The War on Drugs in the United States led to a huge increase in America's prison population. For decades, hundreds of thousands of people convicted of even minor drug crimes received long jail terms. President Obama says this has been counter-productive, consigning generations of young people to jail. Under a new presidential clemency initiative thousands of drug offenders can apply for early release.

Our World speaks to some who have been freed and looks at the changing approach to tackling drug offences in the United States. Show less