Drug Policy

What Drug Policy does

Drug Policy Alliance (DPA) is a U.S. 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2000 and headquartered at 131 West 33rd Street, New York. The organization addresses the harms of drug use and drug criminalization through policy advocacy, organizing, and public education. Its operational footprint spans 51-100 employees and is led by Executive Director Kassandra Frederique, with founder Ethan Nadelmann credited as the organization's founder.

DPA's core offerings are not commercial products but a portfolio of advocacy and educational resources: comprehensive Drug Facts sheets covering substances including fentanyl, xylazine, nitazenes, cocaine, heroin, and marijuana; organized Issue Areas and Campaigns addressing overdose prevention, addiction treatment access, marijuana legalization, criminal justice reform, and removal of barriers to work, housing, and benefits; a Resource Library with drug war statistics and history; an interactive Drug Policy Impacts Map tracking decriminalization legislation across U.S. jurisdictions; a Take Action advocacy platform with petitions and legislator-contact tools; and a Membership Program. The underlying "technology" is an evidence-based harm reduction education and public health advocacy platform, supplemented by a digital supporter engagement stack spanning website, email newsletters, and major social platforms (Facebook, Twitter/X, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, Bluesky), plus the annual Reform Conference.

DPA generates no product or service revenue. Its business model is donations and charitable contributions, including one-time donations, monthly recurring giving via the "Reformers Club," membership, Donor Advised Funds (DAFs), and grants from aligned foundations. The organization serves people directly impacted by drug criminalization, harm reduction service providers, and policymakers/elected officials, pursuing a horizontal segmentation approach grounded in evidence, health, equity, and human rights.

Name

Drug Policy

Legal name

Drug Policy Alliance

Website

https://drugpolicy.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Drug Policy Alliance is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2000 that advocates for drug policy reform through evidence-based research, harm reduction education, and public health campaigns, serving communities affected by drug criminalization, harm reduction providers, and policymakers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Drug Policy Advocacy

NAICS

Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Human Rights Organizations (813311)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Substance Use Disorder Prevention & Recovery Services (BPAGACAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Substance Use Recovery & Harm Reduction Support Services (BPAGAEAO), Behavioral Health & Substance Use Public Health Programs (BPAIAJAK), Substance Use, Addiction & Harm Reduction Health Departments (HLAJAAAM)

Keywords

• Drug policy reform
• Harm reduction advocacy
• Overdose prevention
• Nonprofit health advocacy
• Marijuana legalization

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Drug Policy Alliance operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization funded primarily through individual donations, charitable contributions, and grants from foundations aligned with their mission.

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Drug Policy Alliance is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit advocacy organization that promotes drug policies grounded in science, compassion, health, equity, and human rights. It delivers evidence-based educational resources, policy analysis, harm reduction information, and grassroots advocacy campaigns addressing overdose prevention, addiction treatment access, marijuana legalization, decriminalization, and removal of barriers to employment, housing, and benefits for people with drug convictions.

Product overview

Drug Policy Alliance (DPA) operates a nonprofit advocacy platform focused on drug policy reform, harm reduction, and overdose prevention. The organization functions as an educational and advocacy organization rather than a traditional technology company. Its primary offerings include comprehensive drug facts resources (factsheets on cocaine, fentanyl, xylazine, nitazenes, and other substances), organized issue areas and campaigns addressing key policy areas, a resource library with drug war statistics and history, an interactive drug policy impacts map, online take action campaigns for advocacy, and a membership program. The platform does not operate as a unified software product but rather as a collection of educational resources, advocacy tools, and community engagement features centered on advancing health-based drug policy.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Drug Facts Resources Comprehensive educational factsheets providing evidence-based information on drug effects, health impacts, treatment options, harm reduction strategies, and policy recommendations for various substances. Targeted at the public, affected communities, policymakers, and service providers.
• Issue Areas and Campaigns Organized advocacy campaigns addressing key drug policy issues including reducing fentanyl harms, preventing overdose deaths, increasing access to addiction services, ending criminal penalties, removing barriers to work and housing, regulating drugs for health and safety, legalizing marijuana, and centering health in foreign drug policy.
• Resource Library Online library containing drug facts, drug war statistics, drug war history, and drug policy impact resources that document the effects of drug criminalization and inform advocacy efforts.
• Drug Policy Impacts Map Interactive map tracking decriminalization legislation and drug policy impacts across jurisdictions in the United States.
• Take Action Campaigns Online petition and advocacy action platform enabling supporters to contact legislators about protecting funding for treatment and overdose prevention, ending marijuana criminalization, and supporting health-based drug policy approaches.
• Membership Program Organizational membership program enabling individuals to support the Drug Policy Alliance's mission through donations, recurring giving, and engagement with advocacy campaigns.

