beds to help those struggling with addiction.
  3. Shoplifting rates are rising, but it's not just because of previous laws like Prop 47. Focusing on smarter policing and addressing the root causes of crime is more effective than simply increasing penalties.

The Next Million Fentanyl Deaths are on You, New Hampshire

Unsafe • 2594 implied HN points • 17 Jan 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Drug policy
  1. Fentanyl crisis misdirected blame towards China instead of addressing real sources like Mexico.
  2. International efforts have reduced China's involvement in fentanyl trade, but the issue persists from other countries like India.
  3. Blaming China for fentanyl deaths deflects focus from tackling problems closer to home, like Mexican cartel activities.

The Narco-Trafficking Elite Set to Run Venezuela (w/ Maureen Tkacik) | The Chris Hedges Report

The Chris Hedges Report • 186 implied HN points • 08 Jan 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Drug policy
  1. There is a long history of U.S. intelligence and anti‑communist exile networks becoming entwined with drug trafficking in Latin America, which helped build enduring narco infrastructures.
  2. Key U.S. political figures and Miami exile networks have personal and political ties to narco‑linked actors, yet they promote militarized policies and back leaders accused of trafficking.
  3. The drug war is often used as a pretext for geopolitical and economic aims, protecting allies who serve those aims while selectively targeting rivals, and some high‑profile indictments (like Venezuela’s) rest on weaker evidence than prosecutions of other traffickers.

The politicization of U.S. legal and financial warfare

All-Source Intelligence Fusion • 427 implied HN points • 25 Nov 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Drug policy
  1. The U.S. increasingly uses legal and financial tools—sanctions, terrorist designations, indictments, and bounties—paired with military and diplomatic moves to pressure foreign governments and groups. These actions function as a form of statecraft aimed at crippling or delegitimizing opponents.
  2. The Venezuela examples show those tactics can be politicized and evidence-light: labels like “Cartel of the Suns” and claims about Tren de Aragua rely on contested intelligence, guilty pleas from opponents, and disputed narratives that feed regime-change aims.
  3. There is a long-standing ecosystem—DEA Special Operations, joint operations with foreign intelligence like Mossad, spyware and data firms, and private contractors—that gathers financial and communications intel to enable sanctions and arrests; it is powerful but vulnerable to political pressure, overreach, and reputational blowback.

Two Mexicos

Diane Francis • 1218 implied HN points • 26 Feb 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Drug policy
  1. Mexico's economy is booming, making it the top trading partner for the U.S. since it offers tariff-free exports, especially in manufacturing. This growth is significant, but it also hides the country's ongoing struggles with crime and drug cartels.
  2. The drug trade contributes greatly to violence in Mexico, with over 30,000 murders recorded in a single year. This results in a stark contrast between a thriving economy and a dangerous underworld, leading to chaos in many regions.
  3. The U.S. has a role in Mexico's challenges due to its demand for drugs and porous borders. Solutions like sealing the border and addressing addiction more effectively may be necessary to help both countries combat these issues.

On cannabis, psychosis, and the long tail of the truth

Unreported Truths • 52 implied HN points • 12 Feb 26
🏥 Health Politics Drug policy
  1. High‑potency cannabis products, especially near‑pure THC vapes, are increasingly linked to psychosis, schizophrenia, and other serious mental‑health harms in teens and young adults, and new research and major outlets are starting to warn about this.
  2. First‑person stories from families and friends of people harmed by cannabis carry a lot of emotional weight and seem to be changing public perception more effectively than editorials or studies alone.
  3. Even with growing alarm, the commercial momentum behind legalization and the cannabis industry is strong, so this wave of concern could fade and real policy change remains uncertain unless more people recognize the risks.

