Alexander Lekhtman

Alexander is Filter’s staff writer. He writes about the movement to end the War on Drugs. He grew up in New Jersey and swears it’s actually alright. He’s also a musician hoping to change the world through the power of ledger lines and legislation. Alexander was previously Filter‘s editorial fellow.

As SAMHSA Cuts Loom, Behavioral Health Orgs Fight to Protect Funding

Harm reduction providers and other community groups are in chaos they await updates on the fate of withdrawn grant funding…

April 17, 2025

Florida May Soon Ban Anonymous Officer Misconduct Complaints

Under a proposed bill, Florida would no longer allow officer misconduct complaints to be filed anonymously—requiring that they be signed…

April 16, 2025

Texas Bill Could Expand Sterile Syringe Access—for a Fee

A proposal advancing in the Texas legislature would authorize syringe service program (SSP) pilots in a total of seven counties,…

April 15, 2025

“Faces of Medicaid” Highlights Lifesaving Program Under Attack

A new campaign highlights how Medicaid has transformed the lives of many people who use drugs, through medications for opioid…

April 10, 2025

Refelonizing Fentanyl Had No Good Outcomes: Colorado Study

Increasing criminal penalties for fentanyl had zero impact on overdose deaths in Colorado and accomplished nothing good. That’s the result…

April 3, 2025

What Will Sara Carter of Fox News Bring as “Drug Czar”?

On March 28, President Donald Trump announced Sara Carter as his pick for "drug czar." Carter, who will need to…

April 1, 2025

Replication Study Refutes Naloxone “Moral Hazard” Paper

Seven years ago, a deeply controversial paper claimed that states introducing laws to expand naloxone led to increases in opioid-related…

March 28, 2025

Scotland’s Overdose Prevention Center Up and Running: Will There Be More?

In January, Scotland opened the first sanctioned overdose prevention center (OPC) in the United Kingdom. As of March 17, the…

March 26, 2025

ICE Unleashed as Trump’s War on Immigrants Escalates

As President Donald Trump's war on immigrants escalates, hundreds of Venezuelans were deported to be incarcerated in El Salvador on…

March 19, 2025

GOP Plans to Slash Medicaid Would Worsen Overdose Crisis

Republicans, in control of the White House and both chambers of Congress, aim to cut trillions of dollars in federal…

March 13, 2025