What a year it has been for cannabis policy reform! Between the seven winning U.S. state ballot initiatives for adult use and medical cannabis legalization, the United Nations vote to remove cannabis from Schedule IV- recognizing its medicinal benefits, and the passage of the MORE Act in the United States House of Representatives, we have seen a historic blow to cannabis prohibition in 2020. Thank you to our youth members for the hard work you have put into advocacy and organizing this year and thank you to our generous supporters for making this work possible. We would not have achieved these major victories without you. 

While we’ve certainly made some major headway in dismantling cannabis prohibition worldwide, there is still so much work to be done. Marijuana is still Schedule I at the United Nations. The MORE Act’s success in the U.S. Senate hinges on the outcome of the Georgia run-off elections. The end of cannabis prohibition depends on the continued, concerted global effort to dismantle failed drug war policies and replace them with policies that not only ensure safe and legal access to cannabis but also repair the damages done by the War on Drugs and empower communities that have been the most harmed by prohibition. 

We need your help to win. From now through December 31st, SSDP Esteemed Trustees Green Lion Partners and 4Front Ventures, along with Dr. Bronner’s, are matching all gifts made to SSDP up to $55,000. Make a gift today and double your impact on ending the draconian War on Drugs and replacing it with policies rooted in compassion, science, and human rights. 

Thank you for your support. Please enjoy our November Report Card. 

Action Alerts 

• Help phone bank and text bank to get out the vote in Georgia

New Activists and Chapters

• University College Dublin (Ireland)
• London School of Economics (United Kingdom)
• SSDP New Zealand (New Zealand)

CAT leaderboard

• University of Montana
• SSDP UCL
• Oakland Community College
• University of California Santa Cruz
• Wake Forest University School of Medicine
• Michigan State University
• Occidental College
• North Dakota State University
• Western Washington University
• Montana State University

Stats

• 4592 CAT points logged this program year
• 23% of our year-end match met. Make a gift and double your impact today.
• 1 Carmen Jackman has joined SSDP’s team as Development Associate!

Network highlights

• SSDP UCL & SSDP Durham held a joint, open-discussion event on drug ethics
• Bashorun Olufemi ‘17 & Moronfolu Adeniyi ‘14 were on Ogun State, Nigeria TV (OGTV) talking about Drug Misuse: Addressing Social Economic Impact
• SSDP UCL & Volteface ran a Lobbying training based on the Principles of UK Drug Policymaking
• SSDP Africa launched a new Orientation Program 

SSDP in the news

• Montana Leads the Nation in Black Marijuana Arrest Rates. Will It Legalize? – Filter
• Biden’s ‘green wave’: Swing state Arizona may legalise marijuana as well as turn Democrat – The Independent
• NJ Marijuana Legalization: 2020 Election Results – Montclair, NJ Patch
• Celebrate the Drug Policy Wins, But Don’t Accept Drug Exceptionalism – Filter
• Investigation: Student drug culture in the age of COVID-19 – VolteFace Magazine
• Who should Biden appoint? Drug policy leaders offer plenty of options – Leafly

From the blog

• Another Historic Victory: The MORE Act has passed in the U.S. House of Representatives
• Historic Victory for Cannabis at the United Nations
• Living in a Quarantine of Violence
• Action Alert: Congress to vote on ending federal marijuana prohibition this week
• Eliminating Violence Against Women Who Use Drugs
• Global Member Highlight: Isabella Ross ‘20
• Introducing our SSDP Africa Orientation Training
• SSDP Accepting Applications for 2nd Cohort of Psychedelic Pipeline Career Mentorship Program
• What it Means for Us: 2020 U.S. General Election
• Drug Policy Reform Won the Election

Upcoming events and days of action

These events include those which are hosted by SSDP global, or by SSDP chapters, or in which we are partners or co-hosts, or feature an SSDP member as a speaker. If your chapter is hosting an event that you’d like listed, please let your SSDP staff member know. Check the “Member Benefits” section for event discount codes!

• December 10 | Worldwide | International Human Rights Day
• December 13 | Online | The Microdosing Movement
• February 20, 2021 | Online | Thank You Plant Medicine
• April 17, 2021 | Washington, DC, USA | National Cannabis Festival

Recommended reading and resources

• Orsi Fehér ‘16: Between Waves: Update on the COVID-19 and Harm Reduction Situation in Europe
• Róisín Downes ‘16: UN Green Lights Medicinal Cannabis but Fails to Challenge Colonial Legacy of its Prohibition
• Vilmarie Narloch, PsyD ‘09: Leaked FBI Report: Drug sellers practice harm reduction
• Rachel Wissner ‘11: If the Biden administration wants to rebuild the economy, it can start by decriminalizing sex work
• Rob Hofmann ‘16: The House passed the MORE Act. Is weed legal now?

Member Benefits

• Dip Devices’ Dipper – Get 15% off and give 15% to us with code “SSDP15”
• Dip Devices’ EVRI – 1% of all sales go to SSDP & MPP 
• Gift your credit card rewards to SSDP with Charity Charge 
• Work with NisonCo to propel your organization through public relations in the recreational cannabis, medical marijuana, and hemp industries.
• Arcview Ignites – Get cannabis industry expertise from the leading cannabis investor network and SSDP gets a percentage of revenue share
• Get books from our Recommended Reading list and give back at the same time
• Shop to give back with iGive, Giving Assistant, and Amazon Smile
• Eco-Ag U Online from Acres U.S.A. – Get 15% off of any course or rewatch with discount code “SSDP15”
• Oaksterdam University – Get $100 off any course till 2021 with the code “SSDP100”

Jobs and opportunities

• U.S. Federal Policy Liaison – Students for Sensible Drug Policy
• Floor Supervisor (Dispensary)  – 4Front Ventures
• Supply Chain Demand Planner – 4Front Ventures
• Financial Reporting Director/Controller – 4Front Ventures
• Kitchen Supervisor – 4Front Ventures
• Transport Driver – 4Front Ventures
• Security Associate (Dispensary) – 4Front Ventures
• Retail Associate (Dispensary) – 4Front Ventures
• Automated Packaging Associate – 4Front Ventures
• Packaging Associate – 4Front Ventures
• Cultivation Associate – 4Front Ventures
• Kitchen Associate – 4Front Ventures
• Cultivation Associate – 4Front Ventures
• Consultant – Facilitate reflection workshop – YouthRISE
• Consultant – Report on Universal Health Coverage & Young People Who Use Drugs – YouthRISE
• Automation Technician – Dr. Bronner’s
• Bulk Manufacturing Operator – Dr. Bronner’s
• Employment Specialist – Dr. Bronner’s
• Packaging Engineer – Dr. Bronner’s
• Recycling and Waste Diversion Coordinator – Dr. Bronner’s
• R&D Technician – Dr. Bronner’s
• Senior eCommerce Manager – Dr. Bronner’s
• Social Media Community Specialist – Dr. Bronner’s
• Volunteers Vacancy – Harm Reduction International
• Consultant – Eurasian Harm Reduction Association