Action
SSDP’s Policy Council is Seeking New Tactical Team Members
Students for Sensible Drug Policy is seeking new student, alumni, and supporter leaders to join our Policy Council’s Tactical Team! We’ve had a lot of great victories this year: the second passage of the MORE Act in the House of Representatives, a public launch for one of our campaigns to remove funding for enforcing low-level drug penalties at the local level, and our
Youth organizers pass the first marijuana decriminalization ordinance in Denton
Congratulations to the University of North Texas Students for Sensible Drug Policy (UNT SSDP) chapter and Decriminalize Denton for passing Denton Proposition B: the city’s first marijuana decriminalization ordinance! The initiative to eliminate low-level marijuana enforcement passed with an overwhelming majority at 71.6% of the votes. Tristan Seikel ’18, a UNT SSDP Alumnus and founder of Decriminalize Denton, shared his
10 Days Left to Apply for Support. Don’t Punish Grant!
The Support. Don’t Punish Global Day of Action is a day that drug policy reform activists across the world join together in action to fight for drug policies based on human rights and harm reduction to counter the War on Drugs. There are small grants to support your activities, and the deadline for application is Friday, the 29th of April.
We need your help in growing our infrastructure to continue the momentum
SSDP’s policy team has had some incredible victories this year, and we need your help in growing our infrastructure to continue the momentum! In 2022 alone, we have launched campaigns at the local, state and federal level. Dollar for dollar, SSDP has been incredibly effective at using our limited resources to advance sensible policies across the country. See below for
Huge Victory Against Aerial Crop Eradication in Colombia!
Thanks to the persistent grassroots resistance by Indigenous communities in Colombia like the Nasa Tribe, Colombia’s Constitutional Court has paused the aerial fumigation of coca plants, ruling that the government failed to consult communities affected by the spraying of toxic chemicals onto their land. The Court ruled that the Duque administration must fully consult with potentially affected communities before the
SSDP Event: Follow The Money! Taking Federal Action On Drug Policy Through Appropriations
Money. We all need it, and Congress has a lot of it. In July, the House Appropriations Committee passed a bill to allocate almost $69.5 million to expand syringe service programs – quadrupling the funding that was allocated last year. The Biden Administration has been slowly adopting more harm reduction-related language when discussing issues of drug policy but it is
WAKE FOREST SCHOOL OF MEDICINE STUDENTS FOR SENSIBLE DRUG POLICY SUCCESSFULLY BANS THE BOX ON THEIR SCHOOL APPLICATION
Interview with Lindsey Galbo, Wake Forest SOM SSDP Chapter President Lindsey Galbo ‘19 is the Founder and President of the Wake Forest School of Medicine Students for Sensible Drug Policy chapter. Lindsey and the rest of the Wake Forest SOM chapter have focused primarily on the intersection of harm reduction, scientific research, education, and policy change. They’ve worked with local
Action Alert: Tell Your Senators to Eliminate Appalling Sentencing Disparities Between Crack and Powder Cocaine
It is time to end the disparity in prison sentences between crack and powder cocaine-related offenses. Urge your Senators to vote YES on the EQUAL Act!In 1986, the Anti Drug Abuse Act created a 100:1 disparity between the federal mandatory minimum sentence for crack and powder cocaine. Almost a quarter century later, President Obama signed the Fair Sentencing Act, reducing
SSDP International Opens Registration for the Annual UN Training Webinar Series
Following the launch of the Second Edition of Drug Policy Reform at the United Nations: A Youth Advocacy Handbook, SSDP International is proud to open registration for the Annual UN Training Webinar Series.Both international and US network members are welcome to sign up using the SSDP UN Mailing List.
The European Drug Policy Working Group is Recruiting New Members!
Shaping its strategy around the EU Agenda and Action Plan on Drugs 2021-2025, the Drug Policy Working Group is looking to expand youth participation in decision making and other democratic processes at a regional level. If you have ever wished to make tangible change in the drug policy landscape of your country and/or at the European level, joining this regional Working Group is the ideal starting point in your advocacy journey.
Announcing SSDP International’s Extraordinary Board Elections and General Assembly
In light of recent changes within the SSDP International team, we are delighted to announce that nominations are now open for network members interested in joining the SSDP International Board of Directors! Nominations will be open until August 30th, when the election candidates will be announced. On September 13th, online voting will open, and the successful candidates will be announced at the Extraordinary General Assembly on Monday the 20th of September.
