Mission: Students for Sensible Drug Policy is an organization composed of students who believe the war on drugs has failed and that American drug policy should treat drug abuse and addiction as public health issues instead of criminal justice ones.
SSDP seeks to bring an end to counterproductive drug war policies and replace them with harm-reduction policies that focus on treatment instead of incarceration.
SSDP accomplishes these goals by educating the public and lawmakers on all drug policy related issues, while also actively promoting alternative policies.
Who’s in charge: Political science senior Michael Blunk.
Founded: Spring 2008. The national SSDP organization was founded in 1998.
Save the date: Keep your eyes peeled for information on Race and the Drug War, a forum organized by SSDP where panelists discuss the intersections of racial injustice and American drug policy.
In March, SSDP will travel to Austin to lobby Texas state representatives in support of lifting the ban on needle-exchange programs in Texas.
Web site: http://uhssdp.com/
Sign me up!: E-mail any of the officers.
‘The best thing about SSDP so far is the opportunities to do things that I’ve never done before, such as go to the capitol Legislature and speak to my representative.’
‘- Chris McClean, advertising senior
‘I like the experience that members of SSDP get with the political process. We’re changing public policy and meeting our state representatives and senators.’
‘- Hillary Sotello, anthropology and political science senior
