SSDP's Phonebanking Parties begin at Mid-Atlantic Regional Conference

Over 60 people gathered in Richmond, VA last weekend at SSDP’s 1st Annual Mid-Atlantic Regional Conference hosted by our chapter at Virginia Commonwealth University. If you weren't able to make it, check out some photos and videos of the conference.

We kicked off the event on Friday with a Phonebanking Pizza Party, where over a dozen students generated around 200 calls to California voters about marijuana legalization using Just Say Now’s Virtual Phonebank!

Heather Ness, a linguistics major at the University of Maryland where she serves as the treasurer for our UMD SSDP chapter, commented about her experience at the party saying: “It was so easy and fun! Once one or two people broke the ice, everyone started calling. Because we’re calling young voters, it’s like having a conversation with a peer.”

Mike Liszewski, SSDP board member and President/Founder of the UDC School of Law SSDP chapter asked the audience during the conference, “Who here wishes they could vote in the California election this November 2nd so they could vote yes on Proposition 19?”

Almost every hand went up.

“This is the closest thing you can do next to voting that will directly impact the outcome of this groundbreaking initiative that will tax and regulate the responsible adult use of marijuana.”

Visit ssdp.org/pizzaparty to host your own phonebanking party. You can start making calls on your own anytime at JustSayNow.com

Call Voters for Marijuana Reform

Watch the instructional video and start making calls today!

You can use your phone to directly help legalize marijuana!

Our Just Say Now Phonebank is a virtual system that provides you with a free, quick & easy way to reach individual voters in states voting on marijuana initiatives.

There are thousands of voters in Arizona, California, Oregon, and South Dakota who we need to vote for marijuana reforms this November. These voters need to hear from you, and we need to identify supporters so we can get out the vote to end the war on marijuana.

Help us end the war on marijuana - start calling voters in support of marijuana reform today. Click here to start calling: http://go.firedoglake.com/

Our goal is to call 50,000 voters in California in the next 30 days.  If 2,500 people call 20 voters each, about 5 calls per week, we can reach that goal.  You don't have to do it all yourself, though - pass this email to your friends and ask them to call.

Each call just takes a few minutes, and you can start calling voters with just your email address or Facebook account. There's even a video that explains how to call, step by step.

If you're in an SSDP chapter, you can earn points and compete with other chapters everytime you call or rectruit people to your chapter's team. Points are updated in real time on our leaderboard!

Voicing your support for this issue has never been easier or more urgently important, so start calling voters today.

Police shoot unarmed pregnant woman during drug raid.

On September 24th, an unarmed woman nine months pregnant was shot during a drug raid in Spokane, Washington. While the officers were executing the search, during which they found no weapons, she apparently became ‘non-compliant’ and tried to flee out of a second story bedroom window.

A press release by the police said the officers tried to restrain her, but ‘a shot went off’. The woman then fell out of the window. Carmen Nelson, a neighbor, said neither she nor her stepson heard the police giving commands before the shooting. "I heard one gunshot, a woman screamed and a man hollered out afterward," Nelson said. "I'm upset a pregnant woman was shot. I believe she didn't deserve it." The woman went into labor the night before, and was expecting a baby boy.

The mother of the victim said there were no drugs in the house. The police said they found marijuana, crack cocaine, and controlled prescription drugs. This is the third officer-involved shooting since August 25, 2010 in Spokane.

Let’s break this down- The police couldn’t control a nine month pregnant woman experiencing labor pains without shooting her? And could those ‘prescription drugs’ possibly be medications? Even if she had been inadvisedly using cocaine while pregnant, and the evidence wasn’t planted like this, studies have shown there to be no birth defects directly linked to the consumption of cocaine during pregnancy.

President Regan was eerily accurate in comparing the war on drugs to the WWI Battle of Verdun- Hundreds of thousands died in abject misery and thousands more were maimed, shot, and forced to live out their lives in pain. Verdun became a rallying cry for more men, more guns, more blood, even though it was strategically useless and nothing came of it except for suffering and death.

If you want this to continue, do nothing. If not, register to vote.

The people who are elected to make the laws that bind you

Rep. Lamar Smith from Texas on Fox News recently criticized the Obama administration's approach to marijuana and wants stricter drug law enforcement. Rep. Smith recently introduced H.R 5231, a bill would criminalize Americans working in Switzerland trying to save lives with heroin assisted treatment, for example.

“Rep. Lamar Smith (Texas), the top Republican member of the House Judiciary Committee who would likely become chairman of the committee under a GOP majority, accused the administration of being too lax in its enforcement of drug laws.

