February 2016
SSDP Welcomes the University of Alabama Chapter
Meet Olympia Karageorgieou and Josh Shumate, the Chapter President and Vice President of the University of Alabama SSDP chapter. Olympia and Josh have already been making waves during their first semester on campus. They were able to leverage their relationships with the Student Government Association to pass a medical amnesty resolution, sparking a meeting with campus administration to pursue the
February Monthly Mosaic: Black Lives Matter and the War on Drugs
Black Lives Matter and the War on Drugs The War on Drugs was founded on racist principles, so it’s no surprise that the movement to reform drug policy has strong ties to the civil rights movement for people of color. However, with the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement, the implicit racism inherent in the War on Drugs has
SSDP Welcomes the Ohio University Chapter
If there’s one thing I love in this world, it’s newly established SSDP chapters. I’ve been in touch with students from Ohio University for a long while at this point, and I’m very excited to say that SSDP is finally welcoming them as a fully established chapter. Chapter Leader Brandon Kerr sent me some thoughts on their organization and its
STEM Students Explain how Drug Policy Impacts their Studies
Written by Elijah Ullman, Colorado State University SSDP Chapter Leader Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) and Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP) Chapter Leaders call for an immediate end to the war on drugs in pursuit of scientific advancement and collective knowledge The drug war has long been a barrier to investigating the clinical efficacy of pharmacologically active compounds
Ohio Students Testify in Support of Medical Marijuana
On January 30th, 2016, Ohio State Senators held a meeting to gauge residents’ opinions on medical marijuana in the state. Chapter leaders from the University of Akron and Northeast Ohio Medical University Students for Sensible Drug Policy attended the meeting to testify in support of medical marijuana. Below, watch a video of Alexander Dix, our Northeast Ohio Medical University chapter
First Needle Exchange in Orange County Approved
Written by SSDP Board member Lauren Mendelsohn On February 11, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) gave final approval to Orange County Needle Exchange Program (OCNEP). This was a major victory, as OCNEP will be the first needle exchange in Orange County, California. Despite the area’s conservative political climate, there is a serious need for harm reduction services. The county
This is how you get yourself to SSDP2016
SSDP2016 is just two months away! That means now is the time to get all of your ducks in a row to make sure you’re able to attend. To make things easier, we’ve laid out the 3 most important steps that students should take right away: Register Arrange travel Arrange lodging Step 1: REGISTER If you’re using CAT points
Students in Ireland Support Medically Supervised Injection Centers
Cork Institute of Technology SSDP recently conducted a 732 participant survey that asked students on campus their opinions on alternative drug policies. Chapter leaders Martin Condon and Daniel Ciemiega present some of the findings of their survey. The introduction of “Medically Supervised injection centers” (MSICs) for heroin and other intravenous drug users is on the cards for Ireland in 2016. This means
SSDP Welcomes the University of Massachusetts Amherst Chapter!
I’m thrilled to announce our newest Established chapter in the Northeast region, University of Massachusetts Amherst! I spoke with chapter leader Eli Kaplan about how things have gone on campus so far and what they are looking forward to accomplishing in the future: How did you hear about SSDP? I heard about SSDP through a family friend. Why did you
SSDP Welcomes the Golden Gate University School of Law Chapter
Meet Kenneth Seligson, a 1L at Golden Gate University School of Law. Originally from Middletown, New York, he has witnessed the effects of the drug war all his life, from seeing one of his closest friends die from MDMA use, having to send a family member to rehab, and to experiencing the legal consequences of the war on drugs firsthand.
