This holiday season ABC News reports that students at the Autonomous University of the City of Juarez (UACJ) (in its Spanish acronym) have formed a group to resist the drug war. The students are targeting corruption in the police and military, highlighting human rights abuses as part of their campaign.
One videoed episode of state violence drew the students ire: the late October police shooting of nineteen year old UACJ sociology student, Jose Dario Alvarez. Student marches against the police who shot him at the entrance to the UACJ campus have apparently drawn 200 people in the northern city, and interest from student groups at Mexico City's National Autonomous University (UNAM).
The ABC reporter describes a student movement interested in human rights and social justice. The focus on the latter can be identified by community projects, such as Pistolitas por Libros, or Pistols for Books. The way these students see the intersection of different issues and the drug war, is characteristic of student movements throughout the hemisphere, including Students for Sensible Drug Policy.
The Student Association has not confined its activities to political activism. Members teamed up with medical and dentistry students doing a Health Brigade event and implemented Pistolitas por Libros, the first Pistols for Books campaign. While adults in the neighborhood sought free medical advice from the students, their children could exchange toy guns and weapons for books, games and other, more peaceful, items. The organization said between 120 and 150 participated.
Believe it or not, two weeks ago marked the first time in history that a member of Congress specifically called for taxing and regulating marijuana like alcohol — from the floor of the House of Representatives!
During debate over a terrible pro-drug war resolution that was cynically fast-tracked through the House by Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the lone member to rise in opposition was Congressman Jared Polis from Colorado. During his speech, he said "by eliminating the failed policy of prohibition with regard to marijuana and replacing it with regulation, we can cut the money to the criminal gangs by half."
Of course, Congressman Ron Paul (R-TX) has consistently supported ending drug prohibition over the years, but my searches failed to turn up a specific call for regulating marijuana from the well of the House. Rep. Paul was one of the handful of members who voted against the resolution that Polis opposed. (I welcome any corrections from nerds who are good at searching the Congressional Record if I am wrong about Dr. Paul previously making a similar speech from the House floor.)
Nick (middle) with fellow Colorado SSDP
members Kara Janowsky and Chris Pezza returning
from the 2010 SSDP Conference in San Francisco.
Name: Nicholas Davies
Chapter: Front Range Community College
Location: Longmont, Colorado
When did you first get involved with SSDP and why do you like being part of the organization?
I was first introduced to SSDP during my second year in Student Government when I was fortunate enough to meet a fellow by the name of Christopher Pezza. After a few legislative sessions Chris and I found that we had similar thoughts on many issues regarding drug policy and the way it should be approached (not to forget a liking for "The Talking Heads").
At the time he was also founding our current chapter at the college and was in need of help getting it going. I agreed one day to attend a meeting and from then on forth have considered myself a drug policy activist. What I like about being part of this organization is that it gives a forum for like minded people to pool their ideas and knowledge to create a positive impact on their local communities.
What issues are important for the Front Range Community College SSDP chapter?
At this point one of our biggest issues at hand is changing the data; It's difficult to be taken seriously as a student's organization with out being able to own up to one's "student responsibilities."
Do you have any events/campaigns planned?
One of our chapter mantras is to always have at least one event planned. We just finished the final week of the semester with an event where we reserved our community room for students looking for a quiet place to study. Along with the quiet study space we were given tea from the Environmental Club to provide students with a nice perk to their day. This event being is a part of our "A's before J's" campaign encouraging students and current SSDP members (and all students) to prioritize their grades before their recreational use of drugs including alcohol.
What has been your favorite experience with SSDP?
Knowing that every action we take gets us closer to a better America. That experience in itself is invaluable.
Do you have any advice for other chapter leaders?
Know that in the action of being a student; That role, when completed with pride, will only lead to gains for our goals, and falter those whom criticize our intent.
That and go to new student orientation. Have a table. Something. It is a way to get members hooked at the very get go of the semester. If anything do it just to inform.
CONTACT: Jonathan Perri, SSDP National Associate Director – (401) 265-9445
Increase in Teen Marijuana Use Due to Failed Policies,
Not Medical Marijuana More High School Seniors Now Smoking Marijuana
than Cigarettes, According to Survey
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Officials at Students for Sensible Drug Policy claim that a new survey by the University of Michigan showing the highest rates of marijuana use among young high school seniors in the last three decades is the direct result of the failed policy of marijuana prohibition. Over 20% of high school seniors reported smoking marijuana compared with only 19% reporting smoking cigarettes.
