Tessie Castillo

Women Who Use Drugs: Challenges Demand Self-Led Harm Reduction

Bree Cassell first injected heroin when she was 15 years old. Despite wanting to do so, she was so scared…

May 21, 2019

Drug Paraphernalia Laws: The “Swiss Army Knife” of the Drug War

On June 7, 2018 Jessica* was sitting behind a church in Fayetteville, North Carolina, when two police officers walked by.…

April 4, 2019

Will Women of Color Leading Nonprofits Drive Deeper Equity?

  The reign of the middle-aged white man is over,” declared House of Cards President Claire Underwood in a steely-eyed…

February 28, 2019

“Exhilarating”—The Life of a Career Drug Dealer Illustrates Hard Truths

Casper has lived a life out straight out of Pulp Fiction. Over a 26-year career selling illicit drugs across the…

January 30, 2019

Cops in Harm Reduction: An Insult? Or Incremental Positive Change?

Peter Sadler looked like a lost member of the Beastie Boys, but as soon as he spoke it was obvious…

November 14, 2018

Why Drug Dealers Are the Wrong People to Blame for the Overdose Crisis

Tyrique Wise was working at his self-owned painting and pressure washing business in Southern Shores, North Carolina, when the police…

October 23, 2018

The Invisible Majority: People Whose Drug Use Is Not Problematic

For years, Mark* woke up each morning, made breakfast for his two young children, and dropped them off at school…

September 25, 2018