gina vensel

19
Nov

National Day of Action: Urge President Biden to Grant Cannabis Clemency Today – Supiddope

Thank you for Stupiddope for sharing our advocacy alert to call the White House today for National Day of Action for Cannabis Clemency. Read the article here.

19
Nov

Call President Biden TODAY for the National Day of Action for Cannabis Clemency

Join SSDP and other cannabis justice advocates in urging President Biden to use his clemency power to release every last federal cannabis prisoner before the end of this term. Today, November 18, 2024, is the National Day of Action for Cannabis Clemency. Time is running out to turn words into action. We encourage you to use your voice and call

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18
Nov

Dispatch From the DEA: DOI and DOC on Trial As Scientists Challenge Psychedelic Scheduling Bid – Psychedelic Alpha

We are grateful to investigative journalist Jack Gorsline on behalf of Psychedelic Alpha for joining SSDP in court with the DEA to dig into the SSDP’s trail with the DEA. Reflecting on events thus far, SSDP/Ramos co-counsel Phelps seemed confident. “I think it went as well as we could have hoped”, he said, adding that he thinks his side’s evidence

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13
Nov

Apply to Join our 2025 Board of Directors

Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP) is governed by a Board of Directors, which is comprised of both current student and youth Elected Directors, who are active chapter members elected by our membership, and Appointed Directors, who are appointed by the existing Board. Together, they are responsible for crafting strategy for the organization, overseeing compliance and financial affairs, and overseeing

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12
Nov

SSDP Kicks off DEA Court Hearing with Press Conference in Arlington, Virginia

This morning in front of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Headquarters in Arlington, Virginia, SSDP’s Science Policy Committee, a group of PhD students and other researchers who are fighting back against the War on Drugs, along with SSDP’s legal team spoke about our unprecedented court hearing kicking off today and running through November 25. You can watch the press conference

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8
Nov

Why is the DEA trying to ban these research chemicals? – Boulder Weekly

Thanks to Boulder Weekly for sharing news about our upcoming ten day hearing with the DEA to keep psychedelic research chemicals DOI & DOC legal. DOI and DOC have been used to help study anxiety, depression, substance use disorder and more. The drugs have been cited in more than 900 published studies, according to Murti. In July, SSDP and others sued to

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7
Nov

Empowering students to make informed decisions: Students for Sensible Drug Policy – The Lutrinae

Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP) at Cal State Monterey Bay (CSUMB), led by Maria Fernanda Corral Cervantes was featured in The Lutrinae. For Cervantes, fostering a culture of harm reduction on campus means more than just providing resources–it’s about creating a space where students can discuss their experiences openly. “It’s important for students to have a place to talk

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7
Nov

Where Some See Taboos, They See Opportunity – The New York Times

SSDP’s partnership with Overdrive Defense gets mention in The New York Times. Read the article here.

7
Nov

Breaking Boundaries: Psychedelics, Drug Policy, and the Science of Healing – Vibe Science

Vibe Science hosts Ryan Alford and Chris Hansen bring listeners on a journey through the evolving world of drug policy. Thank you for inviting SSDP’s Kat Murti and Gina Giorgio onto the podcast to discuss psychedelics, drug policy, and the science of healing. Watch the episode here.

7
Nov

With mental health concerns on the rise, psychedelic drugs may be the answer – Boston University News Service

Thank you for the Boston University News Service for their article discussing Question 4 on the Massachusetts ballot. Read the article here. “Typically, the way we approach mental healthcare is through a long path of seeing a therapist for potentially years,” said Gina Giorgio, Director of Strategy for Students for Sensible Drug Policy. “Psychedelic therapists say that treatment may only

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1
Nov

Six tips from the Students for Sensible Drug Policy to stay safe during Halloween – The Lutrinae

Thanks to The Lutrinae, the student-run newspaper covering California State University, Monterey Bay, for posting their article, “Six tips from the Students for Sensible Drug Policy to stay safe during Halloween.“ “While college students may be past their candy-collecting days, unfamiliar substances, chaotic environments and inexperience mean #Halloween can still be as risky as any horror story according to the

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29
Oct

SSDP Community Hangouts are Open to All

Community matters at SSDP, and that is why we are hosting monthly “SSDP Hangouts” for the SSDP family to get together to share upcoming projects, seek advice, and meet like-minded leaders. What to expect at a SSDP virtual hangout: Join us on zoom on November 3 at 6:00 PM ET for our next SSDP Hangout.  Bring your ideas, a helpful

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29
Oct

Documentary screening, Q&A to highlight Question 4 – Greenfield Recorder

Local advocacy groups including SSDP will host an informal reception at the Garden Cinemas on Sunday, Nov. 3, at 4:30 p.m., to discuss Yes on 4 followed by a screening of the feature-length documentary “Music for Mushrooms.” Thanks to the Recorder for mentioning SSDP in the Weekly Recorder. Read more here.

