Happy New Year from SSDP!

This was an amazing year for Students for Sensible Drug Policy!

We helped bring the issue of marijuana legalization into the national spotlight by launching the Just Say Now campaign, a project with our friends at Firedoglake, that provided important tools like a free online phone banking system for activists around the country to call voters in four states with marijuana reforms on the ballot.

Our chapter network continues to expand throughout the U.S. and with the addition of an international liaison, SSDP is now rapidly expanding outside of the states and into key places like Mexico City. And for the first time, we hosted our international conference on the west coast and with over 500 people, it was our largest conference to date! Now that 2010 is behind us, we're looking forward to 2011.

This is the last chance to give a tax-deductible gift in 2010, so please consider donating today. Our goals in 2011 are ambitious, and we couldn't do what we do without the generous support of people like you.

Happy New Year from SSDP's National Team,
Aaron, Jon, Stacia, Patrick, Garret & Edward

P.S. There's still one day left to get the early-bird discount when you register for our 2011 Training Conference & Lobby Day at the University of Maryland, March 17-19, 2011. More details at conference.ssdp.org

Chapter Leader of the Week: Hilary Dulin, Northeastern University

Name: Hilary Dulin
Title: Co-founder & President, NU SSDP
School: Northeastern University, Class of 2011
Major: Behavioral Neuroscience

SSDP: When did you 1st get involved with SSDP?
Hilary: I got involved in Fall of 2008 when I met Kevin Franciotti who was working on bringing SSDP to Northeastern. I became involved and helped to found the chapter.

SSDP: What issues are important for your chapter?
Hilary: Enrollment: Keeping things interesting and getting new people not only interested but staying involved

Education: Getting out information about our group through events, and making sure our students know about their rights on campus and off

We also have members working on Good Samaritan Policies in Massachusetts, and plan to lobby for both the Medical Marijuana and Marijuana legalization bills when they are reintroduced in January.

SSDP: Do you have any events planned for the this semester?
Hilary: Yes! We are starting Wire Wednesdays, showing the wire on the off-weeks of our bi-weekly meetings

Panel on Modern Perspectives in Psychedelic Medicine: Rick Doblin, Michael Mithoefer, and John Halpern, are coming to talk about modern research on psychedelics (in humans!) and the social implications of that research on February 8th.

And of course going to the Training Conference in March!

SSDP: What do you like best about being part of SSDP?
Hilary: That its a real and necessary thing. Not only are we making change with in our campus and greater communities, but as a chapter leader I realized the importance of having someone to talk to who knows the system after getting busted. Good advice and a place to turn to can make a lot of difference!

SSDP: Do you have any advice for other chapter leaders?
Hilary: Never give up! We had a rough year last year and had only 3 returning members (including myself), now we have 10-15 solid members and have hosted 1 successful event and have two more that we already have funding for.

Ask for help. You will drive your self crazy trying to do and make every decision on your own. Its much better to get people to be involved and love it as much as you do.