Odds and ends

The Watch • 366 implied HN points • 12 Nov 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Drug policy
  1. The investigation into Jordan Silverman was recognized by the Columbia Journalism Review and sparked discussions in online forums, leading to some apologies.
  2. New episodes of the podcast 'Collateral Damage' cover significant cases of wrongful deaths due to drug war policies, showing their ongoing relevance today.
  3. The latest episode highlights the tragic story of Veronica and Charity Bowers, connecting past events to current issues with drug policy and government actions.

Sex Ratios, Rioting, Marijuana

Rob Henderson's Newsletter • 1401 implied HN points • 17 Jun 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Drug policy
  1. Women with stay-at-home husbands tend to feel less happy than when their husbands work full-time. Men losing jobs might make them face a higher risk of divorce compared to women.
  2. Attractiveness can help social scientists earn more from speaking engagements, while unattractiveness may actually work in favor of natural scientists because people think they do better work.
  3. Some claims suggest that legal marijuana would lower opioid use. However, recent reviews indicate it might actually increase the rates of opioid-related deaths instead.

There is No Ideal Drug Policy

Freddie deBoer • 3310 implied HN points • 07 Nov 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Drug policy
  1. There is no perfect solution for drug policy because people will always seek out drugs, and some might suffer serious consequences from their choices. It's important to accept that addiction and tragedy can happen, regardless of the laws in place.
  2. Efforts to decriminalize drugs often come with challenges, but reverting to strict prohibition has historically failed and leads to more harm than good. Enforcing harsh penalties on the drug trade can result in a cycle of injustice and social problems.
  3. The idea that every issue has a simple solution can be misleading. Sometimes, trying to fix a complex problem like drug use with quick fixes can create more issues rather than resolving the existing ones.

The Abstainer in Chief Gets Friendly With Marijuana

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 97 implied HN points • 21 Dec 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Drug policy
  1. The president, who doesn’t drink or smoke, signed an executive order to reschedule marijuana and speed up federal review.
  2. Rescheduling could loosen regulations, reduce tax burdens for cannabis companies, and open the door to federal recognition of medical marijuana.
  3. The move breaks with traditional Republican drug-policy stances and has unsettled some conservative allies, even as the cannabis industry has long leaned toward Democrats and progressives.

La Elite Narcotraficante Está Lista Para Dirigir a Venezuela (con Moe Tkacik) | The Chris Hedges Report

The Chris Hedges Report • 53 implied HN points • 14 Jan 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Drug policy
  1. U.S. intelligence agencies and anti‑communist exile networks became deeply entangled with drug trafficking in Latin America, using narco‑operations to fund and advance covert geopolitical goals.
  2. Prominent politicians and allied leaders have praised or protected figures linked to the drug trade, showing a pattern where the drug war is enforced selectively to punish enemies and shield friends.
  3. The global war on drugs often functions more as a political and military tool than a public‑health response, producing dubious prosecutions, sanctions, and instability that harm ordinary people more than they stop drug flows.

American Narco State Capture

Diane Francis • 899 implied HN points • 31 Aug 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Drug policy
  1. Ecuador is facing serious issues with drug cartels, leading to violence and political assassinations. The assassination of a presidential candidate shows how deeply rooted these problems are in the country.
  2. Mexican drug cartels are now controlling a significant portion of the illegal drug trade, expanding their influence from Colombia to the United States. This rise in cartel power is linked to high rates of crime and corruption across Latin America.
  3. Current approaches to fighting drug trafficking, like the War on Drugs, have largely failed. Some experts suggest that legalization and treating addiction as a health issue, rather than a crime, might help alleviate this ongoing crisis.

Top Links 797 Upgrading America's military-industrial complex. The Rise and Fall of China’s ‘Fentanyl King’ & the "hole left by the Christian dark ages" ;)

Chartbook • 386 implied HN points • 12 Jul 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Drug policy
  1. America's military-industrial complex is getting more advanced. This means they are improving their technology and systems for military use.
  2. China's 'Fentanyl King' story highlights the rise and fall of influential individuals in the drug trade. It shows how powerful figures can impact society.
  3. The mention of the 'hole left by the Christian dark ages' suggests there were significant losses in knowledge or culture during that time. It's a reminder of how history can shape our present.