24
Oct

Countdown For Cannabis Clemency

Two years ago today, SSDP and Last Prisoner Project joined forces to mobilize a rally in Washington D.C. for cannabis justice. Our goal then (and now) is to keep reminding the President of his campaign promise to release cannabis prisoners and provide them with retroactive relief. While this administration has made progress, President Biden has yet to release a single federal

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24
Oct

Meet the Legal Team Fighting the DEA to Save Psychedelic Research – Psychedelics Today

We are grateful to Psychedelics Today for educating the community about the importance of DOI & DOC. “I have many colleagues who work with these compounds who will testify in the upcoming hearing, and that is only a subset of the research community,” said Elijah Ullman, Chair of SSDP’s Science Policy Council who has been interested in science policy since

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23
Oct

DEA Faces Setback As Judge Denies Request To Block Witnesses In Psychedelics Ban Hearing – Benzinga

In a significant development for psychedelics research, a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) administrative law judge has rejected the agency’s request to block key witnesses and evidence in an upcoming hearing. The case, set for November, challenges the DEA’s proposed ban on two psychedelic compounds, DOI and DOC, which are used in research. Thank you to Benzinga for sharing this important the DOI and DOC hearing news.

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23
Oct

Looking Ahead to Psychedelic Science 2025 in Denver next June

SSDP is proud to serve as a community partner for MAPS Psychedelic Science, taking place June 16-20, 2025 at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver.  In 2023, Psychedelic Science hosted over 12,000 guests and was the largest psychedelic gathering in the world with classes and workshops, 10 educational stages, expo hall, and Deep Space, an immersive and interactive art experience. 

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22
Oct

DEA Judge Denies Agency’s Request To Block Witnesses In Hearing Challenging Proposed Psychedelics Ban – Marijuana Moment

“Science prevails!” SSDP Executive Director Kat Murti told Marijuana Moment on Monday. “The DEA is trying to force medical research into the dark ages by criminalizing DOI and DOC—essential research chemicals in pre-clinical psychiatry and neurobiology whose status as unscheduled compounds has made them de facto tools for researchers studying serotonin receptors.” “SSDP is proud to have brought together the

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7
Oct

Investors Hangout: DEA Witness Denial Sparks Outcry Among Advocates

Published on October 7, 2024 in Investors Hangout by Owen Jenkins. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has caused quite a stir by denying testimony from important witnesses just before scheduled hearings on the potential classification of two psychedelic compounds, 2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodoamphetamine (DOI) and 2,5-dimethoxy-4-chloroamphetamine (DOC). This decision has led to significant backlash from advocates, most notably the Students for Sensible Drug Policy

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7
Oct

Benzinga: DEA Rejects Witnesses For November Hearings On Two Psychedelic Compounds, Advocates Push Back

Coverage on October 7, 2024 in Benzinga by Juan Spínelli. “What is the DEA so scared of that these leading scientists must be muzzled?” asked Robert Rush, a Denver-based attorney representing SSDP. He criticized the agency for attempting to block testimony from some of the world’s foremost experts in neuroscience and pharmacology. Read more in Benzinga here.

4
Oct

Green Market Report: DEA rejects speakers for November hearings on two psychedelic compounds

We are grateful to Debra Borchardt from Green Market Report for her coverage on the DOI/DOC hearings published on October 4, 2024. “What is the DEA so scared of that these leading scientists must be muzzled?” said Robert Rush, a Denver-based attorney who is working hand-in-hand with SSDP to keep research using DOI and DOC legal. “By trying to silence

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4
Oct

Filter: DEA Bids to Exclude Expert Witnesses From Psychedelics-Ban Hearing

Special thanks to Jack Gorsline from Filter Magazine for a deeper look into the DEA’s response to our expert witnesses for the DOI and DOC hearing. Published on October 4, 2024. “We have assembled a world-class international group of behavioral and molecular pharmacologists, chemists, neuroscientists, and a former Government Advisor on psychoactive drugs,” added SSDP’s Elijah Ullman, who is himself pursuing

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4
Oct

Marijuana Moment: DEA Seeks To Block Experts From Giving ‘Incompetent’ Testimony At Hearing On Proposed Psychedelics Ban

DOI and DOC’s current status as unscheduled compounds has made them de facto tools for researchers studying serotonin receptors. They have featured in more than 900 research articles and show promise for pain management, combatting anxiety and depression, and preventing overdose. Scheduling DOI and DOC would create serious impediments to potentially life-saving research, and yet SSDP is the only drug

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4
Oct

DEA SILENCES SCIENTISTS; STUDENT GROUP PUSHES BACK AGAIN

Contact:Gina Giorgio Director of Strategy and DevelopmentStudents for Sensible Drug Policygina@ssdp.org DEA SILENCES SCIENTISTS; STUDENT GROUP PUSHES BACK AGAIN Since 2022, Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP) Has Led the Fight to Prevent the DEA From Scheduling DOI and DOC, Which Would Create Serious Impediments to Potentially Life-Saving Research [Washington D.C., October 3, 2024] —  Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP)—a

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11
Sep

Expanding Minds – The Assembly

SSDP was mentioned in The Assembly’s article discussing how North Carolina has been part of a national movement to broaden the use of MDMA to treat post-traumatic stress disorder and quoted SSDP’s Gina Giorgio. Last year, the Health House Standing Committee of the N.C. General Assembly approved the Breakthrough Therapies Research and Advisory Act unanimously, which would allocate $5.4 million to support

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