This Monday, The Root separated from our associate editor Kirsten West Savali due to an editorial standards issue.

After the Drug Policy Alliance discovered and brought to our attention a previously undisclosed and improper arrangement, Gizmodo Media Group conducted a thorough investigation and made the difficult decision to terminate her. Because of this, we will be removing any stories related to Drug Policy Alliance written by and/or edited by Kirsten and replacing it with an editor’s note and a link to a cached version of the story.



Our relationship with our audience – with you – is built on transparency. Maintaining the overall integrity of The Root is paramount, and we value your readership, so we felt it was important to address this issue publicly.

We will update you if there are any additional developments. In the meantime, we hope that you continue reading The Root and placing your trust in us.