“Because marijuana is available on the black market, high school students have easier access to it than they do to cigarettes,” explained Jonathan Perri, Associate Director at SSDP. “Drug dealers aren’t going to ask for an ID before they sell drugs. If marijuana were regulated and taxed like alcohol or cigarettes, it would be more difficult for young people to purchase.”
At a press conference in Washington this week, the White House drug czar, Gil Kerlikowske, blamed the increase on the debate surrounding marijuana legalization and state medical marijuana laws around the country.
“If the drug use numbers go down even slightly, the ONDCP takes credit for it, but when they go up, they don’t want to reassess their own failed policies. There is no evidence that medical marijuana laws have resulted in a national increase in use among high school seniors - if anything, young people no longer believe the reefer madness that the federal government has been spreading about marijuana for years," said Perri.
The group argues that regulating marijuana like cigarettes would be more effective at reducing use. “Tobacco use has become unattractive to young people through prevention education and by keeping the drug in a legal but regulated market with heavy taxes imposed,” continued Perri. “It’s time to do the same with marijuana.”
Students for Sensible Drug Policy is an international grassroots network of students who are concerned about the impact drug abuse has on our communities, but who also know that the War on Drugs is failing 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.
SSDP: When did you 1st get involved with SSDP? Drew: I got involved during in the summer of 2009 when a friend of mine told me I should start a chapter at WVU.
SSDP: What issues are important for your chapter? Drew: Good Samaritan Policy - We started working on ours last year and we are slowly but surely moving ever closer to it becoming a real university policy. (bureaucracy is designed to discourage you. Don’t let it.)
Drug education - We are working with WVU’s Senior Wellness Coordinator to incorporate drug education into the University 101 curriculum. The current program does include alcohol education fortunately. At this point in the process, we’re looking for universities with good drug education programs already in place. Do you have an open, comprehensive, and science-based program at your school? If you do, get in touch with me!
SSDP: Do you have any events planned for the this semester? Drew: We hope to host an art show fundraiser in February. And of course we wouldn’t miss the National Training Conference in Washington, DC! Mountaineers en mass on the mall in March!
SSDP: What do you like best about being part of SSDP? Drew: The work that we do is important and the changes we make are real. We’re shaping our world into a more sensible form.
SSDP: Do you have any advice for other chapter leaders? Drew: As part of my technology internship with SSDP this semester, I've been working on our chapter's website, and developing the SSDP Tech Tips group on Facebook, so use these and me as a resource for improving your chapter's online presence.
Also, taking your chapter to a conference is the fastest way to turn regular members into drug policy reform samurai warriors.
Northern Illinois University (NIU) has finally given full recognition to NIU Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP) after the Student Association Senate twice denied the group any recognition, which had prevented SSDP from meeting or posting flyers on campus. But Senate policy still denies funding to all "political" and "religious" student organizations. This arbitrary standard classifies Christian, Muslim, and Jewish organizations as "religious" and therefore ineligible for funding, while the campus Baha'i Club is funded as a "cultural" group. Similarly, groups such as Model United Nations are considered "political" while many "social justice" or "advocacy" groups—including student pro-life, pro-choice, antiwar, women's rights, vegetarian, and victims' rights groups—are fully recognized. SSDP came to the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) for help.
"FIRE commends Northern Illinois University for finally agreeing to recognize Students for Sensible Drug Policy, but NIU's recognition and funding policies still violate students' First Amendment rights," FIRE President Greg Lukianoff said. "NIU's rules brazenly flout Supreme Court precedent by discriminating against all ‘political' and ‘religious' groups. NIU needs to reform its policies to ones that do not invite such extensive double standards, confusion, and abuse."
We also recognize that the situation at NIU is not over. SSDP was instrumental in drawing attention to the unconstitutional policies being unfairly imposed on student groups by the NIU Student Senate and we hope to see those policies changed immediately so that no student group will be discriminated against based on the nature of what they discuss or promote.
Move over Wikileaks. We've got Miley Cyrus with a bong. Tripping on Salvia. On camera.
Seriously folks, this could be a big deal for drug policy.
Miley Cyrus practically is America. She's adored by millions of children and adults alike. Her dad is responsible for making the mullet a temporarily acceptable haircut. And now lil' Miley has to go and break his achy, breaky, heart with another bong rip heard round the world (Michael Phelps was the first).
Why should we care? Because this is the sort of crap that American drug policy is crafted on.
