Blog

Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP) is the largest national youth-led network dedicated to ending the War on Drugs. With a Board of Directors primarily elected by and from our student and youth members, SSDP empowers young leaders to engage in the political process, advocate for evidence-based policies, and foster ...

The HALT Fentanyl Act permanently places all “fentanyl-related substances” (FRS) on schedule I of theControlled Substances Act. By placing the entire class of FRS on schedule I, HALT Fentanyl makes it afederal crime—subject to harsh mandatory minimum penalties—to manufacture, import, or possesswith intent to distribute any of the potentially thousands ...

LibertyCon International 2025 is taking place on February 7-8 at the Washington DC Downtown Westin. With students active in 111 countries, previous LibertyCon events have been hosted in Africa, Europe, Latin America, and South America. The theme of this year's convention is From Impossible To Inevitable, focusing on the positive achievements in ...

We are grateful to Charley Wininger for mentioning SSDP in his timely piece, Integrating the News, that published today in Lucid News. With a post-prohibition future always a possibility in a new administration, we may wish to promote legislation on the state and/or federal level to ensure these medicines become ...

Chapter leaders from Students for Sensible Drug Policy at Virginia Tech University stand in support of HB2775, a bill relating to the definition of hemp product. Also known as the Revitize Hemp Act ...

You are invited to join us for SSDP's Cannabis Week of Unity 2025 taking place in Washington D.C. This year's event does not overlap with 4/20. Due to the holiday that week, Congress is closed, so we will be lobbying the week afterwards. Main event activities are April 28 - ...

Join us on February 9th at 7:00pm ET for our next Students for Sensible Drug Policy network-wide hangout! Meet other SSDP folks, and enjoy a Q&A session with candidates for our national board of directors before casting your vote! Visit this Zoom link to join. Password is: Hangouts! ...

Florida State University News reports that driving under the influence (DUI) incidents at the end of the fall semester have sparked debates about campus safety and the effectiveness of FSU’s prevention efforts. Colin Scherzer, RSO leader for Students for Sensible Drug Policy at FSU (SSDP), pointed to binge drinking as ...

SSDP is excited to collaborate with the Global Psychedelic Society (GPS) on a special Inauguration Integration event. The GPS is streaming this panel exclusively to in-person watch party events hosted by local Psychedelic Societies around the world. Find yours here! The event will feature a panel will feature: Ismail Ali, J.D., ...

Marijuana Moment published an op-ed co-authored by SSDP's Executive Director, Kat Murti, and Chelsea Higgs Wise, MSW, the co-founder and executive director of Marijuana Justice. SSDP and Marijuana Justice are steering committee members of the United for Marijuana Decriminalization Coalition. Their article dives into the canceled marijuana rescheduling hearing that would ...

On MLK Day 2015, we are thankful to the Canna Law Blog for encouraging readers that want to get active in cannabis policy reform to join SSDP! We are heading to Washington D.C. for our Cannabis Week of Unity to fight for cannabis decriminalization, and invite you to join us ...

Breaking news today, January 17 2025 - President Biden commutes 2,500 nonviolent drug offenders convicted of crack cocaine offenses. This is nearly the same number of marijuana prisoners that still sit behind bars waiting to see whether he will live up to his campaign promises to free them. The Associated ...

With just days left of his Presidency, Biden commutes 2,500 nonviolent drug offenders yet leaves cannabis prisoners behind bars. The New York Post spoke to SSDP's Executive Director, Kat Murti, on the subject. Read the article here ...

We are grateful to the psychedelics newsletter, Tricycle Day, for mentioning our DOI & DOC post-trial brief in their newsletter today. Right to research: Students for Sensible Drug Policy has filed its post-trial briefing, challenging the DEA’s proposal to schedule DOI and DOC. Read the entire briefing here ...

The University of Texas college newspaper, The University Star, featured an article today highlighting the potential THC ban in Texas and it's impact on the community. SSDP Ambassador, Blake Coe, was quoted in the article. Ambassador of Students for Sensible Drug Policy Blake Coe said the ban is not a ...

Thanks to Marijuana Moment for linking to our post-trial DOI & DOC brief in this week's newsletter. Students for Sensible Drug Policy filed a post-trial brief in a Drug Enforcement Administration administrative court case concerning the agency’s proposed ban on two psychedelics. Learn more here ...

Gina Giorgio, Director of Strategy and Development at Students for Sensible Drug Policy, wrote an op-ed in Boulder Weekly discussing our historic court case with the DEA defending the scheduling status of niche research chemicals DOI & DOC to protect psychedelic research. “None of us were experts on administrative hearings, ...

The Pitt News reports that after a decade-long push, the University of Pittsburgh has installed overdose reversal drug dispensers. Thanks to the help of Julia Hilbert, MWS, founder of SSDP's Pittsburgh Community Chapter. “This represents probably the longest game win that I’ve been a part of in drug policies,” Hilbert ...

ANNOUNCING SSDP CONGRESSIONAL SESSION In 2025, the SSDP Congress will convene from March 7th – 8th, 2025, and provide each chapter in the network the opportunity to elect new student members to the Board of Directors. We strongly encourage all who believe they can commit to apply. Serving on the ...

The Science Policy Committee (SPC) was founded in 2020 by now Drs. Elijah Z. Ullman and Lindsey K. Galbo-Thomma. As scientists studying the pharmacology of psychoactive drugs, they created the SPC to advocate and advance sensible drug policies that align with scientific data. This committee is co-led by scientists at ...