DARE Generation Diary

Party Tickets Going Fast! Get Yours Today!

2010-03-10T06:37:00.004-05:00

Wow! We only have a small amount of $15 student tickets left for Saturday's Benefit Concert and Awards Banquet featuring Roots of Creation. Save money and ensure your spot at this amazing event. It's looking like the party will completely sell out.

SSDP is pulling out all the stops this one. Plenty of delicious food, 2 amazing live bands, live painting from Vorcan and we'll be giving awards to some of our best chapters, activists and supporters.

Don't miss out.

Check out the video above to see Roots of Creation in action!

Student Ticket Price Reduced for Benefit Concert!

2010-03-08T20:26:00.004-05:00

We can't wait to see you this weekend! We also can't wait for the party / concert / awards banquet that's happening Saturday night. And if you act quick, you can get a huge discount on your ticket.

Thanks to party sponsorships from the Berkeley Patients Group, Cannabis Buyers Club of Berkeley, and El Camino Wellness Center, we're now able to offer a limited number of discounted tickets to students on a first-come first-served basis! The next 100 students to buy tickets through our website will get them for just $15! After that point, the price will go back up to $25.

Remember, we'll be providing food at the event, so that's included in the cost of the ticket. And if you're under 21, it'll be hard to find anything else to do that evening, since we've booked one of the only all-ages venues in the city. The venue capacity is limited, so if you don't buy your ticket early, you might not get one at all.

Roots of Creation is going to bring the house down on at this party folks! We've also got well known Seattle natives Panda Conspiracy opening up with the funk and live painting from the masterminds of Vorcan!

So what are you waiting for? Don't miss out on one of the most enjoyable, memorable nights of your life - buy your ticket now! http://www.ssdp.org/conference/party

And then RSVP via Facebook here: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=290009030731

See you soon!

*The $15 discounted rate only applies to current students.
*If you already bought your ticket for $25, we can refund you $10 at the party by request.

Conference Schedule and Program is Now Available!

2010-03-07T02:20:00.000-05:00

AT-A-GLANCE SCHEDULE
Download the full conference program here

Thursday, March 11, 2010 Early Arrival

7:00pm-10:00pm

Registration

Comfort Inn By The Bay

Friday, March 12, 2010 Field Trip Day

8:30am-12:30pm

Registration & Bus Tour Sign-ups

Comfort Inn By The Bay

10:00am-2:30pm

1st Trip To Oakland

Comfort Inn By the Bay

12:30pm-5:00pm

2nd Trip To Oakland

Comfort Inn By the Bay

5:30pm-7:30pm

Meet and Greet

Fleet Room, Fort Mason

8:00pm-10:00pm

SSDP Congress, part 1

Fleet Room, Fort Mason

8:00pm-11:00pm

Alumni Dinner

Alegrias (restaurant)
2018 Lombard Street

Saturday, March 13, 2010 Drug War Education Day

8:30am-4:30pm

Registration

Cowell Theatre Box Office, Fort Mason

9:00am-10:00am

Breakfast

Cowell Lobby, Fort Mason

10:00am-11:15am

Opening Plenary

Cowell Theatre Box Office, Fort Mason

11:30am-12:35pm

Breakout Panel Session I
Option 1: Medical Marijuana Dispensaries
Option 2: Psychedelics
Option 3: Local & State Drug Policy Reform

Fort Mason Center
Option 1: Firehouse
Option 2: Golden Gate
Option 3: C260

12:35pm-1:30pm

Lunch

Fleet Room, Fort Mason

1:30pm-2:40pm

Breakout Panel Session II
Option 1: Mexico's Drug War
Option 2: Marijuana Legalization
Option 3: Racism & The Drug War
Option 4: Harm Reduction

Fort Mason Center
Option 1: Cowell Theatre
Option 2: Firehouse
Option 3: Golden Gate
Option 4: C260

2:55pm-4:00pm

Breakout Panel Session III
Option 1: Legalizing All Drugs
Option 2: Women & Drug Policy
Option 3: SSDP's International Network

Fort Mason Center
Option 1: Cowell Theatre
Option 2: Firehouse
Option 3: C260

4:15pm-5:00pm

Keynote: Rep. Tom Ammiano

Cowell Theatre, Fort Mason

5:00pm-5:15pm

Group Photo

Cowell Theatre, Fort Mason

5:15pm-6:45pm

SSDP Congress, part 2

Cowell Theatre, Fort Mason

7:30pm-1:00am

Concert, Party & Awards Banquet
Doors: 7:30
Food: 8
First Band: 8:30
Awards 9:15
Roots of Creation: 10:30

Broadway Studios

Sunday, March 14, 2010 Advocacy Skills Training Day

9:30am-10:15am

Breakfast

Cowell Theatre Lobby

10:15am-10:45am

Keynote: Gov. Gary Johnson

Cowell Theatre, Fort Mason

11:00am-12:15pm

Breakout Workshop Session I
Option 1: Media Relations
Option 2: Chapter Organizing 101
Option 3: Coalition Building
Option 4: Lobbying

Fort Mason Center
Option 1: C235
Option 2: C260
Option 3: C362
Option 4: C370

12:30pm-1:30pm

Networking Luncheon
Option 1: MAPS Marijuana Research Campaign
Option 2: California Tax & Regulate Initiative
Option 3: Spirituality & Drug Policy Reform
Option 4: Marijuana is SAFER