Salvia divinorum is a short acting psychoactive herb. It's a member of the mint family and has been used in shaman ceremonies by the Mazatec Indians of Oaxaca, Mexico for thousands of years. It has already been banned in a number of states but not because its use was causing significant problems. It's mostly because of high school kids tripping balls for about 5 minutes, video taping it and then posting to YouTube. Then all it takes is a tough on drugs politician to see one of those and you've got a campaign to make salvia illegal - as if the kids in these videos we're using the bong as a paperweight when they weren't legally buying salvia to pack it with. We have news for you - the bong's main use is for smoking pot and that's been illegal since 1937 but no one seems to have a hard time finding any to smoke.
Salvia's effects are not typically considered pleasant by most people. It's definitely not a party drug as the experience can be very intense and spiritual as well as very surprising for the first time user. It's sold in pure leaf forms and in extracts at various strengths. It tastes disgusting and is known for being non-toxic and non-additive. But politicians present it as a serious danger to young people everywhere.
Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota and Virginia have made Salvia totally illegal - some placing it under Schedule I status. Other states like Lousiana, North Carolina, Tennesse and West Virginia have made it "only legal when not intended for human consumption," essentially leaving it as a research chemical or decorative house plant. California (where Miley is during the incident), Maine and Maryland have taken a more sensible approach and placed age restrictions and laws against providing to underage persons. In Wisconsin you can possess it but you can't grow it, give it away or sell it. And there's a few more states that currently have pending legislation to ban Salvia.
Still, the federal government and DEA has yet to succeed in banning Salvia. But here's why Miley Cyrus could be their secret weapon...
It's the Len Bias effect. Len Bias was a University of Maryland basketball star who was picked up by the Boston Celtics in the 1986 NBA Draft. While celebrating his draft to the Celtics just two days after getting the news, he died of a cocaine overdose. The Speaker of the House at the time was Massachussets Congressman, Tip O'Neill. He was from Boston and when he saw how pissed off Celtics fans were about Bias' death, he seized the opportunity to introduce mandatory minimum sentencing through the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1986. It made Democrats look tough (apparently there once was a time when this was occasionally possible for Democrats). The new laws based sentencing on the weight and type of drug, or the presence of a firearm. It created a 100-1 disparity in the sentencing for crack vs. powder cocaine, a disparity that devasted African-American communities and helped to skyrocket America's prison population. It took 24 years to reform that that law with the Fair Sentencing Act which passed this year and didn't do away with the disparity but lowered it to 18:1. It would turn out that Bias didn't even die from crack cocaine, he was using powder.
Here's the thing. Unlike Len Bias, Miley Cyrus doesn't have to die to send parents and lawmakers into a frenzy over salvia. Apparently she doesn't even have to break a single law - what she did was perfectly legal (the real crime was listening to Bush). She just has to appear like she's a normal young adult having fun with her friends and that just maybe, she isn't as cookie cutter perfect as Hollywood makes her seem. This provides politicians with needed support from Americans with love and nostalgia for Hannah Montana.
It's not that the federal government hasn't tried to ban salvia yet. In 2002 the Center for Cognitive Liberty and Ethics successfully stopped Congress from placing salvia in the Controlled Substances Act by arguing that it was inappropriate for scheduling and should be available for research. But politicians didn't have a viral video of a teen pop sensation ripping bongs of a relatively mysterious substance and laughing hysterically in their arsenal then. Almost every lawmaker attempting to outlaw salvia has used YouTube videos of teenagers smoking it as evidence of why it should be prohibited - and there are lots of videos of people smoking this stuff online. Some of them have millions of views. And some show people looking pretty silly.
In 2008 Florida state Rep. Mary Brandenburgh introduced legislation that was signed into law by Gov. Charlie Christ making simple possession of salvia a felony that could carry a 5 year prison sentence. The DEA has stated that it could be possible for Savlia users to be prosecuted under the Federal Analogues Act:
"Salvia divinorum, Salvinorin A, and Divinorin A are not listed in the Controlled Substances Act. If sold for human consumption, S. divinorum may be subject to control under the Analogue statutes because of its functional pharmacological similarities to other CI hallucinogens like THC."
-- from DEA Diversion Salvia divinorum Page - Feb 2002
So here we have this drug that most people are unfamilar with, a patchwork of state laws prohibiting or restricting the drug all around the country, failed attempts by the feds to make it a Schedule I, ambigous DEA interpertations of how to prosecute people federally and a video of an American teen icon smoking it spreading virally all over the internet. To me, it's a recipe for prohibition that people like this guy are all too willing to cook up...