"The administration is clearly sending the message that they don't think it's bad to use marijuana," Smith said on Fox News. "So they're encouraging the use of marijuana. And that simply is not a good thing to do."

Smith blamed the administration's decision to not enforce federal laws against marijuana dispensaries in states that have legalized the drug for medicinal purposes. Smith blamed the administration's approach on drug laws for recent statistics showing an increased use of marijuana.

"We ought to be enforcing our drug laws, not backing away from them," said Smith, who also lamented a recent revision of criminal sentencing guidelines that reduced sentencing guidelines for crack-cocaine traffickers.”

Possibly Rep. Smith is referring to the 1,663,582 total arrests for drug abuse violations in the US in 2009, with someone being arrested for a drug offense every 18 seconds as being too lax. Maybe he’s referring to these ‘non-enforcements’, this ‘non-enforcement’, or possibly this ‘non-enforcement of federal drug laws as being too lax. After all, President Obama promised those raids would end while he was campaigning, and he gave respectful and thoughtful consideration to a question about the legalization of marijuana.

You know what? I did something about it. I took a total of 1 minute and 23 seconds out of my day to call Speaker Pelosi’s office urging her to cancel the vote on H.R 5231, a bill sponsored by Rep. Smith. I registered to vote when I received my driver’s license, which took all the effort of answering a few questions.

We can either stand by idly and watch our friends, neighbors, brothers and sisters be thrown into the back of a police cruiser after having their door smashed down in the middle of the night or we can take a stand and vote. Why should those who seek to criminalize non-violent, consensual behavior be allowed to impose their morals on us then utilize our money to do so in the most violent manner possible?

Register to vote, make a difference in your community.

Mexico Takes the Next Step: Presidential Candidate forces Senate to Demand Official Report on Californian Cannabis Legalization

Remember in early August of this year when Mexican president Felipe Calderon waffled on whether or not he wanted his country to legalize drugs? He said he was open to a debate, but that a debate in Mexico would change nothing if the underground cannabis market in the United States persisted.

In the weeks between August and early September, many official types in Mexico and the United States have inveighed against legalization. Mexico's first lady, Maragarita Zavala, absent and then present at events with the US Drug Czar Gil Kerlikowski in Mexico City, and even Barack Obama from the White House, each have rejected legalization in Mexico or elsewhere as a panacea, especially for drug war violence. Notwithstanding an approach of binational official denial, legalization efforts have a history in the United States: going back to 1970 US voters have voted on legalization in several states west of the Rockies. But in terms of international diplomacy or even international relations legalization hasn't entered the lexicon, or politics, of Mexico-US relations. Not even former president Vicente Fox -- a pragmatic legalizer of all drugs, especially cannabis -- could shift the official positions of Mexico City and Washington, DC.

Until now. And not because of the debate called for by Felipe Calderon, and in spite of the official supression of legalization in Washington. How has the legalization debate spread?

What fascinates is to watch how the debate in Mexico has moved from intellectuals in newspapers to bureaucrats who have to instruct official government departments and ministries to study drug legalization in the United States, and especially California. In the past month, former foreign minister to Vicente Fox, Jorge Castaneda, a professor at New York Universisty, and Hector Aguilar Camin, a prominent magazine publisher, writer, broadcaster, and historian, have voiced their support for legalization in the pages of the Washington Post. The pair are constant critics of Calderon's presidency, especially in newspapers. Around the same time as their op-ed, the Mexican Senate voted to produce an official interministerial report on legalization, thereby forcing the Calderon government to enter into a debate it had supported rhetorically.

The report's a somewhat unexpected next step. It's exactly what a resolution drafted by Santiago Creel, a former interior minister in the Fox Government and current Senator, will actually do. According to media outlets, the report will assess how reforming drug laws, but especially cannabis legalization in California, might affect Mexico.

Creel stated his questions: "What's going to happen to conusmption? Is it going to grow? What is going to happen to the price? What will the effects be? This could happen in November," emphasized the senator, who has put himself forward as his party's presidential nomination for elections in 2012. With words leading him to suggest that there is more than one way to examine this issue:

In the analysis and assessment we have centered on the effects organized crime has had on the country; that's where we have centered our attention and our
attempts.

Another senator from the ruling PAN party, Ramon Galindo, questioned the binational dynamic of the drug war: "One asks why then, why do we have to be shedding blood if they [Californians] are considering such a radical change in direction."