Fort Mason Center
Option 1: C235
Option 2: C260
Option 3: C362
Option 4: C370

1:45pm-3:00pm

Breakout Workshop Session II
Option 1: Event Planning
Option 2: Campus Change Campaign
Option 3: Student Government
Option 4: Online Advocacy

Fort Mason Center
Option 1: C235
Option 2: C260
Option 3: C362
Option 4: C370

3:15pm-4:15pm

Breakout Workshop Session III
Option 1: Chapter Organizing 101
Option 2: Campus Change Campaign
Option 3: Joyous Activism
Option 4: Effective Messaging

Fort Mason Center
Option 1: C235
Option 2: C260
Option 3: C362
Option 4: C370

4:30pm-5:00pm

Wrap-Up and Farewell

Cowell Theatre, Fort Mason

5:15pm-6:30pm

Film Screening: 10 Rules For Dealing With Police

Cowell Theatre, Fort Mason

Haven't registered yet or need some info on travel? Then head on over to the official conference site!

You can still help send students to SSDP's conference!

2010-03-03T17:36:00.000-05:00

In a little over 1 week, Students for Sensible Drug Policy will host it's biggest and most impressive conference to date. Will you help students from all around the world make it out?

Let's face it. College students are broke. That's why SSDP has set up a scholarship fund to help cover the costs of travel and lodging for students to make it out to San Francisco on March 12. So far, we've granted scholarships to nearly 200 students who otherwise wouldn't be able to attend. Students like:

Levent Akubult who has spawned SSDP's first UK chapter network
10 students from the University of Utah who are working on a statewide Good Samaritan Policy
Miguel Garcia from the University of Texas Pan American, a school located on the border between the U.S. and drug war ravaged Mexico
6 members of the Northern Virgina Community College SSDP chapter
Many more!

As you can see, these scholarships are here to help some of the best and brightest students from around the world attend this amazing conference when they otherwise would not have been able to. From March 12-14, these students will learn the skills to build a strong SSDP chapter and bring an end the failed war on drugs.

And don't just take our word for it! You can hear from SSDP chapters and students themselves just how important your donation is to ensuring that they make it out to the conference. Watch here.

Donate whatever you can today and let's get even more students out to SSDP's 11th Annual Conference!

SSDP Conference Benefit Party: March 13 in San Francisco!

2010-02-21T20:16:00.002-05:00

Just Announced!

On Saturday, March 13, join SSDP and supporters at Broadway Studios for a benefit concert featuring Roots of Creation!

Tickets are limited and on sale now for only $25. If tickets are left, they will be $30 at the door so buy early to secure your spot and save $5.

Broadway Studios is a beautiful venue located in the historic North Beach district of San Francisco and this will be one party you can't miss.

Live musical performances from Roots of Creation (check out their song "Legalize and Tax It"), The Panda Conspiracy and there will be live painting from Vorcan (if you've got some 3D glasses layin' around, bring em!). Your $25 ticket not only includes all this this amazing live entertainment but we will be providing food for all party attendees. Plus, there are 3 cash bars, a light show, mezzanine seating, a SSDP slide show projected throughout the party and a photobooth where you can get your picture taken and printed out with the SSDP logo and date! How cool is that?

Tickets are limited and can be reserved here. Don't wait to until the last minute and miss out!

If you're interested in becoming a sponsor of the party, contact us.

Facebook Event Page

This is Your Brain on Drug Policy! Any Questions?

2010-02-18T22:50:00.001-05:00

It's almost here! SSDP's 11th Annual International Conference. Check out what we have in store for you:

Tom Ammiano
California State Representative and Lead Sponsor of Marijuana Legalization Bill (AB390)

Gary Johnson
Former Governor of the State of New Mexico

Ethan Nadelmann
Executive Director, Drug Policy Alliance

This conference features a diverse schedule of panels and workshop and each is organized around a guiding question...

Saturday: Drug War Education Day

What does a model medical marijuana dispensary look like?
What is harm reduction?
What would a legal marijuana market look like?
What is the latest in psychedelic research?
Should we legalize all drugs?
How does U.S. drug policy affect Latin America?
How does drug policy reform intersect with gender equality?
Why are students vital to our movement?

Sunday: Training Workshops

Persuading decision-makers (lobbying)
Changing campus policies
Building coalitions
Working with the media
Running an effective SSDP chapter
Working with student government
Online organizing
Organizing successful events

You'll be able to take tours of a medical marijuana dispensary and Oaksterdam University! There will be a benefit concert on Saturday evening featuring Roots of Creation! Beautiful views of the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz! I'm so excited I can't stop using exclamation points! Believe it or not, there's even more to come.

If you haven't registered yet, do so today. And if you're a student and want to come but can't afford the trip, we've got you covered; apply for a conference scholarship and we will help get you to San Francisco.

Houston SSDP Launches Good Samaritan Policy Campaign

2010-01-30T01:02:00.004-05:00

The SSDP chapter at the University of Houston SSDP chapter has launched their Good Samaritan Policy campaign this semester.