Former California State Assemblyman Anthony Adams tried to make salvia a Schedule I drug in 2007 but had to settle for age restrictions for purchasing and possessing it - making salvia legal for Miley Cyrus who is 18. Adams is already calling for the federal government to step in because of the Cyrus video. "It's time for state and federal governments to renew their push toward an outright ban" he told TMZ.
I think it's likely that they will. And soon.
I can see it now, "The Saving Hanna Montana from Hallucinogenic Herbs Bill of 2011."
Because of SSDP's expertise in empowering young people to change harmful drug war policies, I was invited to write a feature piece in The Nation magazine's December 27, 2010 issue about how students are motivated to work for marijuana ballot measures, here's an excerpt:
"Watching these young activists voraciously consuming information about how to win an election, just days after a historic loss, was more than invigorating. It made the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. Change is coming sooner than anyone believes. And this is what it's going to look like."Read the full article here.
Children in a 2010 Juarez family development agency, from Reuters.
Unpredictable violence in Mexico continues to jeopardize a peaceful childhood. The fighting between security forces and drug trafficking organizations continues to claim the lives of children and their parents, with the former often labelled “collateral damage.”
But as reported last summer Mexican education and public safety officials stated their intention to roll out duck-and-cover trainings in the nation’s schools. The notice came hot on the heels of a spate of violence in Nayarit State, and its governor placed many schools in summer recess a week early.
Now, come winter, Reuters reports that a similar fear for children’s safety has arrived in the Pacific coastal resort of Acapulco. State officials have instituted similar duck-and-cover techniques. This time, though, instructors are not just teaching techniques in classrooms. The public safety officers are also brandishing toy guns that replicate the sound of real guns and making students respond in simulated shootouts.
While all this seems like a normal response to danger – after all, and as is well known, US children experienced such trainings during the Cold War, one wonders if raising children’s personal anxiety is actually permissible under international human rights law.
Mexico’s a signatory to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). While the first part of Article 19 of the CRC makes governments responsible for the protection of children from violence, the second part states that the government must roll out social – not individual or personal –programmes to ameliorate children’s welfare.
2. Such protective measures should, as appropriate, include effective procedures for the establishment of social programmes to provide necessary support for the child and for those who have the care of the child…
Outside observers have not yet identified what the government is doing in communities such as Acapulco, Nayarit, or Ciudad Juárez to follow up after the violence has abated. And since Reuters reported a growing number of orphans from the violence not enrolled in social programs, it’s unclear if the Mexican government is actually attempting to ameliorate the plight of children or just ducking international and domestic obligations.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 8, 2010 CONTACT: Stacia Cosner, SSDP Outreach Director - 410-299-3433 or stacia@ssdp.org Katharine Celentano, Columbia University SSDP - 914-420-2525 or kec2156@columbia.edu
NYPD Charges 5 Columbia University students in “Operation Ivy League” SSDP: Arrests Will Not Reduce Drug Use, But Will Ruin Students’ Lives
NEW YORK, NY. – An aggressive NYPD raid of the students’ school residences was conducted Tuesday morning with students reporting dozens of police cars, dogs, and battering rams surrounding the fraternity houses some of the students were affiliated with. Five students were arrested & charged with drug distribution charges, but one student group on campus says the drug bust is unlikely to have any effect on drug use or availability at the Ivy League school.
“The real problems related to drug use that desperately need to be addressed, such as youth use and addiction, take a backseat to enforcing prohibition”, said Katharine Celentano, a student leader of the group Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP) at Columbia. “We certainly do not condone the illegal activities of the students who were arrested, but the reality is that drugs are still here, and this is a problem we can't arrest our way out of."
Stacia Cosner, a national staff member with SSDP adds "such pervasive drug war strategies like those employed Tuesday waste police resources and tax payer dollars and have no clear effect on drug use or availability and could actually make drug problems worse for students who now face scarring experiences within the criminal justice system and enormous barriers to education and career opportunities.” Cosner adds, “and the once promising trajectory for these five young lives with great potential, as Ivy League graduates will be thwarted by these dramatically negative results of a drug conviction.”
Celentano says “continuing such draconian policies will keep drug law violations strictly in the hands of criminal justice, while the public health aspect of drug use is left unaddressed.” She explains, “as long as police resources are being used to enforce strict drug laws, while being diverted from protecting victims from violent crime -- our campus community will continue to bear the social and economic consequences of these realities.”
SSDP emphasizes that mitigating harms associated with campus drug use using the iron fist of law enforcement is not the answer to the question of how to address youth drug use.
# # #
Students for Sensible Drug Policy is an international grassroots network of students who are concerned about the impact drug abuse has on our communities, but who also know that the War on Drugs is failing 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.
