Party Tickets Going Fast! Get Yours Today!

Wow! We only have a small amount of $15 student tickets left for Saturday's Benefit Concert and Awards Banquet featuring Roots of Creation. Save money and ensure your spot at this amazing event. It's looking like the party will completely sell out.

SSDP is pulling out all the stops this one. Plenty of delicious food, 2 amazing live bands, live painting from Vorcan and we'll be giving awards to some of our best chapters, activists and supporters.

Don't miss out.  

Check out the video above to see Roots of Creation in action!

Student Ticket Price Reduced for Benefit Concert!

We can't wait to see you this weekend! We also can't wait for the party / concert / awards banquet that's happening Saturday night. And if you act quick, you can get a huge discount on your ticket.

Thanks to party sponsorships from the Berkeley Patients Group, Cannabis Buyers Club of Berkeley, and El Camino Wellness Center, we're now able to offer a limited number of discounted tickets to students on a first-come first-served basis! The next 100 students to buy tickets through our website will get them for just $15! After that point, the price will go back up to $25.

Remember, we'll be providing food at the event, so that's included in the cost of the ticket. And if you're under 21, it'll be hard to find anything else to do that evening, since we've booked one of the only all-ages venues in the city. The venue capacity is limited, so if you don't buy your ticket early, you might not get one at all.

Roots of Creation is going to bring the house down on at this party folks! We've also got well known Seattle natives Panda Conspiracy opening up with the funk and live painting from the masterminds of Vorcan!

 So what are you waiting for? Don't miss out on one of the most enjoyable, memorable nights of your life - buy your ticket now! http://www.ssdp.org/conference/party

And then RSVP via Facebook here: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=290009030731

See you soon!

*The $15 discounted rate only applies to current students.
*If you already bought your ticket for $25, we can refund you $10 at the party by request.

Conference Schedule and Program is Now Available!

AT-A-GLANCE SCHEDULE
Download the full conference program here

Thursday, March 11, 2010 Early Arrival

7:00pm-10:00pm

Registration

Comfort Inn By The Bay

Friday, March 12, 2010 Field Trip Day

8:30am-12:30pm	Registration & Bus Tour Sign-ups	Comfort Inn By The Bay
10:00am-2:30pm	1st Trip To Oakland	Comfort Inn By the Bay
12:30pm-5:00pm	2nd Trip To Oakland	Comfort Inn By the Bay
5:30pm-7:30pm	Meet and Greet	Fleet Room, Fort Mason
8:00pm-10:00pm	SSDP Congress, part 1	Fleet Room, Fort Mason
8:00pm-11:00pm	Alumni Dinner	Alegrias (restaurant) 2018 Lombard Street

Saturday, March 13, 2010 Drug War Education Day

8:30am-4:30pm	Registration	Cowell Theatre Box Office, Fort Mason
9:00am-10:00am	Breakfast	Cowell Lobby, Fort Mason
10:00am-11:15am	Opening Plenary	Cowell Theatre Box Office, Fort Mason
11:30am-12:35pm	Breakout Panel Session I Option 1: Medical Marijuana Dispensaries Option 2: Psychedelics Option 3: Local & State Drug Policy Reform	Fort Mason Center Option 1: Firehouse Option 2: Golden Gate Option 3: C260
12:35pm-1:30pm	Lunch	Fleet Room, Fort Mason
1:30pm-2:40pm	Breakout Panel Session II Option 1: Mexico's Drug War Option 2: Marijuana Legalization Option 3: Racism & The Drug War Option 4: Harm Reduction	Fort Mason Center Option 1: Cowell Theatre Option 2: Firehouse Option 3: Golden Gate Option 4: C260
2:55pm-4:00pm	Breakout Panel Session III Option 1: Legalizing All Drugs Option 2: Women & Drug Policy Option 3: SSDP's International Network	Fort Mason Center Option 1: Cowell Theatre Option 2: Firehouse Option 3: C260
4:15pm-5:00pm	Keynote: Rep. Tom Ammiano	Cowell Theatre, Fort Mason
5:00pm-5:15pm	Group Photo	Cowell Theatre, Fort Mason
5:15pm-6:45pm	SSDP Congress, part 2	Cowell Theatre, Fort Mason
7:30pm-1:00am	Concert, Party & Awards Banquet Doors: 7:30 Food: 8 First Band: 8:30 Awards 9:15 Roots of Creation: 10:30	Broadway Studios