“Our immediate goal is to get a Good Samaritan Law passed and to encourage the students to get involved,” said political science senior Michael Blunk, founder of the UH’s SSDP chapter and member of the National Board of Directors. “Beyond that, we just want to promote any sort of policy that is going to help the students and keep them out of harm’s way.”

The chapter was covered in their school's newspaper, The Daily Cougar about their on campus efforts for a GSP and chapter leader/board member Michael Blunk gave some great quotes. In fact, about half of the article is just awesome quotes from Michael!

Pushing for a Good Samaritan Policy is one of the most important campaigns a SSDP chapter can take on. These are life saving policies that encourage all students to call 911 in the event of an alcohol or other drug related emergency.

If your chapter wants to run a Good Samaritan Policy campaign, visit our campaign resources page and call your Outreach Director.

UMD SSDP Starts Semester Off Strong

2010-01-27T18:18:00.002-05:00

SSDP's rock star chapter at the University of Maryland - College Park started the semester off strong by hosting a screening of the 2004 ABC News special, Ecstasy Rising. They even managed to pull off a Q&A via Skype with MAPS Executive Director Rick Doblin!

This was an impressive event that turned out over 50 students and showcases the misinformation spread about MDMA by NIDA. Ecstasy Rising documents the drug's rise in popularity in the U.S. and discusses the real risks of MDMA use while explaining that the government's war on ecstasy was based on a study that didn't even involve MDMA and "accidently" used meth. Remember hearing that ecstasy puts holes in your brain? That's the study.

The UMD chapter is no stranger to media coverage, especially by their on campus newspaper: The Diamondback. The event, titled Ecstasy: The Good, The Bad, and The Truth was covered by The Diamondback and featured some great quotes from chapter leader and SSDP board member Irina Alexander:

“Nobody really knows where to go for reliable drug information,” said junior criminology and criminal justice major Irina Alexander, president of SSDP. “We’re not encouraging ecstasy use in any way, but we’re trying to give students the resources necessary to make decisions based on fact.”

I think this serves as a great example of how to put on a successful event. UMD SSDP covered all the bases and by working together as a team, made it clear that every SSDP chapter should and could be doing the same amazing work as UMD.

Here's some tips on putting together a great event:

1.) Decide on an event with your chapter (movie screening, LEAP speaker, etc...)

2.) Reserve a room on campus

3.) Create a Facebook Event associated with your chapter's Facebook group (if your chapter doesn't have a facebook group create one immediately and ask your SSDP Outreach Director for help if you need it!)

4.) Create posters and put them up in high-traffic areas on campus

5.) Ask your faculty advisor or other teachers to offer extra-credit to students that attend the event.

6.) Send a press-release to your school's paper and local media. (It's easier than you think!)

7.) Ask other groups on campus to co-sponsor.

8.) Provide refreshments like coffee, soda, and pizza.

9.) Table on campus the day of the event and hand out 1/4 sheet flyers.

10.) Be prepared. Bring email sign up sheets, pens and SSDP materials and encourage people to join SSDP.

11.) Have fun!

All of those steps together (minus tabling) probably take about 1.5 hrs of time! Less if you can delegate responsibilities effectively.

Sure, I left out some aspects like getting funding from your school, but that should never hold you back. Screening documentaries will often not cost your chapter a dime and can create a large turnout if publicized right. Plus, I don't want to spoil everything you will learn about organizing events at SSDP's 11th Annual International Conference!

So come on SSDP! Who's gonna out do UMD?

5 Days in Jail for Possession of... Candy

2010-01-25T00:37:00.002-05:00

A lot of SSDP chapters hold seminars on knowing your rights as a citizen, and knowing how to handle encounters with police officers. The main takeaway from these events is that you should ALWAYS say NO to search requests from police officers. This recent story demonstrates perfectly why you do this, even if you know you're not guilty of anything wrong.

From the New York Post: Two Bronx men free after ‘drugs’ turn out to be candy via Drug WarRant via The Agitator

Two Bronx men were locked up and left to rot in a filthy jail cell for nearly a week after a pair of cops mistook their candy for a bag of crack.

The “drugs” were finally tested five days later and determined to be popular Coco (coconut) Candy. The charges were dropped. [Emphasis added]

These were two innocent citizens, who let the police search their vehicle knowing they had nothing illegal on them. Too bad you aren't even required to be breaking the law to go to jail for five days. Think of the impact that had on their lives: five days without work (or school), five days away from their family, five days growing to distrust the police, etc. I want you to imagine yourself in this position? Doesn't sound too fun does it?

We must also not forget they were jailed at YOUR expense, since taxpayers had to pay to hold them in that cell for those five days. YOU also had to pay for the drug tests that determined the "crack" was actually just candy. It's an incredible waste of money, and a direct consequence of the War on Drugs.

American University SSDP

2010-01-22T00:33:00.000-05:00

American University was one of SSDP's first chapters when the organization formed just over a decade ago. As you can see, the chapter is still active and hopes to make it out to SSDP's 11th Annual International Drug Policy Reform Conference in San Francisco. But San Francisco is quite a ways from D.C.

Can you help American University SSDP by donating to our scholarship fund?

