Since attending a panel hosted in part by Eric Sterling, presented by WVU SSDP at the beginning of my freshman year in 2010, I have been excited to be a part of this group that is making such a difference in drug policy and in students’ lives. To get involved, I started as the social media manager and in my junior year I was elected Vice President of the chapter.

This past year has certainly been an exciting and productive one for the WVU SSDP chapter. We started our year off on International Overdose Awareness Day with a die-in to raise awareness on campus of this important issue. West Virginia has the second highest overdose rate in the county, so this issue struck very close to home for us. We also attended the 2012 SSDP Mid-Atlantic conference in Atlanta, GA in October. Additionally, we also played our part in helping to pass Colorado’s Amendment 64 by making more than 3,000 calls to Colorado voters, urging them to vote Yes.

During the spring semester of 2013, we traveled to the West Virginia State Legislature to lobby and advocate for HB 2230, a medical marijuana bill that has garnered more and more support every time it is introduced. We also teamed up with our Student Government Association to host a Know Your Rights campaign to educate our student body on a multitude of topics, most importantly how to use your rights as a citizen and sensibly and effectively deal with law enforcement.

I am sure that the experience I gain this summer will only help our WVU chapter grow, and hopefully I will contribute to the effectiveness of SSDP as a whole. In my first few days in the office, I have already learned a great deal, and can’t wait to experience everything this internship has to offer.

Here are seven ways to stay involved with Students for Sensible Drug Policy after graduation:

• Join the SSDP alumni network Facebook group
• Join the SSDP jobs and opportunities Facebook group
• Apply to join SSDP’s Speakers Bureau
• Add your position to the list of where our alumni work
• Stay in touch with your chapter or chapters nearby
• Attend an SSDP event (such as our Federal Marijuana Lobby Day, West Coast Camping Trip, and East Coast Camping Trip all happening this summer!)
• Become a Sensible Member

Can you think of any other ways for non-students to stay involved?  Let us know in the comments or shoot us an email.

Congrats grads!

You’ve probably heard the zombie story, which was supposedly related to bath salts, not K2 (“fake weed”). The story goes that a homeless man in Miami last summer ingested bath salts and then ate the face of his victim. It’s among the best pieces of drug war propaganda that is still widely accepted as true. The only problem: It is utterly false.

The zombie-drug-face-eating story took off when a reporter covering the Miami incident asked the local head of the police union what happened. Brilliantly, without the benefit of any actual evidence or a toxicology report, the police officer speculated that bath salts must have caused the man’s psychosis. ”News” of the alleged cause spread like wildfire. Congress even used the misinformation to help justify speeding through a new federal ban of an assorted range of chemicals.

When the toxicology report was eventually released, however, it showed the only substance in the man’s system was natural marijuana. Predictably, the correction noting this fact received very little attention.

I don’t expect most citizens to have noticed that correction, but it seems to me that public health officials should know better than to disseminate misinformation. As we have already seen from decades of drug war propaganda, ads like this often backfire because young people see them as not credible.

If you also expect more from public health authorities, please consider calling on the Washington D.C. Department of Health to stop running these ridiculous ads by signing our petition and/or via your social media channels like Facebook or Twitter.

I spoke with chapter founder, faculty advisor, and former leader Meghan Orman about her experience building the chapter and what their plans are for the chapter’s future;

How did you hear about SSDP? 

I first heard of SSDP about three years ago through teaching Contemporary Ethical Issues at UNF. In this course we study drug legalization, in particular Ethan Nadelmann and the Drug Policy Alliance. Through my research in these areas I came across SSDP and ESDP, which I have been associated with since late 2012.

Earth Night, however, served as the catalyst for our involvement with SSDP in Northeast Florida. Brooke Napier and Brian Gilbert had an SSDP/AMPLIFY table set up at Earth Night 2012 in Ohio. I had already been in contact with Brooke prior to Earth Night through Facebook, and was very much looking forward to their table at the celebration. The whole atmosphere of Earth Night (Brian and Brooke, the workshops and the celebration) served as an catalyst to become actively involved with SSDP by starting a chapter at UNF during the Spring 2013 semester.

Why did you want to get involved/what made you decide to start a chapter?