Sunday, March 14, 2010 Advocacy Skills Training Day

9:30am-10:15am	Breakfast	Cowell Theatre Lobby
10:15am-10:45am	Keynote: Gov. Gary Johnson	Cowell Theatre, Fort Mason
11:00am-12:15pm	Breakout Workshop Session I Option 1: Media Relations Option 2: Chapter Organizing 101 Option 3: Coalition Building Option 4: Lobbying	Fort Mason Center Option 1: C235 Option 2: C260 Option 3: C362 Option 4: C370
12:30pm-1:30pm	Networking Luncheon Option 1: MAPS Marijuana Research Campaign Option 2: California Tax & Regulate Initiative Option 3: Spirituality & Drug Policy Reform Option 4: Marijuana is SAFER	Fort Mason Center Option 1: C235 Option 2: C260 Option 3: C362 Option 4: C370
1:45pm-3:00pm	Breakout Workshop Session II Option 1: Event Planning Option 2: Campus Change Campaign Option 3: Student Government Option 4: Online Advocacy	Fort Mason Center Option 1: C235 Option 2: C260 Option 3: C362 Option 4: C370
3:15pm-4:15pm	Breakout Workshop Session III Option 1: Chapter Organizing 101 Option 2: Campus Change Campaign Option 3: Joyous Activism Option 4: Effective Messaging	Fort Mason Center Option 1: C235 Option 2: C260 Option 3: C362 Option 4: C370
4:30pm-5:00pm	Wrap-Up and Farewell	Cowell Theatre, Fort Mason
5:15pm-6:30pm	Film Screening: 10 Rules For Dealing With Police	Cowell Theatre, Fort Mason

Haven't registered yet or need some info on travel? Then head on over to the official conference site!

You can still help send students to SSDP's conference!

In a little over 1 week, Students for Sensible Drug Policy will host it's biggest and most impressive conference to date. Will you help students from all around the world make it out?

Let's face it. College students are broke. That's why SSDP has set up a scholarship fund to help cover the costs of travel and lodging for students to make it out to San Francisco on March 12. So far, we've granted scholarships to nearly 200 students who otherwise wouldn't be able to attend. Students like:

• Levent Akubult who has spawned SSDP's first UK chapter network
• 10 students from the University of Utah who are working on a statewide Good Samaritan Policy
• Miguel Garcia from the University of Texas Pan American, a school located on the border between the U.S. and drug war ravaged Mexico
• 6 members of the Northern Virgina Community College SSDP chapter
• Many more! 

As you can see, these scholarships are here to help some of the best and brightest students from around the world attend this amazing conference when they otherwise would not have been able to.  From March 12-14, these students will learn the skills to build a strong SSDP chapter and bring an end the failed war on drugs.

And don't just take our word for it! You can hear from SSDP chapters and students themselves just how important your donation is to ensuring that they make it out to the conference. Watch here.

Donate whatever you can today and let's get even more students out to SSDP's 11th Annual Conference!

SSDP Conference Benefit Party: March 13 in San Francisco!

Just Announced!

On Saturday, March 13, join SSDP and supporters at Broadway Studios for a benefit concert featuring Roots of Creation!

Tickets are limited and on sale now for only $25. If tickets are left, they will be $30 at the door so buy early to secure your spot and save $5.

Broadway Studios is a beautiful venue located in the historic North Beach district of San Francisco and this will be one party you can't miss.

Live musical performances from Roots of Creation (check out their song "Legalize and Tax It"), The Panda Conspiracy and there will be live painting from Vorcan (if you've got some 3D glasses layin' around, bring em!). Your $25 ticket not only includes all this this amazing live entertainment but we will be providing food for all party attendees. Plus, there are 3 cash bars, a light show, mezzanine seating, a SSDP slide show projected throughout the party and a photobooth where you can get your picture taken and printed out with the SSDP logo and date! How cool is that?

Tickets are limited and can be reserved here. Don't wait to until the last minute and miss out!

If you're interested in becoming a sponsor of the party, contact us.

 

Facebook Event Page

This is Your Brain on Drug Policy! Any Questions?

It's almost here! SSDP's 11th Annual International Conference. Check out what we have in store for you:

Tom Ammiano
California State Representative and Lead Sponsor of Marijuana Legalization Bill (AB390)

Gary Johnson
Former Governor of the State of New Mexico

Ethan Nadelmann
Executive Director, Drug Policy Alliance

This conference features a diverse schedule of panels and workshop and each is organized around a guiding question...

Saturday: Drug War Education Day

• What does a model medical marijuana dispensary look like?
• What is harm reduction?
• What would a legal marijuana market look like?
• What is the latest in psychedelic research?
• Should we legalize all drugs?
• How does U.S. drug policy affect Latin America?
• How does drug policy reform intersect with gender equality?
• Why are students vital to our movement?

Sunday: Training Workshops

• Persuading decision-makers (lobbying)
• Changing campus policies
• Building coalitions
• Working with the media
• Running an effective SSDP chapter
• Working with student government
• Online organizing
• Organizing successful events

You'll be able to take tours of a medical marijuana dispensary and Oaksterdam University! There will be a benefit concert on Saturday evening featuring Roots of Creation! Beautiful views of the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz! I'm so excited I can't stop using exclamation points! Believe it or not, there's even more to come.

If you haven't registered yet, do so today. And if you're a student and want to come but can't afford the trip, we've got you covered; apply for a conference scholarship and we will help get you to San Francisco. 

Houston SSDP Launches Good Samaritan Policy Campaign

The SSDP chapter at the University of Houston SSDP chapter has launched their Good Samaritan Policy campaign this semester.