Group Tells Kids Alcohol is Safer than Marijuana

2010-01-15T20:35:00.001-05:00

After seeing an ad on Facebook for a "free marijuana information packet" created by the Foundation for a Drug Free World, I thought I'd check out there website. Then I watched this video:

Of course, I had to order the information packet after watching that action packed PSA complete with plenty of screaming, guns, smashing things and scary looking young people (actually, the first video I saw was marijuana specific but they didn't put that one up on YouTube...).

I received the packet this week. Inside was a little booklet titled "The Truth About Marijuana: Behind the smokescreen from a drug that destroys from the inside out."

This little booklet contains the usual misinformation and scare tactics you'd expect to find from any organization with the words "drug free" in their title. But there was one part that left me flabbergasted: Alcohol vs. Marijuana. Wow. They really want to take this one on? Here's what they have to say:

Is smoking a joint the same as drinking alcohol?

You decide. Here are the facts:

Alcohol consists of one substance only: ethanol. Marijuana contains more than 400 known toxins and cancer causing chemicals.

Alcohol is eliminated from the body in a few hours; THC stays in the body fat for months, possibly longer. Thus, a person who smokes 2 to 3 joints a week is constantly under the influence of the drug.

THC damages the immune system. Alcohol does not.

There is no intention here to minimize the dangers of alcohol abuse, which can be equally harmful. Alcohol, however, can be used in moderation without causing severe damage. Cannabis, which is used almost exclusively as an intoxicant, is far more dangerous even when used in small amounts because it's active agent continues to build up in body fat.

I could waste my time rebutting these "facts" but anyone with half a brain already knows these are flat out lies. Besides, Steve Fox, Mason Tvert, and Paul Armentano have written an entire book on the safety of marijuana in comparison to alcohol.

The claims made by the Foundation for a Drug Free World in this booklet easily make this one of the most irresponsible attempts to manipulate and lie to young people that I have ever seen. They should be embarrassed and ashamed of themselves. They're also funded by the Church of Scientology.

Here's what people who live on this planet have to say about the possibility of a drug free world:

FAMM Recaps 2009

2010-01-15T19:53:00.000-05:00

2009 was a great year for the drug policy reform movement. All of the organizations that work side by side with SSDP to promote sensible and compassionate drug policies should be celebrated for their contributions.

For me, one organization really deserves a standing ovation. Families Against Mandatory Minimums (FAMM), as the name implies, has a pretty direct mission: putting an end to devastating mandatory sentences for drug offenders.

Check out FAMM's newest newsletter for a rundown on all the progress they have made in 2009 and a profile on Sen. Jim Webb and the National Criminal Justice Commission Act.

Register for SSDP's 11th Annual International Conference

2010-01-14T21:05:00.002-05:00

This is shaping up to be SSDP's greatest conference to date. Hundreds of students from all over the world have RSVPed and the registrations are pouring in!

Register before January 16th and you'll save $10 on the registration fee, so act fast!

We can't wait to see you all in San Francisco, CA this March!

Replacement for Prof. David Nutt Also Said Cannabis Should be Legalized

2010-01-14T00:54:00.004-05:00

I guess I should be writing "legalised" for this one.

Surely you remember Prof. David Nutt making international headlines late last year after the UK government drug policy adviser was fired for saying that marijuana should be legalized. Five other members of the advisory council he chaired quit in protest to his firing. Nutt has just been replaced by Professor Les Iverson who, ironically, has made similar remarks regarding cannabis' legality.

He said: "Cannabis should be legalised not just decriminalised because it is comparatively less dangerous than legal drugs alcohol and tobacco."

Iverson now claims to have learned more about marijuana and changed his point of view.

"I don't remember saying that, it's certainly not my position now. That was a view I had in 2003 and a great deal has happened since then. I think it's quite free for a scientist to change his mind when faced with new facts."

Or when faced with a new job opportunity...

CA Assembly Committee Passes Marijuana Legalization Bill

2010-01-12T19:56:00.013-05:00

Unfortunately, it's likely the bill won't go any further after today's monumental 4-3 victory in the Public Safety Committee. The bill needs to make it into the Health Committee before a legislative deadline this week and it doesn't look like that's going to happen.

But so what? We won! This is the first time that any legislative body in the nation has voted to legalize and tax marijuana for recreational use. In October, SSDP members from SJSU and UC Berkeley attended the first hearing on the bill and participated in the public opinion, voicing their support for the bill and citing specific harms caused by marijuana prohibition.

SSDP had a strong presence at this hearing too and it was exciting to be in California's capitol as the Assembly Committee on Public Safety voted YES to legalize, tax and regulate marijuana throughout the state.

Afterward, we attended the press conference organized by law enforcement and the California Alliances for Drug Free Youth condemning the Assembly's vote. They gave a lot of scary reasons to fear legalizing pot. Some of these people are well intentioned. Others I'm not so sure about. But they're both wrong.

What I liked about AB 390 was that it would have taken tax dollars from marijuana sales and put them into drug education and prevention programs for youth. These types of programs are underfunded as it is and if they are realistic and honest (not DARE) they can make positive differences in young people's lives. So naturally it seemed absurd to me that Republican Assemblyman Danny Gilmore, who voted nay on the bill, expressed his distaste for that particular aspect of the legislation:

''We're going to legalize marijuana, we're going to tax it, and then we're going to educate our kids about the harms of drugs?'' said Gilmore, a 31-year veteran of the California Highway Patrol. ''You've got to be kidding me.''

