October 2016
October 2016 Monthly Mosaic: Election 2016 and the War on Drugs
The days are quickly ticking down to November 8th, and we’re all feeling the pressure to make sure we’re informed, registered to vote, and know who and what we’ll be voting for. The U.S. is gearing up to chose our next president, cannabis initiatives are on the ballot in nine states, and, of course, there are several down ballot elections
Announcing the 2015-16 Annual Report
As I write this, 4,000 Students for Sensible Drug Policy members are being mobilized by our talented outreach staff to register and educate voters in states considering ballot initiatives to reform cannabis laws. There have never been this many states considering legalizing marijuana for adult or medical use at one time. But there have never been as many young people
Recapping the 2016 SSDP Midwest Regional Conference
Students for Sensible Drug Policy’s Midwest Regional Conference was a huge success! Students from eight different chapters across three states convened at the DePaul University Campus in Chicago, Illinois on the weekend of October 21st-23rd for a conference that spanned a wide variety of drug policy reform topics. After students settled in with some coffee and breakfast, Spencer Rudnick and Kat
Recapping the 2016 Pacific Regional Conference
Written by Guest Blogger Lauren Mendelsohn On October 15, 2016, students, alumni, and members of the community from across the Pacific Region gathered in Santa Cruz, California for SSDP’s third regional conference of the year. Over 50 people attended the successful event on Saturday, October 15 at UC Santa Cruz for a day of educational programming on psychedelics, cannabis reform
SSDP Launches HBCU Working Group
Over the years, I have had the opportunity to converse with many Students for Sensible Drug Policy alumni, former SSDP staff members, and historic allies about the history of SSDP and the diversity of its membership. I have come to learn that the values of inclusion and advocacy on behalf of marginalized communities have been with the organization since its
SSDP Welcomes the NYU Shanghai Chapter!
The movement for sensible drug policy has officially spread into China! I’m thrilled to introduce everyone to the newest SSDP chapter at NYU Shanghai. I had a chance to meet with the students starting the chapter over the summer and was impressed with their passion towards ending the drug war. NYU Shanghai features a very diverse student body from all
Removing the Prison Slave Labor Exemption
Currently, the US prison population is being put to work for pennies per hour. Often, the benefactors of this labor are private corporations, including Wal-Mart, Starbucks, Victoria’s Secret, and AT&T. Our prison population is not only the largest in the world, both per capita and by pure scale, but is also disproportionately black and latino, largely due to racial discrimination
La Caravana Contra Represión en México Begins US Speaking Tour
Written by Jacki Moreira, SSDP’s Latin America Policy Intern. Two days ago, the Caravan Against Repression in Mexico arrived in Boston to begin their month long journey through the US. The Caravan will be traveling through 18 different cities, including a stop in Chicago this weekend to speak at the SSDP Midwest Regional Conference. The “War on Drugs”, fabricated in the US to
SSDP Welcomes the Michigan State University Chapter!
These are absolutely my favorite blog posts to write for SSDP. I love introducing new chapters. It’s been a blast getting to know Davin Surio. He takes his work seriously, and he’s a serious force for change. I can’t wait to see what the MSU SSDP chapter accomplishes under his leadership. Read on for more about him and his organization!
Dialing for sensible drug policy
We’re so excited to announce the launch of the SSDP online phonebank to educate voters about the harms of marijuana prohibition! Our phonebank system allows supporters of sensible drug policy — whether or not you’re a student! — to call voters in Florida, California, Massachusetts, and Nevada to ensure they know there’s a cannabis initiative on their ballot. Amendment 2
Recapping the 2016 SSDP Mountain Regional Conference
Students for Sensible Drug Policy’s second regional conference of the year was a huge success! A total of 62 students, alumni, and community members from chapters all over the Mountain and Southwest Region gathered at the Auraria Campus in Denver, Colorado on the weekend of October 7th-9th for a conference that emphasized coalition building both on and off campus. After
SSDP Participates in Ayotzinapa Day of Action
Written by Jacki Moreira, SSDP’s Latin America Policy Intern. To learn more, check our her three-part piece about what happened to the 43 students of Ayotzinapa two years ago and how it is connected to the War on Drugs: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3. On October 4th, 2016 seven men were killed on the road Chilipacingo-Tixtla in Guerrero, Mexico. The men
Introducing the Ithaca College SSDP Chapter!
I’m thrilled to announce that SSDP has returned to Ithaca College! After being inactive for a couple of years, the chapter has been revived by TJ Horgan, a sophomore journalism major. After chatting with me a month ago he immediately went to work forming an executive board and hosting an inaugural meeting. I spoke with TJ and his exec board
SSDP Chapters Participate in Psilocybin Day of Action
September 20th, 2016 marked the Second Annual 920 Psilocybin Coordinated Day of Action. SSDP is a member of the 920 Coalition which organizes annual events on September 20th focused on the therapeutic potential of psilocybin mushrooms. The 920 coalition also includes other organizations working on promoting awareness about psilocybin mushrooms and other psychedelic substances, such as Psymposia, the Psychedelic Club,
Recapping the 2016 SSDP Northeast Regional Conference
SSDP’s first regional conference of the year was a huge success! A total of 57 students from chapters all over the Northeast Region gathered at Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts on October 1st for a conference that emphasized coalition building both on and off campus. After students settled in with some coffee and breakfast, Lex Pelger of Psymposia led our
SSDP Nigeria Participates in International Day of Peace Program
Written by the chapter leaders of SSDP Nigeria The 21st of September was the International Day of Peace, and also marked the first SSDP programme SSDP featured at the University of Ibadan. During a lecture on the topic “Youth, Peace and Security: The Need for Youth Involvement in Peace-Building” by Professor Tajudeen Akanji (Professor of Peace Studies), SSDP was introduced to
Political Power, Points, and Pizza – Participate in SSDP’s Voter Registration Drive
We have more power than we know. We certainly have more power than we use. This year, there are more Americans under 35 who are eligible to vote than Boomer voters. And as fond as we may be of Boomers in our own lives, one thing is for sure: they don’t represent our interests when it comes to drug policy. This
Here’s to 18 years of sensible reform
This weekend, SSDP celebrates our 18th birthday! When our few dozen founders first connected with each other from six campuses on the early internet, they rallied because they understood that the drug war provided a foundation for a vast and tentacled set of social harms. They set out to undo the pieces of that system, from denial of student loans and grants to the