A Modest Proposal To Turn Canada Into a Narco State

Cremieux Recueil • 344 implied HN points • 30 Jul 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Drug policy
  1. The proposal suggests that Canada could become a pharmaceutical hub for the U.S., selling cheaper drugs to help both economies. This could fix economic struggles in Canada while providing affordable medicine for Americans.
  2. The current pricing plan in the U.S. can lead to higher drug prices elsewhere, affecting global availability and creating issues for both consumers and pharmaceutical companies. Finding a better price strategy that works for everyone is essential.
  3. The FDA has a program that could allow importing Canadian drugs to the U.S., but it needs major changes to be more effective. By redesigning this program, both countries could benefit from lower prices and increased pharmaceutical production.

I Say Thank You to Big Pharma

In My Tribe • 455 implied HN points • 01 Jun 25
🏥 Health Politics Drug policy
  1. It's important to keep encouraging medical research because it brings a lot of benefits to society. We rely on a mix of private and government support for this research.
  2. Cutting drug prices without considering the negative effects might hurt medical research and innovation. We should think about the long-term impact of such changes.
  3. Using prizes instead of patents could lead to fairer rewards for drug developers and might reduce some issues in the research funding system.

A Federal Moonshot for Better Addiction Medications Can Help Us Escape the Crisis

Curing Addiction • 159 implied HN points • 11 Apr 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Drug policy
  1. The United States faces a worsening addiction crisis with increasing drug overdose deaths and huge economic and social costs.
  2. Addiction disorders rank high in disability-adjusted life years, similar to heart disease, yet there's minimal investment in new addiction medications compared to other major diseases.
  3. Developing novel breakthrough medical treatments for addiction, similar to past successes like HIV treatments, could significantly impact and potentially cure addiction.

The War on Drugs Targets People, Not Substances

Tripsitter • 59 implied HN points • 21 Jun 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Drug policy
  1. Drug prohibition perpetuates racial and social disparities, serving as a tool for division and maintaining social order.
  2. The War on Drugs may not have succeeded in its stated goal of reducing drug use, but it has been successful in boosting police budgets and expanding harm among marginalized communities.
  3. The emphasis on controlling people rather than substances in the War on Drugs has led to an increase in prison populations, incentivizing more arrests and further marginalization.

Are drugs good? Are side effects bad? It depends on what you're trying to do.

Trevor Klee’s Newsletter • 895 implied HN points • 01 Nov 24
🏥 Health Politics Drug policy
  1. The good or bad nature of drugs really depends on what you're trying to achieve with them. It's important to consider the purpose behind using any drug.
  2. Different drugs can have different effects. For example, psychedelics can be helpful for depression but dangerous for someone who is unstable. It's all about context.
  3. Drugs should be viewed as tools that work in specific ways. We need to determine if those effects match what we want for our health or goals.

How Phenibut Went From Russian Space Drug to American Addiction

Tripsitter • 159 implied HN points • 10 Mar 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Drug policy
  1. Phenibut was initially used by Russian cosmonauts for anxiety and sleep during space missions due to its calming effects and GABA-related properties.
  2. Phenibut, an analog of GABA, can have both stimulating and sedating effects depending on the dosage, posing risks of addiction and severe withdrawals when misused.
  3. The use of phenibut is on the rise in the United States among young adults, despite efforts by government agencies to regulate its availability due to its addictive nature.

An ounce of opioid prevention

HEALTH CARE un-covered • 279 implied HN points • 06 Dec 23
🏥 Health Politics Drug policy
  1. Preventing opioid addiction is just as important as treating those who are already addicted. Focusing on prevention could help stop more people from becoming addicted in the first place.
  2. The U.S. prescribes a huge amount of opioids compared to other countries, which contributes to the addiction crisis. Many people who end up using heroin were first given opioids through prescriptions.
  3. State and federal policies should shift towards reducing unnecessary opioid prescriptions. Educating doctors and patients about pain management can help lower opioid use and its associated risks.

