Dare Generation Diary

When Trevor Hosterman from West Chester SSDP volunteered to table the April 17th Easy Star All Stars/Cas Haley show at World Cafe Live in Philadelphia, PA, he had no idea he'd end up on stage with the band. ESAS and Cas Haley are both in the AMPLIFY project family of artists, but not until now has an artist given our chapters such a voice. Here's what Trevor had to say about his experience:

The musical collective and SSDP AMPLIFY member, The Easy Star All Stars, had just wrapped up their set and walked off the stage, leaving the crowd inside the World Café Live in Philadelphia standing on edge, eager to hear more dubbed out tunes. Periodically, over the course of the show, I had held up a PA Medical Marijuana poster that we had been using while tabling the concert. I now found it appropriate to hold up the sign once more while the crowd waited for the All Stars to take the stage for their encore. It was then, that vocalist Kristy Rock walked out on to the stage and pointed at me and asked me to come join the band. I was dumbstruck, but managed to find my way up onto the stage where I came face to face with the crowd, proudly holding my PA Medical Marijuana poster. Once on stage, side by side with Kristy, she smiled at me, and began to tell a story. She spoke of her mother who lives in Denver, and how she is currently battling cancer, and is enduring the process of chemotherapy. Her mother is also a medical marijuana patient, and uses marijuana to help treat the pain and nausea associated with her chemotherapy treatments. Kristy gave a full endorsement of medical marijuana, and then handed me the microphone to inform the audience of our pending medical marijuana bill. I will ask you the same thing I asked the crowd, for those of us who live in Pennsylvania or have friends and family in the state, please encourage everyone you know to contact their state representative by phone, email, or writing a letter, and lets make Pennsylvania the next medical marijuana state!

This is just one example of how SSDP's AMPLIFY project can help your chapter's voice reach more people. The First Light Tour may be coming to a close soon, but you can always keep track of AMPLIFY shows here.

Use posters, events, and media to magnify your chapter's visibility on campus!

It might seem like a no-brainer, but if you're not promoting your chapter's meetings, events or campaigns, then how will people know to join SSDP? Check out these great and easy ways to make sure people know about SSDP at your school. 

• Posters: Make sure you're putting up flyers every week to promote your chapter's meetings. This simple action is likely to not only increase attendance at your meetings, but it will make sure people are at least familiar with SSDP. If you have members that are talented graphic designers, put them to work! When the posters are printed, make putting them up around campus a fun team effort. 
• Events: Events, small or large, prove to your campus community that SSDP is active and working hard. It doesn't matter if it's a simple movie screening or a day long symposium on the injustice of the drug war, if you're constantly providing the community with opportunities to learn about drug policy, you'll bring credibility to your chapter and awareness to our mission. Events keep your chapter members interested and engaged. In addition to all this, if your chapter is consistently active, it will be hard for anyone on campus to try and stereotype SSDP members (we know the opposition tends to rely on name calling because the facts are on our side!). 
• Events are also great for highlighting campaigns you might be working on and really help to draw in new members that might not otherwise attend a general meeting. For instance, if you're just starting a chapter, consider holding a Know Your Rights movie screening and Q&A before your first meeting. That event is likely to draw in a much more diverse and possibly larger audience than the meeting would, providing you with the perfect opportunity to pitch SSDP and promote your upcoming general meeting!
• Campus Radio and TV: Reach out to shows on your campus radio or television stations and offer to give an interview about SSDP or a relevant drug policy issue. For example, if a medical marijuana bill was recently voted on in your state, that's a great opportunity for you to lend your expertise on the bill. Be proactive - don't wait for them to contact you. Once you're on the show, they're likely to call you back when similar stories arise. 
• Letters to the Editor: Probably one of the easiest ways to increase your chapter's visibility is to frequently submit letters to the editor to your campus paper and local media outlets. As a recognized student group, there is a high probability your piece will be published. Plus, LTE's are generally around 150 words so you can write one in about 10 minutes! 
• Build Coalitions: Research other groups on your campus and reach out to them by offering to combine efforts and work together. Groups working on issues like human rights, criminal justice, personal liberty, the environment, economics and racial injustice all tie into aspects of the drug war. Attend their meetings and see what you can do to help them - not only what they can do to help SSDP. 

Chris after meeting with Congressional Representatives in Washington, D.C.

At the 2011 SSDP Awards Dinner, Christopher Pezza was one of only two students recognized for their outstanding activism within SSDP.

Impressively, Chris has formed not one, but two SSDP chapters that are both currently active in Colorado. First, he organized students at Front Range Community College in Longmont. Under his leadership, the FRCC chapter worked on numerous campaigns and helped spread SSDP throughout the state. Before transferring to the University of Northern Colorado, Chris ensured that leadership was successfully passed on to Nick Davies (who earned himself Chapter Leader of the Week back in December 2010).

