November 2016
Recapping the 2016 Latin America Regional Conference
Written by Héctor Joel Anaya From 3rd to 4th November, students from around Latin America attended our first Latin American Regional Conference in Morelia, Michoacán. Morelia is one of the states that has been most affected by the Mexican Drug War since former president Felipe Calderon started it ten years ago. The conference was divided into three big topics; health, policy, and
SSDP Nigeria Hosts Advocacy Bootcamp in Lagos
Written by the chapter leaders of SSDP Nigeria. Students for Sensible Drug Policy Nigeria recently held their very first Leaders Advocacy Bootcamp, which took place 21-23 October at the TMN multimedia centre in Opebi Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria. In attendance were over thirty student leaders from across Nigeria who came to be a part of this impactful event, which was tagged “Creating Road
Recapping the 2016 Mid-Atlantic Regional Conference
On November 5, 2016, approximately 35 SSDP students and alumni gathered in Washington, DC for the 2016 SSDP Mid-Atlantic Regional Conference. The event was a huge success despite some last minute logistical challenges and was a true testament to how the SSDP family can come together to make something beautiful happen. The conference emphasized coalition building and challenged students to
SSDP Welcomes the Indiana State University Chapter
We’re fortunate to have connected with Donald Turpen of Indiana State University. In the past month, he’s already founded his chapter and got it recognized by the administration. Read on to find out more about his plans for SSDP at ISU! How did you hear about SSDP? I have actually been involved in the legalization/decriminalization effort for many years. I
SSDP Welcomes the Southeast Missouri State University Chapter
I’m full of joy to announce another newly established SSDP chapter, this time in Missouri. We’ve had folks in and around Southeast Missouri State University for a while now, and their hard work has paid off as the SEMO chapter of SSDP is finally recognized as an official organization. The current chapter leader, Karma Alvey, wrote up an excellent blog
Marijuana Use Is An Asian American Issue Too
On November 8th of 2016, California made history by passing Proposition 64, also known as the Adult Use of Marijuana Act. As an Asian American woman who has fought for drug policy reform over the past five years, I am optimistic that this will have a positive impact on our community. However, as the daughter of Chinese immigrant parents, I
Our fight has never been more important
On Tuesday, the drug policy reform movement achieved state and local victories that were unimaginable when we were founded 18 years ago. Eight of nine cannabis ballot initiatives won, providing safe access to medical marijuana for millions of potential new patients and safety from the trap of marijuana enforcement for millions of users in four more states (with our deep condolences
Today’s the day the DARE generation could take over
Nothing is inevitable, but it’s undeniable: the DARE generation is done with marijuana prohibition, and it’s time for us to usher in a new approach to drug policy. This is our chance! 2016 marks the first election when Millenials and Gen Xers make up the largest share of the electorate. That would be pretty cool, but it doesn’t mean we’re
Our response to “24-year-old: Why I’m fighting medical marijuana in Florida”
When reading the Orlando Sentinel the other day, I was enraged to discover that there are people my age who oppose medical marijuana in Florida, and worse still, who believe there is no “conclusive evidence marijuana is an effective treatment for anything.” Andrew Sutton, fellow 24-year-old and political director for the No On 2 campaign, is outrageously misinformed on the
Florida State Conference Recap
Students from SSDP’s Florida chapters convened at the beautiful campus of Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) on October 21st and 22nd for the 2016 SSDP Florida State Conference. The conference began Saturday morning with SSDP Executive Director Betty Aldworth giving the opening keynote address. Betty spoke about a variety of topics based on the requests she received from students prior
California Is Finally Going to Legalize: Here Are Seven Reasons Prop. 64 Is a Great Way to Do It
From The Influence: By Lauren Mendelsohn, Chair of the Board of Directors, SSDP On November 8—this coming Tuesday—Californians will vote on Proposition 64 and whether to legalize cannabis for adult use. California first legalized medical marijuana in 1996 and has had a vast and complex grey market ever since, but full legalization will be an undeniable improvement over the status