“Our immediate goal is to get a Good Samaritan Law passed and to encourage the students to get involved,” said political science senior Michael Blunk, founder of the UH’s SSDP chapter and member of the National Board of Directors. “Beyond that, we just want to promote any sort of policy that is going to help the students and keep them out of harm’s way.”


The chapter was covered in their school's newspaper, The Daily Cougar about their on campus efforts for a GSP and chapter leader/board member Michael Blunk gave some great quotes. In fact, about half of the article is just awesome quotes from Michael!


Pushing for a Good Samaritan Policy is one of the most important campaigns a SSDP chapter can take on. These are life saving policies that encourage all students to call 911 in the event of an alcohol or other drug related emergency. 

If your chapter wants to run a Good Samaritan Policy campaign, visit our campaign resources page and call your Outreach Director.

UMD SSDP Starts Semester Off Strong

SSDP's rock star chapter at the University of Maryland - College Park started the semester off strong by hosting a screening of the 2004 ABC News special, Ecstasy Rising. They even managed to pull off a Q&A via Skype with MAPS Executive Director Rick Doblin!

This was an impressive event that turned out over 50 students and showcases the misinformation spread about MDMA by NIDA. Ecstasy Rising documents the drug's rise in popularity in the U.S. and discusses the real risks of MDMA use while explaining that the government's war on ecstasy was based on a study that didn't even involve MDMA and "accidently" used meth. Remember hearing that ecstasy puts holes in your brain? That's the study.

The UMD chapter is no stranger to media coverage, especially by their on campus newspaper: The Diamondback. The event, titled Ecstasy: The Good, The Bad, and The Truth was covered by The Diamondback and featured some great quotes from chapter leader and SSDP board member Irina Alexander:

“Nobody really knows where to go for reliable drug information,” said junior criminology and criminal justice major Irina Alexander, president of SSDP. “We’re not encouraging ecstasy use in any way, but we’re trying to give students the resources necessary to make decisions based on fact.”

I think this serves as a great example of how to put on a successful event. UMD SSDP covered all the bases and by working together as a team, made it clear that every SSDP chapter should and could be doing the same amazing work as UMD.

Here's some tips on putting together a great event:

1.) Decide on an event with your chapter (movie screening, LEAP speaker, etc...)

2.) Reserve a room on campus

3.) Create a Facebook Event associated with your chapter's Facebook group (if your chapter doesn't have a facebook group create one immediately and ask your SSDP Outreach Director for help if you need it!)

4.) Create posters and put them up in high-traffic areas on campus

5.) Ask your faculty advisor or other teachers to offer extra-credit to students that attend the event.

6.) Send a press-release to your school's paper and local media. (It's easier than you think!)

7.) Ask other groups on campus to co-sponsor.

8.) Provide refreshments like coffee, soda, and pizza.

9.) Table on campus the day of the event and hand out 1/4 sheet flyers.

10.) Be prepared. Bring email sign up sheets, pens and SSDP materials and encourage people to join SSDP.

11.) Have fun!

All of those steps together (minus tabling) probably take about 1.5 hrs of time! Less if you can delegate responsibilities effectively.

Sure, I left out some aspects like getting funding from your school, but that should never hold you back. Screening documentaries will often not cost your chapter a dime and can create a large turnout if publicized right. Plus,  I don't want to spoil everything you will learn about organizing events at SSDP's 11th Annual International Conference!

So come on SSDP! Who's gonna out do UMD?

5 Days in Jail for Possession of... Candy

A lot of SSDP chapters hold seminars on knowing your rights as a citizen, and knowing how to handle encounters with police officers. The main takeaway from these events is that you should ALWAYS say NO to search requests from police officers. This recent story demonstrates perfectly why you do this, even if you know you're not guilty of anything wrong.

From the New York Post: Two Bronx men free after ‘drugs’ turn out to be candy via Drug WarRant via The Agitator

Two Bronx men were locked up and left to rot in a filthy jail cell for nearly a week after a pair of cops mistook their candy for a bag of crack.

The “drugs” were finally tested five days later and determined to be popular Coco (coconut) Candy. The charges were dropped. [Emphasis added]

These were two innocent citizens, who let the police search their vehicle knowing they had nothing illegal on them. Too bad you aren't even required to be breaking the law to go to jail for five days. Think of the impact that had on their lives: five days without work (or school), five days away from their family, five days growing to distrust the police, etc. I want you to imagine yourself in this position? Doesn't sound too fun does it?

We must also not forget they were jailed at YOUR expense, since taxpayers had to pay to hold them in that cell for those five days. YOU also had to pay for the drug tests that determined the "crack" was actually just candy. It's an incredible waste of money, and a direct consequence of the War on Drugs.

American University SSDP

American University was one of SSDP's first chapters when the organization formed just over a decade ago. As you can see, the chapter is still active and hopes to make it out to SSDP's 11th Annual International Drug Policy Reform Conference in San Francisco. But San Francisco is quite a ways from D.C.

Can you help American University SSDP by donating to our scholarship fund?