Here’s what’s going on in the SSDP network this month:

Recent chapter accomplishments

Midwest Region

• Luke Zona from Bowling Green State University took his naloxone recommendations to the university chief of police, fire, and public health, and they thought it was such a good idea they’re beginning to work to implement it in the entire county.
• Reid Murdoch and Sam Estenson of University of Michigan Law are involved with a harm reduction spoke of the local opiate crisis task force. The task force has invited our chapter leaders to their meeting in January where they will work on various policy proposals.

Pacific Region

• Katie Stone, Eric Gudz and Catherine Gilbert from UC Davis testified at city planning commission and convinced them to not ban medical cannabis in the city of Davis. 40 people were there and weren’t expecting to hear about medical cannabis.
• 70 people showed up at UC Berkeley’s MDMA Health and Safety event.

Northeast Region

• Leland Radovonovic and Jake Plowden, from CUNY Baruch SSDP, and SSDP Board member Stephanie Izquieta participated in the filming of a DPA short film centered around youth drug education.

Southwest Region

• Zack Brown, chapter leader from from Texas A&M, will be interning with Jessalyn McCurdy of ACLU on clemency and sentencing reform in Washington DC during the Spring 2016 semester.
• University of New Mexico Law School Chapter Leader Brett Phelps was quoted in NM paper on a proposed Decriminalization bill.

International Region

• Jacob van Loghem from University of Auckland has been in touch with a member of the Auckland city council who is head of a department called Community Action Youth and Drugs. They are working together to create an Advocacy Alliance with members of SSDP, council, and relevant professional areas to educate and push for change.

New chapters

Midwest Region

• Ferris State University (MI)
• University of Kentucky (KY)
• Wayne State University (MI)

Pacific Region

• University of California Irvine (CA)

Southwest Region

• Prescott College (AZ)

Upcoming Events (chapter and partner orgs)

International

• April 15 – 17, 2016; Washington, DC: SSDP2016
• Submit session proposals here

Southwest Region

• New Mexico State Lobby Day, January 26, 2016 at the New Mexico State Senate and New Mexico State House of Representatives, Santa Fe, NM 87501
• Arizona State Lobby Day, Date TBD at the Arizona State Capitol, 1700 Washington Street, Phoenix, AZ 85007

As you know, most SSDP chapters are just getting back to campus this week or next. Watch for upcoming events in February in the next Monthly FYI.

SSDP Staff Recommended reading/links/resources

• Tyler: The stories of injection drug users, from the Harm Reduction Action Center in Denver, CO.
• Scott:The Devil (and Drugs) in the Details: Portugal’s Focus on Public Health as a Model for Decriminalization of Drugs in Mexico, written by former SSDP Board member and current ACLU San Diego attorney, Kellen Russoniello
• Frances: We Are All Drug Users – Drug Policy Alliance
• Jake: Jake is on vacation in Korea/Japan right now. So, here is picture of him petting a deer in Japan.

That’s all for this month; now get out there and change some laws!