Mexico: First National Congress: The History and Practice of Drugs, An Anthropological Vision

Mexico City, Mexico -- On the eve of SSDP's annual training conference in Washington, DC, students at Mexico City's National School of Anthropology (ENAH) are preparing to hold their first national congress, from 11 - 14 April. Called "The History and Practice of Drugs: An Anthropological Vision," the students at the ENAH hope to dispel myths and inform various university communities in the capital about the legitimate study of drugs absent the prohibitionist paradigm.

SSDPs around the world (SSDPUK, SSDP International , Canada SSDP) often put together pathbreaking congresses and conferences. This March and April are no exception: as I write, around 400 students are descending on Washington, DC for a training conference and lobby day; Canada SSDP has just finished a crucial lobby day at Parliament; and SSDPUK is about to meet for its annual conference.

The Mexico City Congress brings a diversity of groups together. It unites SSDP Mexico with other local partners: SEISYC (Applied Visual Anthropology), CuPIHD (The Collective for An Integrated Drug Policy), ZombieNation FM, Espolea (A Civil Society Youth Organization), Biblioteca Cannabica (Cannabis Library), and the Escuela Nacional de Antropologia e Historia (ENAH, the National Anthropological School.) The event is intellectual and practical, as the workshops will help future members of SSDP understand how the organization has worked to reform failing drug policies under a regulationist paradigm. From the Congress, SSDP Mexico hopes to generate interest in forming chapters in universities, schools, centers, and institutes.

Across activities and events for three days, around thirty presenters will discuss issues such as Women and Drugs, Health and Illness, Drug Policy and Politics, Drugs and Human Rights, and Psychodelic Medicine. Espolea will present workshops on drug consumption and harm reduction, a crucial boon to Mexican youth who are often taught the ins and outs of drugs in schools by ideologically-motivated police officers. And there will be a photography exhibit and competition. The Congress begins with a keynote address by Julio Glockner, a renowned anthropologist, enitled "Altered Reality: Spiritual Drugs and Culture."

The organizers warmly welcome any who read this outside of Mexico to consider coming to the conference. There is no possibility of support save some limited accommodation space, but all interested parties are more than welcome.

Press Release: SSDP responds to Obama's statement on drug legalization

For immediate release: January 31, 2011
Contact: Washington DC Headquarters (202)293-4414, San Francisco Headquarters (415)875-9463

Student Activists Praise Obama’s New Position Welcoming Legalization Debate
Statement in YouTube online town hall meeting called step in right direction, but still not enough

Washington, D.C. — Officials at Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP) today praised President Barack Obama’s statement last week indicating that drug prohibition is “an entirely legitimate topic for debate.” Obama’s comments came Thursday in response to a question from former Seattle narcotics detective Mackenzie Allen, whose question about repealing drug prohibition received the most votes in an online competition hosted by YouTube.

Responding to Allen’s question about regulating and taxing drugs to cut down on black market profits, President Obama said, “I think this is an entirely legitimate topic for debate…I am a strong believer that we have to think more about drugs as a public health problem.” Obama continued, “On drugs I think that a lot of times we’ve been so focused on arrests, incarceration, interdiction, that we don’t spend as much time thinking about how do we shrink demand. This is something that within the White House we are looking at very carefully…look[ing] at what we’re doing when we have nonviolent first-time drug offenders. Are there ways that we can steer them to the straight and narrow without automatically resorting to incarceration?”

Drug policy reform advocates highlighted the stark contrast between Obama’s recent comments and his laughing dismissal of marijuana legalization the last time drug policy came up at an online town hall event.

“This marks a historic turning point in the White House’s rhetoric about taxing and regulating drugs,” said Aaron Houston, executive director of SSDP. “Despite his rejection of legalization, President Obama acknowledged that our current policies don’t work. We’re very glad to see him start to lead the way on this issue.”

Students for Sensible Drug Policy is an international grassroots network of students who educate their peers, parents, and policymakers about how the drug war has failed our generation and our society. SSDP mobilizes and empowers young people to participate in the political process, pushing for sensible policies to achieve a safer and more just future, while fighting back against counterproductive drug war policies, particularly those that directly harm students and youth.
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