We're not joking. But that sure is a funny position to take when we know that this is exactly what some states do with alcohol and tobacco taxes. And it works. A study at the University of Florida showed “statistically overwhelming evidence” that raising taxes on alcohol reduces the level of drinking. As alcohol gets more expensive, people will drink less frequently and drink less when they do.

Just think about that. AB 390 would impose a $50 tax per ounce! $50 per ounce folks. So not only would the price be going up dramatically and likely to increase over years but the tax dollars go toward prevention programs! Seems plain as day to me...

Check out this video for a great rundown of what happened today (you even get to see me start things off by fumbling some words!).

The Peppermint Police: Coming to a Middle School Near You

2010-01-06T14:18:00.005-05:00

I sure am glad that I'm not a parent. America's elementary and middle schools are filled with horrifying dangers that terrify parents each morning as they send their children off to school. Gangs. Drugs. STD's. Peppermint oil.

That's right. A ten year old student was suspended from a New York school after she brought in peppermint oil and gave some drops to her fifth grade friends to flavor their water with. The school called the peppermint oil "an unregulated over-the-counter drug.”

Parents of other students in the school must be comforted that the swift suspension carried out by school officials will keep peppermint oil away from their children and send a strong message to the student body. After all, what better way to teach a 10 year old right from wrong than by kicking her out of school? For sharing peppermint oil...

I'm just glad it wasn't citrus folks. It starts with peppermint and before you know you it these kids are flavoring water with slices of lemons. Maybe some lime juice. And you know your kid has a problem when he's on the grapefruit. That stuff is bitter!

This incident is both an example of absurd zero tolerance drug policies and a growing effort to "police" children of all ages. School administrators enforce arbitrary policies with a heavy hand and much like law enforcement, they seem to never feel the need to apologize when they are clearly wrong. Watch this movie: The War on Kids

SSDP's Top Ten Explosive Stories of 2009!

2010-01-03T22:58:00.008-05:00

No matter how you slice it, 2009 was a monumental turning point for Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP) and for the drug policy reform movement as a whole.

I love the "Top 10" lists that our friends at the Drug Policy Alliance, the Marijuana Policy Project, and StopTheDrugWar.org compiled, summarizing the beginning of the end of the War on Drugs.

They are stories that will be taught in high school civics classes in years to come. But there are hundreds of stories you may not have heard about in 2009: unsung heroes on campuses worldwide, playing a pivotal role in ending the destructive War on Drugs.

It was hard to pick just ten, but here they are...

Students vs. The Drug War: SSDP's Top Ten Stories of 2009
Help make more stories like this possible in 2010! Contribute a one-time donation or sign up as a monthly sustainer at: http://ssdp.org/donate

1) Students Triumph Over Bad Drug Law in Congress: On September 17th, the congressman who wrote a 1998 law that denies financial aid to students with drug convictions proclaimed: "I knew I was probably going to lose today." And he did. Two days earlier, it appeared that Rep. Souder's amendment would pass, which would have left his anti-education law fully intact. But after SSDP chapters across the country inspired tens of thousands of people to call Congress in less than 48 hours, the tables quickly turned, and Rep. Souder was forced to back down and compromise. Once the bill passes in 2010, hundreds of thousands of students with drug possession convictions will be able to go back to school!

More: http://ssdp.org/victory

2) SSDP Chapters Lead the Demise of Marijuana Prohibition in Rhode Island: In September, the Providence Journal published an article entitled, "Brown, URI students played key role in R.I. marijuana debate," which told the story of how SSDP chapters led the way for Rhode Island to become the third state to establish legal medical marijuana dispensaries. SSDP chapters in RI have been so successful at building relationships with key policy-makers that the state's senate is now taking a serious look at fully legalizing marijuana!

More: http://bit.ly/H3mBG

3) Students Display Courage in the Face of Violence in El Paso, TX: In January, SSDP member Nubia Legarda testified at a city council debate on legalizing drugs to stop the violence in Mexico. Nubia's family lives in the bordering city of Ciudad Juarez, a place that has been torn apart by the bloody wars between rival cartels. After Nubia's moving testimony received media coverage and thousands of views on YouTube, her SSDP chapter quickly became a driving force leading the debate over drug policy in El Paso.

More: http://ssdp.org/elpaso

4) Students Protest Police Shooting of Fellow Student: In March, campuses in Michigan erupted after Derek Copp, an unarmed Grand Valley State University student, was shot and nearly killed by police over a gram of marijuana. SSDP chapters across the state ensured that the media framed this as an inevitable consequence of a violent War on Drugs rather than as an avoidable mistake made by police. They also helped to raise hundreds of dollars to assist Derek with his medical bills.

More: http://ssdp.org/derek

5) U.S. Students Stand with Mexico on Cinco De Mayo: In May, dozens of SSDP chapters stood in solidarity with the people of Mexico to protest the bloodshed caused by drug prohibition. A TV news spot covering the University of Maryland's action (which is one of the best pieces of news coverage I've ever seen generated by an SSDP chapter) was viewed by countless residents of the Washington, DC area.

More: http://ssdp.org/cincodemayo

6) Drug Policies Reformed at Campuses Nationwide: All year long, SSDP chapters worked on "campus change campaigns," and more than a dozen chapters successfully altered their campus's polices. These changes include removing police patrols from dorms, reforming unfair judicial systems, and enacting life-saving Good Samaritan Policies.