In addition to our Earth Night experience, many of us have had a long-standing understanding of the failed drug policies of our nation stemming back decades now. We all feel as though the humanitarian costs of the “war on drugs,” including the incarceration of nonviolent offenders, the infringement of personal liberties, and the loss of human productivity, have led our society astray from the democratic ideals we so highly applaud in our nation.  We feel as though our nation should be leading the world in drug policy reforms which focus on education and harm reduction/prevention; this would be most democratic. To do so, we congratulate and join the efforts of SSDP and similar organizations (DPA, NORML, PUFFM, etc.) in order to push drug policy reform forward.

What has the reception been like on campus?

The reception on campus, generally speaking, has been minimal so far, as most of Spring 2013 was spent gathering founding members and becoming an official student organization. However, we do expect positive reception on campus in the semesters to come as UNF in particular, and Jacksonville at large, has a need for policy awareness and reform. From the founding members of our chapter we have had excellent reception.  The students involved here at UNF seem to be dedicated to the cause and very enthusiastic about our potential to create reforms in Northeast Florida. We expect nothing less from the faculty and staff members at UNF as well.

What are some of the things you have planned or want to plan for next semester?

Next semester we plan on expanding the chapter in many ways. On campus, we will focus on recruiting more UNF chapter members through the Student Union and campus events. We will also work to educate UNF faculty and staff about SSDP and our local, regional and global efforts and encourage participation through numerous outlets. We also hope to work with UPD on current UNF policies, especially in dormitories. As students and educators, all of us want UNF to be a safe and resourceful environment for learning, and we want students and faculty alike who excel. Together, we feel as though our efforts can provide this atmosphere in Northeast Florida.

We also expect to work closely with the AMPLIFY Project to spread SSDP throughout our community!

What is the most challenging part of your experience starting/running the chapter so far?

The most challenging part so far is everyone’s busy schedules; for the fall semester we need better coordinated events and more use of internet communication resources.

What is the most rewarding part?

This semester, the most rewarding part has been becoming an officially recognized UNF Student Organization and seeing the reception from the founding members. We are very excited to be expanding SSDP to Northeast Florida!

What are you most excited about right now?

As previously stated, right now we are very excited to be expanding SSDP to Northeast Florida. We feel as though UNF can benefit greatly from our combined efforts with UPD to make campus a safe environment for real, democratic education.

What is your vision for UNF SSDP? Where do you see your chapter in a year? in 4 or 5 years?

In a year, we hope to be working with UPD to implement harm reduction/prevention policies on campus, especially in the dormitories. Some goals include implementing a policy which would have UPD officers issue citations to students found in possession of small amounts of marijuana on campus, instead of the current policies which include criminal arrest. Also, we would like to set up immunity for students who call to report an overdose on campus. We would also like to work with Jacksonville Beach to decriminalize marijuana, and the state of Florida to legalize marijuana for medicinal purposes. In 4 or 5 years, we hope to be part of a strong national and international SSDP network helping to make positive policy changes in communities across the world that will foster true democratic learning environments.

Get involved in the UNF chapter or start one at your school!

UIW is a private Catholic university located in San Antonio, Texas, just a short drive from the Mexico – US border. I spoke with chapter founder and leader Margarita McAuliffe about her experience with building the chapter and her  plans for the chapter moving forward;

How did you hear about SSDP?

I first learned about SSDP at the 2011 Drug Policy Alliance conference in Los Angelos, where I met a few SSDPers.

Why did you want to get involved/what made you decide to start a chapter?

There were no chapters in San Antonio and only one other chapter in all of Texas. I’m very impressed with the work that SSDP does and I wanted to make that happen here. Students here are hungry for this information. They’re hungry for change and they want to be involved in that change.

What has the reception been like on campus?

The reception has been extremely positive – most students are eager to participate, and faculty are very supportive. The staff member who helped with the paperwork for establishing the chapter even expressed interest in joining.

What are some of the things you have planned or want to plan for next semester?

We were just approved as a student organization, so we haven’t yet had a chance to meet and plan. I personally hope we’ll host a few film screenings, engage in some lobbying and educating (students and the community at large), and even attend a drug policy conference. We’re also planning for lots of fun!

What is the most challenging part of your experience starting/running the chapter so far? 

The university bureaucracy and paperwork requirements.

What is the most rewarding part?

Getting to meet and talk with students at all levels about drug policy. And organizing!

What are you most excited about for your chapter right now?

That we are organizing!

What is your vision for UIW SSDP? Where do you see your chapter in a year? in 4 or 5 years?

