Students
for
Sensible
Drug
Policy
Conference
Drawing
Hundreds
to
Washington,
DC
10/26/01
Two weeks from now, hundreds of students will converge in Washington, DC for the third annual Students for Sensible Drug Policy conference. Youth activists from high schools and universities across the country will meet in the Capital to listen to renowned speakers, take part in strategy and training workshops, and meet with other like-minded activists. With over 190 confirmed registrations plus the usual last-minute shows, the conference will likely be the largest gathering yet of students committed to reforming the nation's drug policies. "The movement is getting bigger, better organized and more strategic each year," said Shawn Heller, National Director of SSDP. "We are bringing together a politically diverse group of people to strengthen the movement to end the War on Drugs." Consumer advocate Ralph Nader will deliver one of three keynote addresses. During the last presidential election, Nader ran on the Green Party Ticket, and advocated the legalization of marijuana as part of a an overhaul of current "self-defeating and antiquated drug laws." Of course, not everyone attending the conference will identify with the political left. Russell Means, a Native American activist, actor of "Last of the Mohicans" fame and libertarian candidate for governor of New Mexico, will also deliver a keynote address. While Nader and Means may agree on the need to reform current drug policies, the two speakers will undoubtedly appeal to different tactics and approaches. The Libertarian Party itself sees the SSDP conference as an opportunity to help make sure the libertarian voice is also strong within the drug reform movement. LP campus coordinator Marc Brandl, in fact, believes the appearance of the left of center Nader will help spur libertarian students, whose views are socially liberal but economically conservative, to get to the conference. While SSDP members will comprise a majority of attendees, students from the National Organization to Reform Marijuana Laws (NORML) will be present, as will members of DanceSafe chapters from across the country. The conference will feature two days of seminars and workshops, as well as the annual SSDP Congress. One focus of the conference will be the Higher Education Act Drug Provision, which denies federal financial aid to students with drug convictions. As many as 40,000 students are currently without aid due to the drug provision. 73 student governments to date have called for the repeal of the drug provision, and 55 members of Congress have cosponsored Rep. Barney Frank's (D-MA) bill to repeal it. Members of Congress credit the increased support for repeal in part to the attention SSDP has brought to the issue. Another focus of the conference will be the upcoming SSDP Week of Action, when hundreds of chapters will put on demonstrations and events to protest the War on Drugs. Plenary sessions include "Connecting the Dots: Why Everyone Has a Stake in Ending the War on Drugs" and "The Movement to End the War on Drugs." "Students breathe new life into socio-political movements," said Charles Thomas, president of Unitarian Universalists for Drug Policy Reform, who will speak at the first seminar. "As each generation grows older, the students inspire us with their energy and idealism. They show us that there is hope for the future, especially in the drug policy reform movement. I mean, this is the D.A.R.E. generation! They grew up watching Partnership for a Drug-Free America commercials. Now we see that the prohibitionists' propaganda not only failed, but it backfired." Strategy and training workshops will be a crucial part of the conference. Veteran drug policy activists will provide important tips on the "how-to" of drug policy reform. Topics range from harm reduction at raves to zero tolerance policies on campus, from grassroots legislative training to media guidance. "Currently SSDP has over 160 chapters nationwide," said Scarlett Swerdlow, a UC Berkeley student and member of SSDP's national Board of Directors. "The conference will be an awesome opportunity to harness the brilliance and passion of so many dedicated activists." Youth activists look forward to the annual conference. While students are united by national campaigns, the focus of SSDP is on-campus activism and community outreach. The conference allows students to connect a face to an e-mail address at the very least, but also to brainstorm and exchange ideas. "Aside from getting to hear people like Ralph Nader speak," explained David Brown of Seminole High School, "I'm most looking forward to getting a chance to meet people that I've been talking to for so long now." Visit http://www.ssdp.org/conference2001/ for further information or to register. ORGANIZATIONS: Tables are available at $200 for nonprofits or $300 for commercial businesses, proceeds will help provide scholarships to student attendees.
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