More: http://ssdp.org/campuschange

7) SSDP Chats with the Drug Czar: In an unprecedented show of diplomacy, President Obama's "Drug Czar" invited leaders of the drug policy reform movement (including myself) to a conference call in which we discussed our vision for the future of drug policy. While it remains to be seen whether the White House will take cues from the conversation that was had in October, this represents a significant step in the right direction.

8) The Grassroots Student Movement Rapidly Expands: For the first time in SSDP's history, SSDP's supporters donated enough money to employ three full-time outreach directors - and just in the nick of time! In the past year, our chapter network has grown to include more than 200 chapters, half of which are new chapters receiving official campus recognition this year. We currently receive more than three new chapter startup inquiries every day.

More: http://ssdp.org/chapters

9) An International Drug Policy Reform Movement is Born: In 2009, SSDP's U.S. and Canadian networks welcomed the establishment of international affiliates in the United Kingdom and Nigeria, and we've worked to build budding networks in areas of South America, Asia, and Europe. Former SSDP Executive Director Kris Krane participated in high-level U.N. meetings on drug policy in Vienna, and received a standing ovation for his mediation of a conflict with opposition groups.

More: http://ssdp.org/unitednations

10) Chase Cheats SSDP Out Of Charity Competition, Thousands Drop Chase in Response: In 2009, SSDP's website was viewed nearly half a million times, while more than 400,000 people joined our networks on Facebook, and our YouTube videos reached more than 400,000 views. So it was no surprise that SSDP dominated an online charity competition in which Chase Bank asked Facebook users to vote for nonprofits to receive grants of $25,000 to $1 million. However, when Chase deceptively cheated SSDP out of the winnings, SSDP slammed Chase in the pages of the New York Times, and more than two-thousand SSDP supporters pledged to drop their accounts with Chase.

More: http://chaseboycott.com

Finally: Let's celebrate the progress we've made in 2009. But let's also not forget that we need to keep working twice as hard in 2010. Worldwide, millions of people sit behind bars for what they've put into their own bodies; entire communities are torn apart by the violence and corruption caused by the black market; and drug cartels grow more rich and powerful than ever before.

Here's at least one story that I hope to report at the end of 2010:

1) Hundreds of Small Donations Fund a Growing Grassroots Movement: Despite the recession forcing many of SSDP's major donors to cut back on their funding in 2010, hundreds of SSDP alumni and supporters pitched in online this year, comprising nearly $52,000 of our budget, and tripling the amount of small donations received in 2009. Because of your generosity, SSDP's staff has continued to expand in proportion to the growing movement for reform.

More: http://ssdp.org/donate

Happy New Year!
Micah

Micah Daigle, Executive Director
Students for Sensible Drug Policy

Help Fitchburg Help Fitchburg!

2010-01-02T15:03:00.002-05:00

Fitchburg State College has emerged as one of SSDP's more active chapters. I'm proud that chapter leader/founder Jeff Anderson first joined SSDP as a member of my chapter at Franklin Pierce University in New Hampshire before transferring to Fitchburg State.

The chapter at Fitchburg State put together a great video that they hope will inspire some to donate to their conference scholarship fund. The video features fantastic editing skills and was a project that all chapter members participated in. They're trying to raise awareness about the drug addiction problem in Fitchburg and help people in their community realize that prohibition has only made the problem worse.

Fitchburg, MA is a long way from San Francisco folks and these students could use every penny you can spare. Please click below to help Fitchburg SSDP help Fitchburg!

Seattle Mayor-Elect is Pro Legalization. So is Everyone Else.

2009-12-29T01:45:00.008-05:00

Mike McGinn is the first to point out that his support for the legalization and regulation of cannabis is nothing new. The Seattle Mayor-Elect shares the same point of view as former Seattle Police Chief turned Law Enforcement Against Prohibition speaker, Norm Stamper. Then you've got Seattle Rep. Mary Lou Dickerson who just introduced a bill to legalize and tax in Washington state.

Under her bill, marijuana would be sold in Washington state's 160 state-run liquor stores, and customers, 21 and older, would pay a tax of 15 percent per gram. The measure would dedicate most of the money raised for substance abuse prevention and treatment, which is facing potential cuts in the state budget. Dickerson said the measure could eventually bring in as much to state coffers as alcohol does, more than $300 million a year.

The 3 of them share the same common sense point of view as the majority of Americans; 53% according to this recent poll support ending marijuana prohibition. And we now have 4 states that have introduced taxation/legalization legislation. Obviously public opinion has changed rapidly on the subject (or more are just choosing to voice a longtime view) and lawmakers are kind of starting to step up to the plate.

Of course, you can count on your state narcotic officers association to come in and cause a hullabaloo by scaring the bejesus out of everyone with the same ol' scare tactics. Since the economic argument for legalization has gained so much support, I've heard some law enforcement spokesmen come up with some creative ways to try and counter, but Ron Brooks, President of the National Narcotics Officers Association has a good one:

State lawmakers, he said, need to ask themselves "if they believe we really will make all that revenue, and even if we did, will it be worth the suffering, the loss of opportunities, the chronic illness or death that would occur?"