I am a doctoral student who earned a B.A. in 1975. I foresee the chapter being run by undergraduates in a year, working to educate the university community and reaching out to students on other campuses in San Antonio. In 4 or 5 years I hope the chapter will have greatly expanded in membership and will be a go-to source for drug policy information and support, and for interns/employees for organizations that work on drug policy reform.

Welcome to the network, Margarita and UIW!
Email Margarita to get involved in the UIW chapter or start one at your school!

• Sunday June 16 (training) – Monday June 17 (lobby day)
• Washington, DC
• Registration
• Scholarship Application
• FAQs
• Find this event on Facebook. 

Schedule

**Note: information subject to change**

Sunday, June 16, 2013

Time TBD – Lobby Day Training (SSDP Headquarters, 1317 F Street NW, Suite 501, Washington DC 20004)

Monday, June 17, 2013

9:00am-5:00pm – Lobby Meetings (on Capitol Hill)

6:00pm-10:00pm – Networking Social (Location TBA)

Registration

Registration is now open. Deadline to register is 11:59pm EST Friday, June 7, 2013.

• $25.00 for students
• $30.00 for alumni
• $35.00 for non-students
• Register today

Scholarships

We will be offering a limited number of scholarships for qualified students who apply before the deadline (11:59pm EST, Monday May 13).

• Scholarship Application

Travel

We will be recommending a hotel for attendees in the coming weeks.

If you would like to make your own arrangements, we suggest looking into hotels near Capitol Hill (location of lobby day meetings on 6/17) or near the SSDP office – 1317 F Street NW, Washington DC 20004 (location of training on 6/16).

Frequently Asked Questions

FAQs regarding general matters as well as scholarship matters can be found here.

If you’ve read through our frequently asked questions completely and carefully and still cannot find what you’re looking for, please contact Stacia Cosner.

The musical lineup (countless of which are partnered artists) alone makes it a not miss with 3 days of both moe. & Umphrey’s McGee plus Trey Anastasio Band, STS9, The Avett Brothers, Thievery Corporation, Yonder Mountain String Band & Big Boi just to name a few. (click here to see the full lineup). Yet in addition to musical delights Summer Camp also offers attendees the opportunity to harness their collective energies towards positive change in their “Make a Difference” area.

“The ‘Make A Difference’ area at Summer Camp is a space for collective consciousness. We invite you to come increase your social and environmental awareness by exploring everything the “Make A Difference Area” has to offer. Learn about the work of different nonprofit organizations. Hear inspiring stories of how artists and activists are taking steps towards positive change and getting involved in our workshops. Participate in activities, such as yoga and the Green Raffle. And, relax in the Soulshine Tent to acoustic sets performed by some of your favorite bands. With activities around the clock, the Make A Difference Area will provide you with an eye opening, and maybe even transforming, experience.”

We could not have said it any better than that! We will be joining other great & varied organizations this year such as Conscious Alliance, Buffalo Field Campaign, HeadCount, Peterson Garden Project, Happy Hour Heroes, Rock the Earth & Regen STL.

We will have a full roster in attendance; Our FL & PA Regional Organizers, the founders of UNF SSDP & creators of Co-Creative Communal Consciousness, SSDP & AMPLIFY Natl. Staff plus DanceSafe volunteers will all be setting up starting Thursday through the end of the festival Monday morning. While there we will be distributing drug policy reform informational materials, the soon-to-be revised Summer ‘13 version of our revolutionary Festival Safety Guide, DanceSafe factual drug info cards, ear plugs & condoms, free water, 5-HTP, Rock Salt plus other harm reduction supplies.

Our “AMPLIFY Chill Lounge”, debuted at Rootwire ‘12, will also be making an appearance to once again provide festival goer’s a safe, cool & calm environment to relax if needed. Our volunteers will be manning it late into the nights keeping it stocked with plenty of free water, blankets and good vibes all in an effort to prevent unnecessary police intervention and/or off-site medical transport during psychedelic emergencies and other substance related situations easily preventable or treatable on-site by trained personnel.

But don’t worry we’re not leaving all the action for late night! Throughout the 4 days count on art raffles & giveaway opportunities in conjunction with Black Ink Art and other visual artists, artist meet & greets/signings at the table, a brand new “The War on Drugs is a War on _____” photo booth PLUS an hour long art & activism workshop in the Soulshine Tent PLUS Acoustic Set with a mystery AMPLIFY artist… Come on, we can’t tell you everything! Stay tuned in the next few weeks for this announcement, you’re gonna like this one, we promise.