News of the Senate's official request underscored why looking at foreign policy is crucial in regards the debate about legalization:

"In Mexico we have considered the problems of production, traffic, and the consumption of illicit substances as the exclusive domain of our country's internal policy, whereas because the stated phenomenon brings with it international repurcussions, it ought to be addresseed and confronted from a foreign policy perspective."

Meaning that Mexico might be the first country to ever study another country's drug laws and their transnational effects. Which must make Washington rather nervous. Especially with a senator sesemingly so well informed on US drugs policies and the problems of Washington's solely criminological analysis focused on drug trafficking.

Boy with bloodshot eyes suspended on suspicion of smoking pot. Turns out his dad was dead.

Earlier this month on September 14, Kyler Robertson was suspended by the administration at Byron Nelson High School in Trophy Club, Texas. The administration thought his eyes were red from smoking pot. It turns out his dad had been stabbed to death that previous Sunday.

Kyler stopped by the main office to pick up a tardy slip as he returned to school on Tuesday to be with his friends. School employees accused him of smoking pot due to his red and watery eyes and he was suspended for three days. Kyler was not given a test for drug use. Instead, “when administrators suspect a student is under the influence, a school nurse will observe symptoms like their behavior, odor and their eyes,” said District spokeswoman Lesley Weaver. Testing is left to the parents.

After his mother had him tested and the results came back negative, Kyler was permitted to return to school. Kyler’s mother is appealing the district to remove the suspension from his permanent record.

Go get ‘em, administrators. It seems that reefer madness is still very much alive at Byron Nelson High School. Stamp out the terrible scourge of reefer causing children to talk back to their parents, wear their pants low, and cause vehicular manslaughter. Be sure to get those with hay fever.

Video: SSDP Confronts Drug Czar

This morning, SSDP member Daniel Pacheco presented our Just Say Now petition with 52,000 signatures calling for an end to marijuana prohbition to Gil Kerlikowske, the U.S. Drug Czar during a press conference for Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month.

Daniel, a student at Georgetown University and originally from Colombia, asks why the ONDCP continues to deny that legalizing marijuana would take away drug cartel's massive profits. When Dir. Kerlikowske says that marijuana is only a small part of their income, Daniel tells him he's downplaying marijuana's role in the black market drug trade and disrespecting the 28,000 people murdered in Mexico's drug prohibition violence. He then hands the petition to Director Kerlikowske. You have to watch this video.

Kerlikowske is basically discrediting the findings of his own department, the Office of National Drug Control Policy, by saying that their report citing that 60% of cartel revenue is coming from marijuana is from 2006 and used data from 1997 and therefore is too old to be trusted. He flat out lies by saying that legalizing marijuana would only take away a small part of DTO profits (and essentially admitting that legalization would take away some profit). But we don't have to go all the way back to 1997 for this information. In 2008, the FBI released a report with these findings:

Mexico is the number one foreign supplier of marijuana abused in the United States. In fact, according to a 2008 inter-agency report, marijuana is the top revenue generator for Mexican DTOs—a cash crop that finances corruption and the carnage of violence year after year. The profits derived from marijuana trafficking—an industry with minimal overhead costs, controlled entirely by the traffickers—are used not only to finance other drug enterprises by Mexico’s poly-drug cartels, but also to pay recurring “business” expenses, purchase weapons, and bribe corrupt officials.

So basically, ONDCP now has to discredit their own findings and ignore those of the FBI in order to defend their backwards stance on marijuana legalization!

SSDP is the only student organization putting political leaders on the spot about marijuana legalization and drug policy reform. Help us continue this important work by making a donation today.

Top 10 Schools Leading Marijuana Petition Drive

Students across the country hit the ground running this fall semester, collecting hundreds of petition signatures to legalize marijuana. One month ago, we launched the Just Say Now Campus Challenge for our chapters to compete against each other to see who can gather the most signatures. Through this competition, over 150 SSDP chapters are competing for prizes such as hemp t-shirts, flip video cameras, and other Just Say Now merchandise.

Let's take a look at which schools are leading the pack...*

1. Northern Virginia Community College: 423
   Woodbridge, VA
2. University of Cincinnati: 255
   Cincinnati, OH
3. West Virginia University: 214
   Morgantown, WV
4. Albert Einstein High School: 142
   Silver Spring, MD
5. University of Connecticut: 114
   Storrs, CT
6. SUNY Canton: 108
   Canton, NY
7. University of Utah: 105
   Salt Lake City, UT
8. University of New Mexico: 58
   Albuquerque, NM
9. University of Maryland: 45
   College Park, MD
10. Seton Hill University: 33
    Greensburg, PA

* as of noon EST 9/14/10. Congratulations to members of these 10 SSDP chapters on your hard work. If your school hasn't gotten the ball rolling on campus yet, don't worry it's certainly not too late! All of our chapters should have received their Just Say Now campaign materials in the mail, so get out there and show us what you can do! And as always, feel free to contact your regional outreach director for advice or with questions.

