Last fall, Jay Z narrated a powerful animated short about the costly effect of the war on drugs, not just in terms of tax dollars, but also human lives. "The History of the War on Drugs: from Prohibition to Gold Rush" was released by the New York Times, and included troubling statistics... Read more

In 2016, much headway has been made to counteract some of the harmful lingering effects of the so-called "war on drugs." Criminal-justice reform has taken on invigorated energy, with more attention being focused on overturning the excessively harsh sentences placed on low-level, nonviolent drug offenders. Marijuana continues to become more... Read more

2016 has been a rough year. From seemingly endless celebrity deaths to a political campaign unlike any other to racial tensions dominating headlines, these last 12 months have been riddled with great sorrow. But as history continues to remind us, out of great pain comes great resilience, and actors, athletes,... Read more

In a new essay he penned for Rolling Stone, Killer Mike (born Michael Render) addresses the racially motivated disproportions in the marijuana industry, a topic that has become a major talking point as the movement for nationwide legalization continues to gain steam. By 2020, the recreational marijuana industry is expected... Read more

One of the most insidious byproducts of the horrendously destructive so-called "war on drugs" is its direct role in steering millions of Americans into a life of street crime. Dealing drugs can be a lucrative option, especially for those who live in communities in which other, legal opportunities are scarce.... Read more

Jay Z, one of the world's most successful artists and businessmen, made his way into the Rap game in part by spinning true-to-life tales about hustling in the streets, spending a considerable amount of his time coming up as a self-proclaimed D-Boy. Far from an unfamiliar trope in Hip-Hop music,... Read more

In his 2004 single "99 Problems," Jay Z references an interaction with a police officer after being pulled over for a relatively harmless offense - "you was doing fifty-five in the fifty-four." What ensued, however, is an exercise in the kind of power dynamics that gives law enforcement a presumption... Read more

The United States is facing a health crisis which entangles the healthcare industry, addiction, and the government in menacing ways. In recent months, much attention has been paid to America's growing dependence on prescription medication, and the root causes for the pandemic are multifaceted. For some, financial access to powerful... Read more

The recent death of former first lady Nancy Reagan has brought conversations about the so-called "War on Drugs" back into the fray. Considered by most to have been a complete and utter failure, the war was first initiated by the Nixon administration, but was fortified by not only President Reagan,... Read more

When President Richard Nixon made the war on drugs one of his signature domestic campaigns, his administration set into motion one of the most unpopular cycles of American social change. Effectively criminalizing all drug-related activities - from the high level trafficking to the pedestrian smoking of a joint - the... Read more

President Obama has been proactive in addressing some of the major concerns of Americans, many of which were issues he campaigned on before his inauguration into the White House. One of those issues was that of incarceration, namely the exceedingly high rates of imprisonment of Americans, the overwhelming majority of... Read more