Partnered artist performing at Summer Camp so far include;

• Umphrey’s McGee

• EOTO

• Big Gigantic

• Papadosio

• Zoogma

• Rubblebucket

• Giant Panda Guerrilla Dub Squad

• IndigoSun

We could not be more pumped to head back out to the Midwest for this and hope if able you would consider joining us! Summer Camp has graciously offered us two “3 Day Festival Passes” to raffle off to supporters in order to raise funds for our activities and help bring more socially conscious people together. Directions below:

1. Simply donate $5 (or more) to SSDP HERE (indicate SCMF contest in Notes Section)
2. Re-share this blog post on Facebook to “Public”. Making sure to tag SSDP, AMPLIFY and SCMF.
3. Take a screenshot of the post on your timeline and send to amplify@ssdp.org
4. Contest ends at Midnight on May 2nd, winner will be announced May 3rd.

But don’t worry! If unable to attend you can still contribute to the cause by donating to our recently started KickStarter campaign. All proceeds raised will go towards printing of our Festival Safety Guide & purchase of harm reduction supplies and informational materials for free distribution. Stay tuned this week for more details about this exciting opportunity.

There could truly be no better way to start what will surely be the biggest & most successful Summer for the AMPLIFY Project yet, with plans already in the works to set up at over 6 national & regional music festivals. Not to mention, immediately following many of us will be headed to report on our work & progress over the last year in San Francisco for Club Health ‘13, but that’s a story for another post…

I have always felt that the AMPLIFY Project is a vital asset to SSDP’s outreach, but recent events and conversations lead me to feel the need to reiterate the importance of the AMPLIFY Project to SSDP members and staff. My chapter would not exist if I did not participate in AMPLIFY events and I would not have had the support of dedicated young members needed to host the FL Regional SSDP Conference at USF or become the first established chapter there to receive recognition and funding.

My exposure to the AMPLIFY Project and the success of my chapter is not a coincidence. My chapter was founded by older students in Spring 2012 so many graduated at the end of our first semester, a couple of members helped table at the 13 USF orientation sessions but we had no meetings over the summer and had only worked on goals related to organizing our chapter. Our only event that Spring and Summer was our first experience with AMPLIFY: Slightly Stoopid/311 at the 1-800-ASK-GARY Amphitheater in July.

USF Chapter Members Jason & Gabe at the Slightly Stoopid/ 311 concert

Our members lost touch over the Summer and recruiting first year students was a priority for the survival of our chapter. Numerous first-year students at orientation expressed interest in tabling at events like the Slightly Stoopid/311 show and we promoted the show while recruiting new members based on our involvement. I sent out emails to the people who expressed interest during orientation about our first meeting of the Fall semester. That evening, I anxiously approached the 3rd floor of the Marshall Student Center. As the start time approached, I sat surprised as nearly 20 people came in. We sat in a circle and I looked around a room full of new faces, only two of whom were recognizable (my first treasurer and secretary).  Our VP graduated but managed to stay in touch but was unable to attend. Not all of our members had graduated; most were not in attendance at the meeting but three of us were.

Why did we three return? We weren’t great friends before SSDP and did not have very much in common. The only thing we did have in common was that we had all attended the Slightly Stoopid/311 AMPLIFY show together. We had spent time together working and talking to people at an AMPLIFY show with 12,000+ people of all ages. While tabling at the show, we learned why drug policy reform mattered to each of us and came to understand the commonalities that drew us together towards a common goal. Priceless moments unfolded in front of our table throughout the night such as: A young couple talking to us about SSDP while the mother pinned a “War on Drugs is a War on Us” button on their young son; security guards grabbing SSDP teddy bears to give to their kids; and college students on vacation talking to us about starting a chapter at their school.