As students head back to school this fall semester, and as we get closer to Election Day, I know the competition will only grow more and more intense, so stay tuned. To learn more about the Just Say Now Campus Challenge visit this page.

SSDP Heads Back to School

The 2010 fall semester brings with it SSDP's largest chapter network to date. SSDP now has chapters on 135 college campuses throughout the U.S., and we expect to reach nearly 200 chapters by early 2011! We're also holding five regional conferences across the country and will be hosting our first training conference at the University of Maryland in March. Back to School Fundraising Drive  A donation of $100, $50, $25 or $10 to SSDP will help us provide materials and resources to our chapters so that they can wage successful campaigns on and off their campuses. Please consider making a one-time donation or signing up as a monthly sustainer and donating as little as $10 per month to SSDP. If you can't support us financially right now, you can help us grow by spreading the word and telling a friend about our Action Alert list, becoming a fan of us on Facebook, joining our Facebook Cause, and by following us on Twitter, YouTube and Flickr. Just Say Now! We have officially launched our "Just Say Now" campaign with Firedoglake.com, one of the world's biggest political blogs, to combine their online presence with our grassroots organizing strength. Together we will be working to identify supporters of marijuana reform across the country to get them engaged in the battle, while simultaneously attracting the attention of the nation and the world. Sign the petition and make a $10 donation to get your awesome Just Say Now sticker! Through the Just Say Now Campus Challenge our chapters are competing to see which school can gather the most signatures. New Student Organizing Manual! SSDP's outreach staff has launched a revamped student organizing manual, arming every SSDP chapter and activist with guides on lobbying, working with the media, running productive meetings, organizing successful events and much more. Your donation of $20 will pay for 10 manuals to be printed and shipped to chapters! SSDP Regional Conferences Northeast Regional - October 16-17 University of Connecticut Mid-Atlantic Regional - October 9-10 Virgina Commonwealth University West Coast Regional - October 16 San Francisco State University Mountain Plains Regional - November 6 University of Colorado Boulder Midwest Regional - Date TBD Kent State University Help Us Reach 10,000 Fans on Facebook! Are you a fan of SSDP on Facebook? We are currently at almost 9,000 fans and we hope that after this message is sent out, we will top 10,000. All you have to do is visit our Facebook page and click "like". Then update your status with "I like SSDP! Can you do the same?" and attach this link: facebook.com/schoolsnotprisons SSDP Training Conference and Lobby Day SSDP is excited to be holding our first three-track training conference aimed at delivering chapter members with intensive participatory workshops and trainings on campaign management, running a chapter and lobbying. Location: University of Maryland College Park Date: March 2010 RSVP HERE Donate to our conference scholarship fund   Can you make a donation to SSDP today? Read Online Not interested in this email? Read it On the Web. Are you registered to vote? Register online right now! SSDP Endorses California's Proposition 19 Unsubscribe Not interested in this email? Click here to unsubscribe SSDP Logo is a registered trademark of Students for Sensible Drug Policy Students for Sensible Dr - 1623 Connecticut Avenue NW; Suite 300, Washington, DC 20009. ph +1 (202) 293-4414

University of Arkansas Reverses Policy Change Decision

 

Last week, the SSDP chapter at the University of Arkansas worked with campus administrators to adopt new guidelines equalizing the school penalties for student alcohol and marijuana use. The policy was announced and the change was made in the UA student handbook. Victory was ours and a sensible policy was enacted. Or so we thought...

This week, UA Chancellor Dave Gearhart repealed the change in policy.

SSDP worked on the SAFER campaign, passing a referendum with 67 percent of student voters agreeing that the penalties for marijuana possession should be equal to the penalties for student alcohol violations. Members of the UA board of administrators (including the dean of students and assistant dean for student life) worked with the students to develop new guidelines to reflect the referendum and student concerns.

But after the new guidelines were released on-line and posted throughout the residence halls, UA Chancellor Dave Gearhart called off the change in policy because he and other university officials felt it sent the wrong message. Just look at this:

1) The new campus guidelines, now moot.
2) The old sanctions.

Send a letter to the Chancellor Gearhart and tell him to respect the vote of the students and the hard work that SSDP members put into creating a sensible drug policy on campus.