Congratulations to all of our allies and colleagues on their promising election results! Students for Sensible Drug Policy was honored to support the four statewide cannabis initiatives this year by running the national youth GOTV phone banks, placing calls to nearly 13,000 voters in Michigan, Missouri, North Dakota, and Utah.

In Michigan, our Field Manager Nick Zettell ‘09 mobilized on campuses, developing 8 new SSDP chapters and supporting outreach to thousands of college-age voters. North Dakota State University chapter leader Bradley Foster ‘17 served as Legalize ND’s volunteer coordinator. In Missouri, SSDP alumni Amber Langston ‘02, Anthony Johnson ‘01, and Sarah Duff ‘01 laid groundwork for medical marijuana for more than a decade that finally resulted in victory last night.

We’d also like to congratulate our colleagues working on dozens of local referenda to end prohibition or restore justice. In Florida, Amendment 4 will restore voting rights to nearly 1.5 million people convicted of felonies who have served their time; in Ohio, Issue 1 changed the conversation around criminal justice reform even though it didn’t pass.

In 2020, there will be perhaps half a dozen more cannabis measures, and countless more criminal justice and drug policy initiatives. In the next two years, we will have unprecedented opportunities to advance those causes in state legislatures with more reform-minded elected officials in state houses and governorships than ever before. We have our eyes on California, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, New Jersey, and New York in particular, where revolutionary opportunities to address the overdose crisis and expand legal cannabis must be seized.

Let’s keep it simple: we all know that won’t happen without a strong, supported, and dynamic grassroots movement starting from our campuses. Last night’s victories proved that our approach works and your donations make change possible. Can you make a gift today to help us start laying groundwork now for 2020?

What would you give to see an end to the War on Drugs in our lifetime?

On behalf of our 5,000 members around the globe, thank you for your support.