Tag: New York
Top 10 Drug Policy Reform Moments of 2021
by Robert Hofmann and Mike Liszewski With 2021 drawing to a close, Students for Sensible Drug Policy is reflecting on the drug policy milestones and victories over the past twelve months. Despite the challenges to political organizing that COVID provided, SSDPers and other drug policy reform advocates were busy advancing sensible laws and programs to end criminalization, reduce the harms
Join SSDP for psychedelic events in New York City this week
This week, Students for Sensible Drug Policy will be in New York City for the Horizons: Perspectives on Psychedelics Conference. To register with our special discount code for students + youth, email carmen@ssdp.org. We’ll also be co-hosting three side events during the conference! Check out the schedule below: Thursday, December 2nd – Psychedelic New York: Community, Advocacy, and Connection Location:
Introducing New York Law School SSDP!
Written by Alana Hans ’19, Chapter Leader of New York Law School SSDP How did you hear about Students for Sensible Drug Policy? I met Scott Cecil at the Cannabis Law Institute at George Washington University Law School and he told me all about SSDP. Scott also mentioned he was a regular guest on a podcast titled Marijuana Today. I
Introducing SSDP Buffalo!
Written by Jack Quon ’19, Chapter Leader of SSDP Buffalo How did you hear about SSDP? I was referred to SSDP by Charleen from the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) , in response to my questions about young people in the psychedelic community. Why did you want to get involved/what made you decide to start a chapter?
Finding my passion for harm reduction
In high school, I dated someone who I thought was going to be my soulmate for almost 4 years. After watching his life change due to his chaotic relationship with opiates, and knowing I would never be able to help him, I became inspired to go to college and become a therapist specializing in substance use disorders. During and after
Introducing the Syracuse University SSDP Chapter
I’m thrilled to announce that we have a new SSDP chapter in New York at Syracuse University! I spoke with the chapter leader, Analise Sesay, about what they have accomplished so far and discussed their goals for the future. How did you hear about SSDP? I was referred to SSDP by Kamani Jefferson. Why did you want to get involved/what made you
Introducing the Ithaca College SSDP Chapter!
I’m thrilled to announce that SSDP has returned to Ithaca College! After being inactive for a couple of years, the chapter has been revived by TJ Horgan, a sophomore journalism major. After chatting with me a month ago he immediately went to work forming an executive board and hosting an inaugural meeting. I spoke with TJ and his exec board
The Criminal Justice Approach to Opiate Abuse is Failing in New York
Written by SUNY Albany Graduate School SSDP chapter leader Lauren Parasconda. The Opiate Epidemic in the United States has expanded into many cities, towns, and states across the U.S at an alarming rate over the last few years. In New York City alone, Staten Island is currently leading the way in the number of opiate/heroin-related deaths amongst the other 4
SSDP Welcomes the SUNY Albany Graduate School Chapter!
I’m thrilled to introduce our newest SSDP chapter in New York at SUNY Albany Graduate School! Over the past year, the SUNY Albany SSDP chapter has been among the most efficient and active chapters in the entire network. Several of the members, including chapter leader Lauren Parasconda, graduated last year and made the decision to start up a new SSDP
A Response to the Brooklyn K2 Overdoses
In response to an article comparing people under the influence of the synthetic cannabis substance K2 to “the walking dead,” CUNY Baruch SSDP chapter leader Leland Radovanovic submitted the following editorial to the NY Daily News. Prohibition strikes again, this time in the form of a synthetic pseudo cannabinoid created as an alternative to cannabis that doesn’t show up on
NY SSDP Students Lobby to End Discrimination on College Application
Written by SSDP NY State Policy Intern and New York University SSDP Chapter Leader Robert Belpasso IOur lobby day aimed to draw support for legislation that would declare criminal history screenings on the college application a discriminatory process. Senate Bill 969, introduced by Senator Velmanette Montgomery, would restrict all New York institutions of higher education from performing criminal history screenings
SSDP Introduces our 2016 State Policy Interns
Pushing the State Policy Envelope As our national staff continues to grow, we are very excited to announce that we are piloting new state policy internships in New Mexico, New York, and Arizona this year. The State Policy Interns are primarily responsible for monitoring, analyzing, reporting on, and developing appropriate student response to state-level drug policy, particularly those policies which
SSDP Welcomes the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Chapter
I am pumped to introduce our newest chapter in New York at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute! With the addition of RPI, SSDP now has a presence on 18 campuses in New York, one of the highest totals of any state in the country. In the month since this chapter started up, I have been blown away by their organization, compassion, and
SSDP Welcomes the Hunter College Chapter
I am thrilled to announce our newest chapter in New York City, Hunter College! Chapter leader Sabrina Bodé is an SSDP veteran, having previously served as chapter leader of the SUNY New Paltz chapter before transferring to Hunter this semester. She has already made an impact on her campus and is striving to create a vibrant network of student activism
Invest in students like Stephanie
We know there are many worthy organizations vying for your attention as you consider making year-end gifts, and that Students for Sensible Drug Policy is just one of them. That’s why I wanted to take a moment to remind you that when you give to SSDP, you’re also making an investment in the future. You see, students often come to us
New York Passes Medical Marijuana Bill: The Compassionate Care Act
The days leading up to the end of the legislative session in Albany, New York could have been described as disquieting and tense. New Yorkers have been trying for years to persuade Governor Cuomo to sign a medical marijuana bill in New York. In the past two years, a delegation of patients, caregivers, healthcare providers, SSDP chapters, and endorsing organizations
SSDP Welcomes the State University of New York at Buffalo Chapter!