URGENT: President Trump just ordered the federal government to relax rules on cannabis

Unreported Truths • 34 implied HN points • 18 Dec 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Drug policy
  1. Rescheduling cannabis treats it like a medicine, but smoking a plant isn't medicine. Trials of isolated cannabis chemicals have mostly failed to show clear medical benefits.
  2. Lowering federal restrictions will mainly help the cannabis industry by giving tax breaks and easier access to banking and capital. That will let companies expand and market potent products, increasing youth access and use.
  3. This change is unlikely to boost useful scientific research and instead risks greater public-health harms like more psychosis, addiction, accidents, heart problems, and severe vomiting. If safety is the goal, stricter regulation, warning labels, and measures to discourage teen use are what’s needed.

Mexico's Standoff

Diane Francis • 539 implied HN points • 11 May 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Drug policy
  1. The U.S.-Mexico border situation is really about crime and smuggling, not just immigration. Drug cartels and corrupt officials are making this problem worse.
  2. Many people trying to cross into the U.S. aren't actual refugees but are taking advantage of the system to enter illegally. This puts a strain on safety and resources.
  3. America's drug problem drives this crisis. Until it's addressed, the issues at the border will keep growing and possibly turn into a bigger conflict.

America - and Americans - must stand against drugs of abuse. ALL drugs of abuse.

Unreported Truths • 32 implied HN points • 19 Dec 25
🏥 Health Politics Drug policy
  1. Drugs that produce a high are harmful and addictive, and making them more accessible has caused real social and public-health harms.
  2. High-THC cannabis has limited proven medical benefits and is linked to psychosis, severe vomiting, accidents, heart risks, and can act as a gateway to further drug use.
  3. Society should discourage and stigmatize drug use rather than normalize or commercialize it, using higher costs and legal consequences to reduce use because drug use creates harms for families and the public.

Drug War: Trump Takes a Step Toward Liberty

QTR’s Fringe Finance • 19 implied HN points • 03 Jan 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Drug policy
  1. Reclassifying marijuana to Schedule III is a modest legal step that makes research easier and lets state-legal businesses take ordinary tax deductions, but it does not end federal criminalization.
  2. The drug war has enabled police-state tactics, rights violations, and even foreign interventions, causing widespread harm without solving the problem of drug demand.
  3. Adults should be free to make peaceful, even unwise, choices about drug use, with families and communities handling prevention and the ultimate goal being a complete end to federal drug prohibition.

How China-Bashing Fuels the Fentanyl Crisis

Nonzero Newsletter • 496 implied HN points • 22 Oct 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Drug policy
  1. Fentanyl is causing a huge problem in the U.S., killing more people than several wars combined. It affects many lives, from kids to adults, and costs the economy a lot of money.
  2. China used to be the main source of fentanyl in the U.S., but after 2019, their role changed. Now, Mexican drug cartels make the drug using chemicals from China.
  3. Politicians are blaming China to gain votes, but the reality is more complex. A better understanding of the crisis is needed to solve it, rather than just pointing fingers at another country.

Biden’s Commutations

David Friedman’s Substack • 323 implied HN points • 19 Dec 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Drug policy
  1. Biden pardoned 39 people convicted of non-violent offenses, mostly related to drugs. This helps them rebuild their lives by removing convictions from their records.
  2. He also commuted the sentences of 1499 others still in prison, allowing them to be released but still keeping their criminal records. Some of these cases drew criticism, especially concerning a judge involved in a major bribery scandal.
  3. Critics argue that Biden's policy to commute sentences was too broad and didn't consider the individual circumstances of those being released. There's concern that some who received commutations, like the corrupt judge, still deserved harsher punishment.

