Frances Fu
January 2017 Monthly Mosaic: Immigration and the War on Drugs
IMMIGRATION AND THE WAR ON DRUGS Simple drug use or possession, particularly of marijuana, is one of the most common reasons that people are criminalized in the United States. In some cases, individuals with drug charges are even asked to leave the United States. This is how the War on Drugs disenfranchises immigrants. Drug laws passed in the 1980s and
UC Berkeley SSDP Chapter Organizes Class on “Rethinking the Drug War”
Last semester, Students for Sensible Drug Policy members Rhana Hashemi and Lalitha Thirunagari organized a student-organized class titled, “Rethinking The Drug War: Historical Context, Framing, and Education.” The purpose of the course was to develop student understanding of how the war on drugs “impacts young people, decimates communities, swells the ranks of the juvenile justice system, and negatively impacts school
Apply for a Diversity Scholarship for SSDP2017
Deadline January 31 at 11:59pm EST In an ongoing effort to ensure that a diverse group of individuals and viewpoints are represented at our upcoming international conference, Students for Sensible Drug Policy’s Diversity Awareness Reflection and Education (DARE) Committee is offering scholarships to help defray the cost of attending the conference. Interested in applying for the DARE Scholarship? Fill out
Students for Sensible Drug Policy Welcomes the Haas School of Business, University of California Berkeley Chapter!
I am excited to introduce SSDP’s first business school students, from the Haas School of Business at the University of California Berkeley! Read on to hear more about the cool things they’ve done to raise awareness of what sensible cannabis policy and industry should be. Why did you want to get involved with SSDP / the cannabis industry? We’re business school
No matter where you lie on the political spectrum, don’t give up on SSDP
Recently, members of SSDP, from students to alumni to staff, have felt frustrated, attacked, and unsafe within the network that we have always called family. We are fighting due to differences in our political beliefs, differences in the ways that we communicate, and differences in the role that we believe identity politics should play in the drug policy reform movement.
SSDP Welcomes the Napa Valley College Chapter of Students for Sensible Drug Policy
Meet Taylor Giamo, the chapter leader of SSDP at Napa Valley College. She first found out about SSDP at the Elevate Conference, and has since been making big moves on campus. She recently became the Senator of Health Occupations with Napa Valley College student government, and is planning to push for sensible drug policy and education for her peers on
November/December 2016 Monthly Mosaic: Rodrigo Duterte, the Philippines, and the War on Drugs Internationally
On May 9th of this year, Rodrigo Duterte was elected President of the Philippines in a landslide, thanks in large part to an aggressively pro-drug war agenda. Duterte campaigned on a “tough on crime” platform centered around a plan to offer bounties to those who turn in drug lords, dead or alive, and has since encouraged Filipino citizens take to
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
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
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
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
September Monthly Mosaic: State-Sponsored Repression and the War on Drugs
STATE-SPONSORED REPRESSION AND THE WAR ON DRUGS Two years ago today, 43 students of la Escuela Normal Raúl Isidro Burgos, also known as the Normal Rural de Ayotzinapa—a residential college for peasant farmers studying to become teachers serving in their own rural communities—disappeared in Iguala, Guerrero. Rural normal colleges, such as the Normal Rural de Ayotzinapa, are a legacy of
SSDP Welcomes the Santa Barbara City College Chapter
Meet Evan Adary, the chapter leader of SSDP at Santa Barbara City College! How did you hear about SSDP? I stumbled upon SSDP while researching different universities. I looked around at several different college websites and previewed some of the student activities that were listed. Why did you want to get involved/what made you decide to start a chapter? In many
August Monthly Mosaic: Back-to-School: Building an Inclusive Chapter
Back-to-School: Building an Inclusive Chapter Summer is coming to an end, and, if it hasn’t started already, the beginning of the school year is quickly approaching. Recruiting members is one of the first and most important actions that chapters can take to build their network and engage other student activists. Planning out how you will conduct outreach and organize actions
Design a T-Shirt for SSDP, Get CAT Points for Creativity!