I think he may have confused marijuana use with the bubonic plague.

A SSDP Christmas for MSSU

2009-12-23T21:33:00.003-05:00

Here at SSDP, we hope you and your families had a wonderful holiday and we look forward to the new year to bring about more sensibility to policies surrounding drugs.

If you have a little extra Christmas cheer you'd like to spread, please donate to the Missouri Southern State University (MSSU) SSDP chapter and help them come out to San Francisco on March 12, 2010 for This is Your Brain on Drug Policy: SSDP's International Drug Policy Reform Conference.

The chapter at MSSU has been one of SSDP's most active and talented chapters to date. Just check out all the cool stuff that comes up after a google search of MSSU SSDP. You'll be impressed.

MSSU also submitted this downright hilarious yet heartwarming video of chapter members hoping that Santa Claus will bring them what they truly want for Christmas.

Help Send Students to San Francisco

2009-12-23T15:21:00.007-05:00

With SSDP's International Conference rapidly approaching, some SSDP chapters are looking for donations to help them make it out to San Francisco. Each week, I'll be posting a different video from an SSDP chapter or member asking for your help to get them to the conference.

You probably heard about SSDP getting scrooged by those grinches at Chase Bank. The $25,000 we should have won in that contest would have been used for our conference scholarship fund to help bring SSDP chapters out to San Francisco March 12-14 so they can network with hundreds of other SSDP members from around the world and learn A-Z about drug policy and activism.

If you can spare even $10, please make a donation to SSDP's conference scholarship fund. You can even make your donation go to a specific SSDP chapter.

Boycott Chase Bank

2009-12-21T18:29:00.010-05:00

It's not because we didn't win. In fact, we're quite positive we did win and that we were disqualified because Chase doesn't agree with our mission. We're boycotting Chase because they refuse to explain whether SSDP and MPP were disqualified from the contest based on the subject matter we work on. (read the previous post to learn more about the contest)

This isn't a case of sour grapes. We know we made it in the top 100 and simply want Chase to admit that SSDP was one of the top 100 organizations voted for by the public and explain that we were disqualified because Chase disagrees with our mission (which they have the right to do).

The New York Times caught wind of the story and talked with Micah Daigle, SSDP's Executive Director and Alex Koroknay-Palicz, Executive Director of the National Youth Rights Association. Just two days before the contest ended, Chase took down the vote counters on each organization's page so it was impossible for any group to tell how many votes they have. Micah and Alex explain how we had to have made the cut:

So some participants created informal leader boards. For instance, the National Youth Rights Association, a tiny nonprofit that works to teach young people about their rights and how to protect them, compiled voting data on almost 400 contestants, and 82 of the organizations that it tracked were among the 100 winners Chase named.
“For the most part, the organizations Chase picked were exactly the organizations we expected to win, because we had spent a lot of time and effort tracking it,” Mr. Koroknay-Palicz said. “So the biggest surprise was SSDP and a couple of pro-life groups, as well as the organization called the Prem Rawat Foundation, didn’t make it, because they had been doing pretty well.”
According to the leader board he created, Students for Sensible Drug Policy collected 2,305 votes through Dec. 9, when organizations no longer could track their votes or see who had voted for them.

At 2,305 votes, SSDP was in 14th place just a few days before the end of the contest. It's very unlikely we were surpassed by so many other organizations. By eliminating us, Chase is trying to send the message that no one cares about the work that non-profits like SSDP are doing. But drug policy reform is no longer a fringe issue; nationwide support for marijuana legalization is greater than ever before, a majority feel the drug war has failed and SSDP's chapter network is growing exponentially.

Most importantly, a giant corporation like Chase should not be presenting the public with a list of organizations it will be donating money to while pretending that all of those groups were selected by voters alone and not by the almighty hand of Chase.

What's so ironic about the whole thing is that SSDP has used Chase Bank for over 3 years - so they have no problem doing business with us but don't want us to participate in their contest. If you're feeling unhappy about Chase's lack of transparency in this contest, then make sure you Pledge to Boycott Chase!

If you're going to boycott Chase, please also consider making a donation to SSDP. If just 1,000 people donate $25, we'll have earned the $25K Chase wouldn't give us. And that's some funding we could use for our upcoming conference!

10 Second Activism - Help SSDP Win $1 Million

2009-12-10T16:15:00.004-05:00

That's right folks. In under 10 seconds and with just a few clicks of your mouse you can help SSDP win $1 Million on Facebook!

Just go to Click for Reform and follow the easy-as-pie steps. There's 2 rounds of voting. The 100 organizations with the most votes will each win $25,000 and make it into the 2nd round for a chance at winning $1 Million! (you will have to allow the causes application to be installed)

After you've voted, make sure you join the I Voted for SSDP to Win $1 Million facebook event and set the below image as your Facebook profile picture!

Please share on Facebook, Twitter it, and get the words out any way you can!

The Adventures of SSDP Man!

2009-12-08T15:01:00.003-05:00

Please check out the many fantastic videos we received for the the Seeds of Reform conference scholarship party. You'll find a wide spectrum of creative submissions from chapters all around the country letting you know why they need to come to SSDP's 11th Annual International Drug Policy Conference. The students at our UMD chapter tried their hand at rapping about drug policy, Fitchburg State College hopes to lend a helping hand to a community in need, and Northern Virginia Community College introduced the world to the most needed super hero yet, SSDP Man!