Quantifiable outcome

• Overdose deaths declined 27% in 2024 due in part to health interventions DPA advocates for
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ACLU of VirginiacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 June 2026Coalition partner in Virginia marijuana legalization advocacy efforts. The coalition is urging Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger and state lawmakers to remove provisions that would increase fines for public cannabis consumption as part of compromise legislation.
• NORMLcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 June 2026Coalition partner advocating for marijuana policy reform in Virginia, working together with DPA and other organizations to promote equitable cannabis legalization.
• Marijuana Policy ProjectcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 June 2026Coalition partner in Virginia marijuana legalization advocacy, working collaboratively on policy reform efforts.
• SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration)minorOthersDPA advocates for maintaining and protecting funding from SAMHSA for overdose prevention, addiction treatment, and harm reduction services. The administration has been cutting SAMHSA funding, which DPA is working to prevent.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Partnership to End Addiction: Long-standing national nonprofit addressing substance use and addiction through family support, education, and policy advocacy. Comparable in scale, audience (families affected by addiction), and policy orientation.
• Shatterproof: National nonprofit focused on ending the addiction crisis through evidence-based treatment access and stigma reduction. Comparable as a national drug policy and treatment access advocacy organization.
• National Harm Reduction Coalition: National nonprofit advancing harm-reduction interventions including naloxone distribution, syringe access, and drug user health. Overlaps closely with DPA on harm reduction advocacy and overdose prevention.
• NORML (National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws): The leading US marijuana legalization advocacy organization and an active DPA coalition partner. Highly comparable as a single-issue drug policy reform nonprofit that drives state-level legislative campaigns and grassroots mobilization.
• Marijuana Policy Project: Major US marijuana policy reform organization and DPA coalition partner. Directly comparable in mission, federal-state advocacy model, donor base, and target legislator audience.

Broad incumbents

• ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union): Larger civil liberties organization with criminal-justice and drug-decriminalization portfolios. Comparable as a coalition partner and broader advocacy incumbent that DPA plugs into for state-level work (e.g., ACLU of Virginia partnership).
• CADCA (Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America): Large national coalition representing community drug-prevention efforts with significant federal funding. Comparable as a peer advocacy organization with strong federal relationships but oriented to prevention rather than harm reduction.

Emerging players

• Drug Free America Foundation: US nonprofit advocating from a prevention/abstinence-oriented stance on drug policy. Comparable as a peer advocacy organization operating in the same policy arena but on the opposing side of the reform debate.

Regional players

• International Drug Policy Consortium (IDPC): Global network of NGOs focused on drug policy reform at the UN and international level. Comparable in mission but operates internationally, complementing DPA's US-only footprint on foreign drug policy issues.

Others

• Open Society Foundations – Drug Policy Program: Major philanthropic funder of drug policy reform globally and a likely donor to organizations like DPA. Comparable as a drug policy ecosystem participant rather than a direct operational peer.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/DrugPolicyAlliance
• Facebookfacebook.com/drugpolicy
• Instagraminstagram.com/drugpolicyalliance
• TikToktiktok.com/@drugpolicyalliance
• Xx.com/DrugPolicyNews
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/drug-policy-alliance

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Drug Policy