SUCCESS Act Will Reinstate College Aid to Students With Drug Convictions
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 11, 2016 Bipartisan Senate Bill Will Reinstate College Aid to Students With Drug Convictions Hundreds of Thousands Have Lost Access to Education Since Aid Elimination Penalty Enacted in 1998 WASHINGTON, DC — A bipartisan group of U.S. senators is pushing to repeal a Higher Education Act provision that strips college financial aid from students with drug
SSDP Welcomes the Prescott College Chapter
I am incredibly excited to announce our newest chapter in the state of Arizona; Prescott College. As is the case with our other chapters in Arizona, they are interested in contributing to the efforts to legalize marijuana for adult use in 2016. Many readers may be surprised to know that in the state of Arizona it is an automatic felony
University of Tennessee SSDP Joins Howard Baker Policy Challenge
Written by Miranda Gottlieb, University of Tennessee SSDP chapter leader Members from the SSDP chapter at the University of Tennessee Knoxville (UTK) have put together a policy team for the 2nd annual Howard Baker Policy Challenge with a policy initiative focusing on developing a clean needle exchange in Nashville, Tennessee. The semester-long commitment to the Policy Challenge program helps students learn how to
Run for a leadership position in the SSDP Alumni Association
It’s election season everywhere, even at the SSDP Alumni Association. It’s been a year since the inception of the Association, which means it’s time to have our very first Leadership Board elections. The first Leadership Board members were appointed by staff and other Board members. But their one-year terms are expiring, and they need to be re-elected or replaced. Here’s
Vote for your favorite SSDP2016 session ideas
Here at SSDP, we’re serious about being a grassroots organization. We asked you to submit ideas for sessions or topics you’d like to see at our next conference, SSDP2016. Now we’re taking that a step further by inviting SSDP students to vote on your favorites! Voting is only open for a few days, so don’t miss your chance to cast
Report on the Just Concluded Training on Drug Policy and Harm Reduction in Oyo State, Nigeria
Written by Moronfolu Adeniyi, chapter leader of Federal University of Agriculture SSDP in Nigeria. Students for Sensible Drug Policy’s Nigerian chapters, in a bid to introduce, train, and educate students and youth on drug issues, drug policy, and harm reduction, organized a one-day regional training on drug policy and harm reduction for youth and student organizations in Oyo State, Nigeria. The event,
SSDP Welcomes the Guilford College Chapter
Last week, I had the opportunity to Skype into the first ever chapter meeting of Guilford College SSDP. It was without a doubt one of the best, first meetings I have ever attended. This was not very surprising to me because the chapter founder, Christian Honein, has been a thoughtful and communicative partner over the recent months as I have
SSDP Welcomes the New Mexico State University Chapter
When beginning the process of forming a new SSDP chapter, it is always beneficial when one doesn’t have to go it alone. Having an activist partner who is passionate, dedicated and supportive is always helpful and makes it more likely that you will succeed. This is precisely what happened with Marisa Salazar and Patrick Alcala at New Mexico State University
SSDP Welcomes the North Carolina State University Chapter
In the summer of 2015 we expanded our Southeast Region to include the state of North Carolina. This has been a treat for me because it meant that I was given the opportunity to coordinate one of the fastest growing states in SSDP’s network. NC also happens to have one of the best medical amnesty laws and overdose prevention efforts of any state in
Calling All Student Artists and Creative Minds!
Are you an artist who has a message to share about the harms of the Drug War? Do you feel strongly about how international drug control regimes affect youth all across the globe? Can you utilize your creative talents to draw a connection between drug policies and human rights? If you answered yes, then SSDP wants you to contribute to one
SSDP February Monthly FYI
Recent chapter accomplishments Mountain Region Boise State University SSDP hosted a public forum on New Approach Idaho’s medical marijuana ballot initiative, and chapter members from the College of Western Idaho attended, along with community members from across the state. Eight students from four different Colorado schools (Colorado School of Mines, University of Colorado Boulder, University of Colorado Denver, and Naropa
Re-evaluating the Metrics of Drug Policy at the UN
Written by Rebecca Dayan, chapter leader of Sarah Lawrence College SSDP. On January 21st, the International Centre for Science in Drug Policy (ICSDP) launched its open letter titled “A Call for A Reprioritization of Metrics to Evaluate Illicit Drug Policy” with a panel of four experts at the United Nations. The ICSDP, a group of scientists and academics, wrote this
SSDP Welcomes the Mankato State University Chapter
I’m very happy to write this blog post today. Over the past few months I’ve been working closely with Joseph Dosch of Mankato State University to set up an SSDP chapter on his campus. After a few weeks of paperwork and tabling, he has been officially recognized by the university. Please join me in welcoming the newest chapter to our
