Red State Update: Legalize Drugs, Save Mexico

Sarah Palin Offered $25k to Speak at Marijuana Legalization Event

Sarah Palin. She's everyone's favorite oil drilling, aerial wolf hunting,  "glad we chose life" (but we still aren't pro-choice) former Governor and she's just been offered $25,000 by Nevadans for Sensible Marijuana Laws to speak at an upcoming event and endorse the NVSML's 2012 ballot initiative aiming to tax and regulate.

The offer comes after Palin was announced as a keynote speaker at the the national convention for the Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America.  NVSML's campaign manager Dave Schwartz figures that Palin should feel comfortable endorsing marijuana legalization if she has no problem endorsing alcohol sales.

"It makes no sense to keep marijuana in the criminal market while a former vice-presidential candidate celebrates the alcohol industry," Schwartz said. "We want legitimate businesspeople in Nevada to benefit from the sales of marijuana, and we want adults to be free to choose whichever substance they prefer --marijuana or alcohol -- when they relax after work."

Despite the fact that marijuana use causes less harm than alcohol, I don't see Sarah Palin endorsing marijuana legalization for a measly $25k. Back in 2008 the RNC was dropping $150,000 on her clothes!

If you're in Nevada, be sure to volunteer with NVSML and help get a legalization initiative on the ballot for 2012. If you happen to be a student in Nevada - please contact SSDP about starting a chapter at your school.

SSDP and SAFER Day of Action

On April 1, SSDP chapters all over the country participated in the SAFER National Day of Action by sparking debate on their campuses about marijuana legalization and promoting the Emerald Initiative. The Emerald Initiative is SAFER’s response to the Amethyst Initiative, a call by more than 130 university presidents and chancellors to debate whether lowering the legal drinking age to 18 could reduce dangerous college drinking. It calls on college presidents and chancellors – particularly those who have signed on to the Amethyst Initiative and those at schools where SAFER Referendums have been adopted – to "support an informed and dispassionate public debate" on whether allowing college students to use marijuana more freely could result in fewer students engaging in dangerous drinking.

Check out some of the media coverage of SSDP chapters in action: 

Washington Post
University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee
University of Vermont
Front Range Community College
University of Virginia
University of Oregon - Eugene 
University of Kansas

Some chapters were unable to participate because of Spring Break but are planning to join the effort this Thursday, April 8. If your chapter would like to participate please sign up. 

Bill Maher Talks CA Legalization with Jay Leno

Bill Maher talked about California's ballot initiative to legalize marijuana on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno last night.

Leno disagreed that legalization is a way to build revenue for California and cited worries of advertising drug sales to children (on a network where Anheuser-Busch, Miller and Heineken are some of the biggest advertisers) but he explained why he does agree with decriminalization.

When even the host of the Tonight Show, viewed by millions of people throughout America, doesn't think it makes sense to lock people up for using or growing marijuana and suggests decriminalizing it on his show, how much longer can this whole prohibition thing last?



At least Jay made it known to kids that if they smoke pot, they might end up a talentless loser that never has any success in life. Like Tonight Show guitarist Kevin Eubanks.

Action Alert: Restore Financial Aid to Students Convicted of Drug Possession

Over the past year SSDP has scored some huge national victories.  Not least among them helping to convince our long-time opponent Rep. Mark Souder (R-IN) to scale back the HEA Aid Elimination Penalty that he created over a decade ago. 

As you probably already know, in September 2009, The House of Representatives passed the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act (SAFRA), which included language that would repeal the Aid Elimination Penalty for students convicted of drug possession offenses. This was thanks to SSDP members and supporters taking action and sending a strong message to their representatives to vote NO on Souder's amendment.

Since we know that many distribution cases are pleaded down to simple possession, this change will reinstate financial aid to a large number of students who would otherwise be affected by Souder’s amendment. Last week Congress was poised to include the entirety of the SAFRA legislation into the health care reconciliation bill, including our provision. 

Unfortunately, our amendment was not included. According to the rules of the now famous reconciliation process, amendments that affect policy, as ours does, are subject to votes that require a 60 percent majority. So, in the eleventh hour, our amendment was taken out of the bill for procedural reasons. 

The good news is that this turn of events does not represent a lack of political will on the part of our allies in Congress . With leading Democrats devoted to changing this horrible provision — and with your letters and phone calls — we can successfully amend the Aid Elimination Penalty by the end of 2010.

SAFER Day of Action: April 1, 2010

On April 1st -- the first day of National Alcohol Awareness Month -- the SAFER Campuses Initiative is organizing a Nationwide Day of Action to  1) highlight the relative safety of marijuana compared to alcohol, and 2) inspire public debate on whether college students should be allowed to use marijuana as a safer recreational alternative to alcohol.

SSDP is working closely with SAFER to make some noise about this issue. Students across the country face suspension, expulsion, loss of housing and loss of financial aid for using marijuana, a drug that causes less harm to society and the individual. 

SAFER will provide your chapter with materials and media assistance to help you get involved and bring some media attention to your chapter and this issue. All you need to do is sign up and a rep from SAFER will be in touch shortly.

April 1st is right around the corner so if your chapter isn't confirmed to participate, sign up here!

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!