Will Brownsberger — State Senator, Democrat, 2d Suffolk and Middlesex District

Buprenorphine is an essential drug for me. Before I found a doctor who could prescribe it, I lived in constant pain. Please don’t make it even harder to get. I don’t get high on it. It just makes my life bearable.

Today the Senate passed a bill to strengthen the state’s response to prescription drug addiction. The bill now goes to the House for consideration.

While the problem of patronage in probation may have been substantially addressed by changing leadership, it still may make sense to reorganize the system.

I’ve been hearing from a number of constituents who are calling for full legalization and taxation of marijuana. I think that it is much more useful to focus on reducing mandatory minimum sentences for the harder drugs and I’m hopeful that our financial crunch will create the conditions for responsible movement on sentencing policy.

Links to drug policy publications, reports and presentations by Will Brownsberger.

Question Two on the November ballot purports to enact a “Sensible State Marijuana Policy.”  So packaged, the proposal is likely to pass.

I believe that there are three major reforms that we need to pursue in Massachusetts drug policy: (1) moderation of our sentencing policies; (2) improvement of substance abuse treatment quality; (3) expansion of screening and brief intervention.

Coerced treatment has great appeal for parents, judge and prosecutors. But, now that it has become widespread, it is damaging the treatment system and making all treatment less effective.

Why do we send people to jail because of their addiction, when
treatment would be much less expensive?

Brief statements on freedom to marry, death penalty, choice, sex education, stem cell research, criminal justice issues, affordable housing