I’m pumped to introduce our newest established chapter at the State University of New York at Buffalo! I spoke with chapter leader Gabriela Zappi about her experience so far and her plans moving forward: How did you hear about SSDP? I heard about SSDP from a friend at NYU where I used to go to school who got me
SSDP Tulane takes action on Smarter Sentencing Act, S. 1410
Written by Emma Tuttleman-Krieger, President of the Tulane University SSDP chapter In the midst of final exams week, SSDP Tulane organized an “Activism Study Break” to help students urge their senators to vote in favor of mandatory minimum sentencing reform like the Smarter Sentencing Act (SSA), S. 1410. Families Against Mandatory Minimums (FAMM) initiated a national call-in day on December 11th which provided short
SSDP Welcomes Our Newest Chapter at SUNY Binghamton
SSDP is happy to announce that another chapter has joined our student activist network this week! SUNY Binghamton SSDP has recently become established on campus, and chapter leader, Stephanie Izquieta, is excited to get to work changing policy in the Empire State. I was lucky enough to have the chance to catch up with Stephanie last week about SSDP. Here
Horizons: Perspectives on Psychedelics 2013 NYC Conference
From October 11-13 a group of “scientists, artists, activists, seekers and scholars” will come together to learn about and discuss psychedelic drugs in the contexts of science, healing and spirituality. This event is an annual forum that brings people together to learn more about the uses and benefits of psychedelics. Among the distinguished speakers will be
SSDP and "The Cause B Show" Join Forces in Brooklyn
IMMEDIATE RELEASE | BROOKLYN, NY Thursday, August 16th “The Cause B Show: LIGHT em UP”, at Over the Eight (594 Union Ave, Union and Richardson) a stand-up comedy show featuring some of New York City’s top comedians raising money for Students for Sensible Drug Policy. The event is the third in a continuing series of shows produced solely to benefit causes in need. In addition to the
SSDP's 911 Good Samaritan Policy Database Updated
Special thanks to our intern Greg Weeks for researching and compiling this data, as well as writing this blog post. We’ve updated our database of colleges and universities with 911 Good Samaritan (also referred to as medical amnesty) policies! We found and catalogued 186 institutions and 21 states with such policies in place. The full list of schools can be found
One Million Police Hours Spent on Marijuana Arrests in NYC
A new report released yesterday shows us that during the last ten years, the NYPD has spent approximately 1,000,000 police hours arresting people for marijuana possession. In that time, they have managed to arrest over 440,000 people for minor marijuana charges, costing taxpayers over 75 million dollars last year alone. These are hours that police officers might have otherwise have
Reflections on Hempstravaganza
Written By: Samantha Goldman In April of 2011, I would have never dreamed that I would coordinate a week of events the following April to educate my peers at Ithaca College in Ithaca, New York about the wrongful prohibition of industrial hemp growth in America under marijuana laws and the plant’s potential economic, health, and environmental benefits. It was my
Ithaca College enacts marijuana/alcohol equalization policy
Starting this fall semester, Ithaca College will punish both marijuana and alcohol violations the same. Over the past year, Ithaca College’s chapter of SSDP has worked with the Student Government Association and the administration on the details of the new “equalization policy”, which was included with other recommendations from the Alcohol and Other Drug Prevention (AOD) Team that would change
