On the Record Project
What is the On the Record Project?
This is a project of SSDP that seeks to get politicians on the record about their stances on drug policy.
Recently, SSDP has taken this project to another level. SSDP chapters in GOP primary states have had the amazing opportunity to put candidates on the spot about their positions on all drug policy issues, not just medical marijuana. The “On the Record” Project mobilized student activists along recent campaign stops in GOP primary states of contention to confront politicians about their drug policies. Our students managed to successfully get GOP frontrunners Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich, Ron Paul, and Rick Santorum on video answering our questions about drug policy.
With support for legalizing marijuana higher than ever before, and 76% of likely voters saying they feel the war on drugs has failed, the time is ripe for students to speak truth to power and get politicians on film answering tough questions.
Get Involved
Find Your Representatives- Find out who represents you on the state and national level.
Politico Candidate Tracker - Find out where and when candidates will be making appearances.
Can We Tape? - Resource for referencing state laws regarding video and other types of recording.
Learn more about the issues:
Videos
Check out our On the Record Project Youtube channel for our complete collection of videos today.
History
From January 4-10, 2012, about forty SSDP chapter members followed presidential candidates all over New Hampshire right before the state primary. Students put candidates on the spot, asking them questions about their positions on drug policy issues. Within less than a week, they were able to capture videos of Mitt Romney, Rick Santorum, Newt Gingrich, and Ron Paul. The videos were instantaneously posted on Youtube, which led to several big media hits. The “On the Record” Project will bring drug policy reform onto the national political agenda.
With the help of sick New Hampshire medical marijuana patients and armed with a cheap video camera, they put presidential candidates like Barack Obama, John McCain, Mitt Romney, Hilary Clinton and Rudy Giuliani on the spot about medical marijuana, demanding that they let the voters know whether or not they would use federal resources to to circumvent state law and prosecute medical marijuana patients and providers. The campaign was called Granite Staters for Medical Marijuana, and it was responsible for Sen. Barack Obama’s promise to end the federal raids in states with medical marijuana laws.
To become involved in the “On the Record” Project, please contact your outreach coordinator for tips and support!