That is one of the truest statements I’ve read. When Black and Brown people were suffering from crack and opioid epidemics, our government sought to criminalize the disease.

There was a whole war on drugs. How many addicts are in prisons now that the color of this epidemic has changed? Now it is a disease that needs treatment not punishment. There are now calls to destigmatize addiction, to not criminalize addiction and show compassion and empathy.

Addiction is devastating for everyone no matter the color. And everyone should be treated equally, but this is never the case and it is glaringly obvious.