I am in Hungary talking about cannabis and the insanity of American drug policy

Unreported Truths • 32 implied HN points • 19 Nov 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Drug policy
  1. Cannabis legalization in the U.S. has led to more serious issues than many people expected. Many believe it has worsened their quality of life.
  2. There are real health risks associated with heavy cannabis use, especially for young people. Increased use can lead to problems like paranoia, memory issues, and risky behavior.
  3. Despite the promises of legalization, the illegal cannabis market is still strong. Many users still turn to the black market because it can be cheaper and more accessible.

Does shutting down dark web markets kill people?

Aliveness Studies • 6 implied HN points • 20 Jan 26
🏥 Health Politics Drug policy
  1. Nationally, shutting down major darknet markets in mid‑2017 did not cause a spike in fentanyl deaths; instead the growth rate of synthetic opioid deaths slowed afterward, though it’s unclear if the shutdowns caused that change.
  2. The impact varied a lot by state: most states showed deceleration but several showed acceleration, and a few states (notably Ohio) drove much of the national pattern, suggesting local factors matter more than a single national event.
  3. Darknet market transactions plunged right after the shutdowns but recovered within about six months as users moved to other markets, so the disruption was short‑lived and shutdowns look like a temporary whack‑a‑mole fix.

The war on drugs needs to be fought from the demand side

Unreported Truths • 32 implied HN points • 10 Nov 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Drug policy
  1. We need to focus on reducing the demand for drugs rather than just tackling the supply. Addressing the reasons people use drugs is key to solving the drug crisis.
  2. There's a blurred line between legal and illegal drugs in America. Many prescribed medications can be just as addictive as illegal drugs, which complicates how we treat addiction.
  3. Instead of just accepting drug use as normal, we should be more critical about it and stop promoting drugs like Adderall for conditions that aren't as widespread in other countries.

New Orders from Trump on Health

Who is Robert Malone • 16 implied HN points • 20 Dec 25
🏥 Health Politics Drug policy
  1. The president designated illicit fentanyl as a Weapon of Mass Destruction. That label unlocks broader law enforcement, financial, intelligence, and potential military tools to disrupt production and trafficking.
  2. Major drugmakers agreed to Most‑Favored‑Nation pricing and to donate active pharmaceutical ingredients to a Strategic Reserve. Those steps aim to lower U.S. drug costs and strengthen supply chains to reduce reliance on foreign manufacturing.
  3. Medical marijuana is being fast‑tracked toward Schedule III and expanded research on CBD and cannabis is ordered. This will ease research barriers, likely increase medical access and commercial opportunities, but it does not federally legalize marijuana.

Six years after Tell Your Children, Fox News asked me to update the world on the harms of cannabis

Unreported Truths • 51 implied HN points • 01 Jul 25
🏥 Health Politics Drug policy
  1. Cannabis is proving to be more harmful than previously thought, especially for heavy or daily users. It can lead to serious health issues like heart problems, mental illness, and addiction.
  2. Even though some Americans still support legalization, many are starting to notice the negative effects of cannabis in their lives. This shift in attitude suggests growing awareness of its risks.
  3. Legal cannabis has not solved many of the problems advocates promised, like lower prices or reduced illegal sales. Instead, legal stores are struggling to compete, and the negative health impacts are becoming clearer.

There Are No Drug Cartels!

C.O.P. Central Organizing Principle. • 30 implied HN points • 09 Aug 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Drug policy
  1. Some believe that drug cartels don't really exist; instead, they think the CIA controls drug trafficking through various middlemen. This suggests a hidden government involvement in the drug trade.
  2. There are claims that famous figures and events related to drug trade are misrepresented in Hollywood movies. This makes people question the truth behind what they see in film and television.
  3. The opioid crisis and rising deaths due to drugs like Fentanyl are linked to government actions and decisions. These claims highlight concerns about accountability in the health and drug policies.