SSDP’s European Committee is Recruiting New Members for its Harm Reduction Working Group
The SSDP European Committee is happy to open its doors to the freshly formed Harm Reduction Working Group. If you’re a chapter member, alumni, or Ambassador in Europe, then this is your chance to contribute to regional efforts while boosting opportunities and resources for your own local area.
Action: U.S Policy Council Collecting Comments for Senate Cannabis Legalization Bill
The Offices of Senator Schumer, Booker, and Wyden are accepting comments on specific parts of the Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act (CAOA), the Senate cannabis legalization bill released in July. The U.S Policy Council is collecting comments to submit on behalf of SSDP. Much like the MORE Act in the House, the CAOA would remove marijuana from the federal Controlled
SSDP Newsletter – July 2021
Note from Executive Director, Jason Ortiz ’08 Hello SSDP! As the new Executive Director of SSDP, I’m excited to share all the amazing work we’ve been doing over the last few months to pass cannabis laws, create opportunities in the psychedelic space, and continue to lift the voices of those most impacted by the war on drugs. If after reading
#SensibleSummer – How to Make the Best of Your Summer as a SSDPer
In some parts of the world summer is in full swing, and we’ve put together a bank of ideas to help you and your chapter make the most of your summer!
Less Than 50 Days Until International Overdose Awareness Day
With less than 50 days to go until International Overdose Awareness Day, now is the time to start planning your event, if you haven’t started already. For those who aren’t used to organising events, don’t worry, we have a fantastic bank of event ideas, big and small, created by the Penington Institute. There’s one for everyone! Advocacy Influencing policy is
Take Action for International Overdose Awareness Day 2021
This year is the 20th anniversary of International Overdose Awareness Day. With over half a million people dying as a result of drug use annually, it has never been more important. On the 31st of August every year, we publicly mourn, educate people on drugs to prevent overdose, and advocate for better drug policies. We are calling on SSDPers everywhere to run events as part of the campaign.
SSDP Sign-On Letter: Oppose Aerial Crop Eradication
Students for Sensible Drug Policy is circulating a sign-on letter for organizations and SSDP chapters to urge Congress to eliminate funding for aerial crop eradication in Colombia on the bases of environmental justice, human rights, public health, and sensible drug policy. In 2014, the World Health Organization found that Glyphosate, which is used in aerial fumigation, was and is responsible
Join The Team – Call for Global Fellow & Administration Officer
Students for Sensible Drug Policy International are looking for a Administration & Compliance Officer and a Global Fellow to join our team. Both positions are contractor positions, with a preferred start date of July 1st 2021. Please send your CV or resumé and cover letter to Róisín Downes at roisin@ssdp.org.
SSDP International is launching applications for the International Impact Grant on 15 June 2021!
SSDP International is launching applications for the International Impact Grant on 1 July 2021!
SSDP Sign-On Letter To Support the MORE Act
Students for Sensible Drug Policy is circulating a sign-on letter for organizations and SSDP chapters to call on House representatives to co-sponsor the MORE Act and bring it to the floor in June. The impact of a simple marijuana arrest on a young person’s life can be drastic. Before the Higher Education Act Aid Elimination Penalty was removed, thousands of
Statement on Supreme Court Decision to Lift Restrictions on Sentencing Juveniles to Life Without Parole
A week ago, the Supreme Court ruled to lift restrictions on hard-line sentencing and mandatory minimums—making it easier for juveniles to be sentenced to life without parole. The ruling is in favor of harsh sentencing and mandatory minimums—overruling precedent to reform the U.S criminal justice system and undermining decades of reform meant to bring compassion and reason to youth sentencing.
Statement on Congress Voting to Extend Trump-Era Class-Wide Scheduling and Mandatory Minimum Sentencing of Fentanyl Analogues
Written by Sarah Noon ‘18On Wednesday, the House of Representatives voted to extend the Trump-era scheduling of fentanyl analogues, chemically similar substances—an approach that fails to mitigate overdose deaths, to mitigate other harms associated with substance use, and expands the use of harsh mandatory minimum sentencing laws currently set to expire May 6th. Today, the Senate will vote on the
SSDP Action Alert – We Need Your Support To Fund Drug Research!
Original action alert language written by Lindsey Galbo ’19, Wake Forest University School of Medicine SSDP Chapter Leader and Scientific Research Issue Group Member As drug policy reformers, it is important for us to recognize the necessity of funding drug research to better understand factors that contribute to different types of substance use, new potential pharmacological and behavioral treatments, harm