As the 2016-17 school year approaches, SSDP is looking to add new swag to our collection, with the help of our very own network! SSDP is holding our 2016-17 t-shirt design contest, where SSDPers have the chance to enter their own design to be considered for our new SSDP merch. The only requirement is that the shirt must be in
Just Say Know: Disclosing Drug Use
As Peer Educators introduce ideas, facilitate discussions, and encourage others to share their experiences, one may be asked about personal experiences. In order to remain professional and unbiased, facilitators should consider what is appropriate to share, and when it is fitting to share with their audience. Audience members might ask about a facilitator’s personal experiences using a substance out of
July 2016 Monthly Mosaic: The Prison Industrial Complex and the War on Drugs
July 2016 Monthly Mosaic The Prison Industrial Complex and the War on Drugs Students for Sensible Drug Policy’s original motto was “Schools Not Prisons,” in response to the “Aid Elimination Penalty,” an amendment added to the Higher Education Act in 1998, which excluded students with drug convictions from receiving federal financial aid to attend institutions of higher learning. In early
Why Asian Americans Should Fight To End the Drug War
From Hyphen Magazine: When I was 17, I told my mom that I had tried cannabis. Cannabis was a completely foreign substance to my parents. In common use of the Chinese language, using cannabis and other drugs is known — in precise translation — as “inhaling poison.” The idea that their daughter would be “inhaling poison” was so unfathomable that
Anthony Carrasco Joins SSDP as Summer Policy Intern
I’m pleased to introduce Anthony Carrasco, SSDP’s Good Samaritan Policy Intern for the Summer of 2016. Anthony first got plugged in with SSDP when he and several peers reestablished the SSDP chapter at UC Berkeley in 2015. Since the Fall of 2015, Anthony served as the Vice President of External Affairs of the UC Berkeley SSDP chapter. Due to their
How SSDP Prepared Me For My Internship With Drug Policy Alliance
Meet Leslie Otañez, a California State University Long Beach SSDP member. During her undergraduate years, she studied criminal justice and psychology, and now is working on her Master’s degree in criminology. She is currently working on the AUMA initiative as an intern with the Drug Policy Alliance. Read on to learn more about how SSDP prepared her for this opportunity,
June Monthly Mosaic: Families and the War on Drugs
In mainstream conversations about families and drugs, parents are tasked with protecting their children from the evils of drug abuse. However, this narrative drastically oversimplifies the many ways in which families experience drugs and drug use, glossing over the serious problems caused by drug war policies themselves. Even otherwise positive drug policy reforms frequently overlook parents and families, perpetuating the
SSDP Welcomes California Campus Coordinator!
Meet Oliver Zerrudo, SSDP’s new California Campus Coordinator! As California Campus Coordinator, Oliver aims to expand the presence of people of color and people of color politics in contemporary Drug Policy conversations. Following his role as chapter leader at UC Berkeley SSDP (’15), Oliver is eager to contribute to the movement in a larger capacity. His goals include increasing chapter
Karen Walker Joins SSDP Team as Peer Education Intern
Meet Karen Walker, SSDP’s new Peer Education intern! Karen Walker first became involved with SSDP when Board Member Stephanie Izquieta founded a chapter at Binghamton University. After attending the Northeast Regional Conference in the spring of 2015, she was introduced to the depth and weight of the devastating drug war and decided to take on the role of Chapter Leader
What does it mean to be a peer educator?
Written by Guest Blogger Karen Walker, SSDP Peer Education Intern As the Peer Education Program launches this fall, SSDPers will have the opportunity to facilitate open and honest conversation about drug policy while educating their peers on safe and responsible drug use. In order to successfully implement this program and shift attitudes on campus, students must first have a genuine understanding
SSDP Welcomes the Antelope Valley College Chapter
I’m excited to introduce Timothy Spears Jr., the chapter leader at Antelope Valley College! Read on to learn more about him and his vision for the future of SSDP: Why did you want to get involved with SSDP? I discovered SSDP through MAPS (Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies). I wanted to join because changing the policies around psychedelic substances is something
