Aaron Ferguson

Aaron Ferguson, BSW is on the Leadership team of the National Survivor’s Union, the national union of drug user activists in the U.S. This role is focused on fighting stigma through direct action. Aaron co-produces two podcasts; “Narcotica” a show about drugs and the people who use them, and “Naturally Noncompliant” a show about people in the US who stand in line and fight for a safe supply of methadone. Much of what Aaron knows about drug use and harm reduction was learned during 15 years of childhood homelessness and incarceration in Northern California after escaping the Children of God Cult that his parents cofounded and led. Aaron survived Navy SEAL training and is a post 9-11 military veteran. After receiving a degree in Social Work and spending nearly two decades interpreting research Aaron believes that the best way to combat the stigma that he sees as causing millions of American drug deaths is for people who use drugs to organize and fight for fundamental rights and full citizenship. Aaron works to help bring about a revolution toward seeing people who use drugs as humans seeking everyday happiness rather than immoral or diseased subjects, and believes that doing this requires eschewing traditional ideas about addiction and recovery. Aaron is a happily married father who encourages skepticism, reason and science as the paths to enlightenment. When Aaron is not working, he enjoys running marathons, producing music, reading everything in sight, and most of all spending quality time with his wife and kids.