Michael Collins

Michael Collins is the Strategic Policy and Planning Director at the Office of the State’s Attorney for Baltimore City, where he works to devise and implement criminal justice reform policies. Previously, he was director at the Drug Policy Alliance's (DPA) Office of National Affairs, in Washington, D.C., where he worked with Congress on a wide variety of drug policy issues including marijuana reform, criminal justice reform, overdose issues, and more. He is originally from Scotland, and lived in France, Spain and Mexico, before moving to Baltimore in 2010. Before joining DPA, Michael interned in the U.S. Congress, and worked on drug war issues in Mexico for the CIP Americas Program. He holds a Master’s degree from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service. He also has an undergraduate degree from Strathclyde University in his hometown of Glasgow. He speaks French, Spanish and Catalan. Michael has been involved in several drug policy victories at the federal level, such as the passage of the Rohrabacher-Farr amendment, funding for diversion programs, legalising marijuana in Washington, D.C., and the First Step Act. He has played a key role in the development of groundbreaking legislation such as the MORE Act, the Marijuana Justice Act and Bernie Sanders’ marijuana reform bill. Michael has discussed drug policy issues on CNN, CBS, the BBC, and Democracy Now. He has also appeared in the New York Times, Washington Post, and Wall Street Journal.