In case you're wondering, the Seeds of Reform Party was a huge success and raised over $20,000 for SSDP's conference scholarship fund! I'll post more details and pictures from the party shortly.

SSDP Rocks the DPA Conference

2009-11-25T14:59:00.002-05:00

SSDP brought the numbers, energy, and passion of youth to the Drug Policy Alliance conference last week in Albuquerque, NM. Over 60 SSDPers assembled at the final plenary of the conference, chanting "SSDP" and "Education Not Incarceration" so that not one of the over 1,000 conferees could ignore what we brought to the table: organization, unity, chanting.

Our section of the audience burst into boisterous applause when SSDPer, Nubia Legarda, rose to tell her story of drug war violence and her family in El Paso and neighboring Ciudad Juarez.

Nubia's moving story of the human toll of drug prohibition-caused violence highlighted one of the many negative but so often overlooked costs of our current drug policy.

SSDP chapter members, board and staff all helped raise our profile by working our table, presenting on panels, attending workshops, meeting new allies, granting interviews, and hosting a party at our SSDP rental townhouse.

Our huge presence at the DPA conference is just a taste of what people can expect from the upcoming SSDP international conference in San Francisco, CA, March 12-14, 2010.

Check out the videos of students from around the country who are looking for some scholarship funds to make it out to our conference.

8:30am-12:30pm	Registration & Bus Tour Sign-ups	Comfort Inn By The Bay
10:00am-2:30pm	1st Trip To Oakland	Comfort Inn By the Bay
12:30pm-5:00pm	2nd Trip To Oakland	Comfort Inn By the Bay
5:30pm-7:30pm	Meet and Greet	Fleet Room, Fort Mason
8:00pm-10:00pm	SSDP Congress, part 1	Fleet Room, Fort Mason
8:00pm-11:00pm	Alumni Dinner	Alegrias (restaurant) 2018 Lombard Street

8:30am-4:30pm	Registration	Cowell Theatre Box Office, Fort Mason
9:00am-10:00am	Breakfast	Cowell Lobby, Fort Mason
10:00am-11:15am	Opening Plenary	Cowell Theatre Box Office, Fort Mason
11:30am-12:35pm	Breakout Panel Session I Option 1: Medical Marijuana Dispensaries Option 2: Psychedelics Option 3: Local & State Drug Policy Reform	Fort Mason Center Option 1: Firehouse Option 2: Golden Gate Option 3: C260
12:35pm-1:30pm	Lunch	Fleet Room, Fort Mason
1:30pm-2:40pm	Breakout Panel Session II Option 1: Mexico's Drug War Option 2: Marijuana Legalization Option 3: Racism & The Drug War Option 4: Harm Reduction	Fort Mason Center Option 1: Cowell Theatre Option 2: Firehouse Option 3: Golden Gate Option 4: C260
2:55pm-4:00pm	Breakout Panel Session III Option 1: Legalizing All Drugs Option 2: Women & Drug Policy Option 3: SSDP's International Network	Fort Mason Center Option 1: Cowell Theatre Option 2: Firehouse Option 3: C260
4:15pm-5:00pm	Keynote: Rep. Tom Ammiano	Cowell Theatre, Fort Mason
5:00pm-5:15pm	Group Photo	Cowell Theatre, Fort Mason
5:15pm-6:45pm	SSDP Congress, part 2	Cowell Theatre, Fort Mason
7:30pm-1:00am	Concert, Party & Awards Banquet Doors: 7:30 Food: 8 First Band: 8:30 Awards 9:15 Roots of Creation: 10:30	Broadway Studios

9:30am-10:15am	Breakfast	Cowell Theatre Lobby
10:15am-10:45am	Keynote: Gov. Gary Johnson	Cowell Theatre, Fort Mason
11:00am-12:15pm	Breakout Workshop Session I Option 1: Media Relations Option 2: Chapter Organizing 101 Option 3: Coalition Building Option 4: Lobbying	Fort Mason Center Option 1: C235 Option 2: C260 Option 3: C362 Option 4: C370
12:30pm-1:30pm	Networking Luncheon Option 1: MAPS Marijuana Research Campaign Option 2: California Tax & Regulate Initiative Option 3: Spirituality & Drug Policy Reform Option 4: Marijuana is SAFER	Fort Mason Center Option 1: C235 Option 2: C260 Option 3: C362 Option 4: C370
1:45pm-3:00pm	Breakout Workshop Session II Option 1: Event Planning Option 2: Campus Change Campaign Option 3: Student Government Option 4: Online Advocacy	Fort Mason Center Option 1: C235 Option 2: C260 Option 3: C362 Option 4: C370
3:15pm-4:15pm	Breakout Workshop Session III Option 1: Chapter Organizing 101 Option 2: Campus Change Campaign Option 3: Joyous Activism Option 4: Effective Messaging	Fort Mason Center Option 1: C235 Option 2: C260 Option 3: C362 Option 4: C370
4:30pm-5:00pm	Wrap-Up and Farewell	Cowell Theatre, Fort Mason
5:15pm-6:30pm	Film Screening: 10 Rules For Dealing With Police	Cowell Theatre, Fort Mason