Slightly Stoopid/311 at the 1-800-ASK-GARY Amphitheater

We shared an experience filled with good vibes and talked to hundreds of people about the importance of our mission as well as the need to involve young people in political activism. What better team building and bonding experience could you ask for? Before that show, the only work we had done involved filling out forms to gain chapter recognition from USF. When we were presented with the opportunity to table at EOTO last semester, I brought two members who were new both to our chapter and to AMPLIFY. Ever since that show,  they make it to all our weekly meetings and work proactively on our goals. Every person I have brought to an AMPLIFY show leaves more connected to the chapter because their beliefs on drug policy reform are validated by important people that they look up to in the live music community

USF Chapter Members with Jason Hann and Michael Travis of EOTO

When done well, each AMPLIFY show represents a significant outreach opportunity that provides good opportunities for fundraising and networking.  Our increased presence at popular festivals furthers our goals of direct harm reduction and getting people to know our organization.  With a truly attractive table or booth staffed by friendly SSDPers, it is easy to get a few dozen email addresses, tons of signatures (people like to sign things) and donations at each show– plus you get to enjoy a great show!  Once the headliners go on, your job is basically done and it’s time to have fun.  The members in my chapter who have tabled at at least one AMPLIFY event do not leave the organization and are always extremely energized by the experience.  AMPLIFY events are a significant contributor to the success of SSDP.

USF Chapter Members with Sam & Billy Brouse of Papadosio

AMPLIFY is not only important to attracting and retaining new members, but long-time reformers can help prevent burn-out by getting involved. Not all benefits of the AMPLIFY Project are easily quantifiable.  They can be hard to explain to someone who has not attended an AMPLIFY show but trust me when I say it is a vital part of many chapters, like mine. Having famous, talented artists tell you that you are really doing the important work at their shows by providing people with information on how to get involved in drug policy reform is an incredible feeling. Go to an AMPLIFY show  and, in the very likely chance you meet the band, they will surely tell you how happy they are to be involved. I’ve had off-duty cops working security at shows tell me they appreciated that we were helping to keep everyone safe and, through these interactions, SSDP-USF has continued building our very positive reputation in the community and on campus.

AMPLIFY is an invaluable resource that every chapter should take advantage of when presented. It is the best outreach tool that SSDP chapters have at their disposal and it prevents burn out by keeping members energized and giving SSDPers a chance to talk with a number of different people with varying viewpoints, practicing the skill of meeting people where their beliefs are and working from there. The discussions you will have are likely to keep you grounded and more prepared to talk to regular people about why drug policy is important. Loud music often makes an effective elevator pitches a necessity at shows.

Drug policy reform is always easier when working with friends, and AMPLIFY helps facilitate these long-term friendships  between members. What is better than using live music as an outreach tool to young people to talk with them about drug policy reform? Music is an essential part of our movement’s history and will continue to play a role in it’s future. Music has played vital roles in countless social justice movements before and now AMPLIFY is helping provide the soundtrack to the downfall of prohibition. Support drug policy reform and harm reduction, support live music, support independent artists and support AMPLIFY!

We’ve updated our database of colleges and universities with 911 Good Samaritan (also referred to as medical amnesty) policies! We found and catalogued 186 institutions and 21 states with such policies in place. The full list of schools can be found here.

Full list of states and schools with Good Samaritan Policies (click the “states” tab at the bottom to switch between schools and states)

Observations

Colleges and universities which do have good Samaritan policies are about evenly split between public and private institutions, though private schools are slightly more likely to find their way onto the list. Most policies provide amnesty for both alcohol and other drugs but some, about a quarter of those found, only provide amnesty for those emergencies involving alcohol. Most policies protect the victim and the caller.

Policies vary widely in the type of protection offered and the detail provided. Many are also vague on certain points. Links to the policies themselves have been included where available.

The number of statewide Good Samaritan Policies has also increased. Currently twenty-one states and the District of Columbia have passed such laws either as new legislation or as a modification of existing statute. Please see the map and list below for a full listing of states. The links to these policies can also be found here.

The states which currently have good Samaritan policies are:

1. Alaska
2. California
3. Colorado
4. Connecticut
5. Florida
6. Hawaii
7. Illinois
8. Indiana
9. Maryland
10. Massachusetts
11. Michigan
12. New Jersey
13. New Mexico
14. New York
15. North Dakota
16. Pennsylvania
17. Rhode Island
18. Texas
19. Utah
20. Washington
21. District of Columbia

Full list of states and schools with Good Samaritan Policies (click the “states” tab at the bottom to switch between schools and states)

Want to work on getting a Good Samaritan Policy at your school? Start an SSDP chapter!

The two most important things YOU can do to help make medical cannabis in Florida a reality are:

1. Call Speaker Weatherford’s office.
2. Send an email to Speaker Weatherford.

Calling his office directly is much more powerful and we even have a script available to help you.

Note: this action is only available for Florida residents. Take action now!