Patrick Gallahue: A New Approach to Drugs

The failed war on drugs is driving violence, health crises, and mass incarceration around the world. However, models do exist in many parts of the world that increase access to treatment, reduce fatal overdose and drug-related HIV transmission, and provide alternatives to incarceration for minor drug offenses. With drug policy reform now clearly on the political agenda, what might better drug policies look like? And more importantly, what can we do to promote alternative approaches? Patrick Gallahue is a communications officer with the Global Drug Policy Program. Prior to joining Open Society Foundations, Patrick spent three years at Harm Reduction International, researching human rights abuses stemming from drug control. Patrick also worked for seven years as a journalist in New York City, where he wrote about crime, local development, politics, and transport. In addition, he has worked with the International Centre on Human Rights and Drug Policy, Child Workers in Nepal, and The Dome Project’s Juvenile Justice Program. He holds an LLM in human rights law from the National University of Ireland, Galway. Patrick is the son of ECS leader Martha Gallahue.