At UNCO, Chris quickly formed a new chapter of SSDP, and recruited other enthusiastic activists to help spread the message. He's currently campaigning for Director of University Relations position in the UNCO student senate.

In addition to all this, Chris now volunteers as SSDP's Colorado State Coordinator, helping to increase communication among established chapters in the state and also proactively seeking students to form new chapters.

We're proud to welcome new officially established SSDP chapters at Louisiana State University - Shreveport, University of Houston - Clear Lake, and University of Pittsburgh this week! Read more about each new group and the student leaders who founded them.

Louisiana State University - Shreveport

Shreveport, LA - Southern Region

The LSUS Student News covered the newly created chapter, watch an excerpt of the video report here.

Rachal Cox learned about SSDP from friends who are involved in one of our strongest chapters at the University of Arkansas - Fayetteville. Currently, LSUS is our only active chapter in Louisiana, and they've quickly gotten things up and running in just a few short weeks.

University of Houston - Clear Lake
Houston, TX - Southern Region

Klaire Moss found SSDP online last summer and was interested in developing her skills as an activist. Using the resources we have available, she gathered other interested students and went through the school's process for creating a new student organization. This new chapter makes 2 in the city of Houston, TX, joining the University of Houston as strong voices for reform in the south.

University of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, PA - Northeast Region

Julia Johnson and the other students at UPitt have been working on establishing their chapter since last semester, and just received official student group recognition last week! They've already begun to work with the local NORML chapter on marijuana policy related events. Also, UPitt SSDP will be tabling at this Bassnectar show as part of our AMPLIFY project. Be sure to stop by!

SSDP's 2011 Training Conference & Lobby Day was an inspiring event that spoke volumes to the organization's pivotal role in the effort to bring common sense to drug policy. More than 400 students from all over the country came together not just to learn about policy, but to gain the tools needed to become effective activists who are prepared to take on the challenges and opportunities facing us over the next two years. All told, we had students from 28 states and the District of Columbia representing 78 high schools, colleges, and universities across the U.S. in attendance last weekend!

We've surveyed some of our attendees and asked what they learned from this three day event and how it has impacted them. Here's what they're saying:

I learned a lot of information ranging everywhere from how to properly advertise our club and how to handle and question politicians. As a newer member of SSDP the breakout sessions regarding chapter management and events were especially useful and taught me a lot of lessons that I was able to take home.

- Kyle Seewald, Michigan State University

I can't even begin to explain how much I learned at the conference. I am a freshman and have little to no experience on lobbying for drug policy and keeping my chapter going. Before this conference I was really worried about keeping my chapter going once all of our seniors left, but now I feel completely prepared. I learned how to professionally lobby, how to keep the reputation of our club clean and professional, how to recruit and keep members, how to successfully advertise for events and meetings, and most importantly I developed strong bonds with other chapter leaders in Florida which will help when we all need to get together to lobby for the new Florida Medical Marijuana Bill. All together an amazing experience!!

- Mallory Wharton, Florida State University

I now have a better idea of how to run the SSDP chapter at Washington State University, as well as how to effectively advocate for sensible drug policies. I'm going to look up my schools policies on drugs and begin a campaign to change the ones that aren't sensible.

- Charles Rollins, Washington State University

I learned a great deal more about lobbying and how to approach elected officials. In addition I came back with so many great ideas for our chapter. The rest of our semester is going to be full of inspiration that we took from the conference. Seeing all of these amazing activists also inspired us to do even more and to really push our fight through.

- Josh Merer, West Chester University

I learned how to network (and did a lot of it, too!). Also, the workshops helped me get a grasp on how to effectively organize events that combine working to change policy (the point of the club) with campus outreach/student involvement/campus education (my officer position). On a personal level, I was really moved to continue working for the cause. Seeing so many people excited about drug policy reform made me realize that true change is right around the corner!

- Rose Bono, Virgina Commonwealth University

This conference was my third international conference, and each one is better than the last. Thank you so much to the national staff for all their hard work.

- Chris Wallis, Kent State University

SSDP has directed my rebelliousness into action, my indifference into desire for good. SSDP has thrown my life in a completely different direction with the connections to make all my dreams come true. Changed my values from wanting to be just another criminal lawyer to a position where I can cause change and do the research necessary to find the right solutions. SSDP has connected me with bright minds and more scholarly possibilities than I could have ever expected and given me the ability to develop the leadership I needed to succeed.

- Axel Bilbao, University of Central Florida

I absolutely loved the conference. The amazing energy and bond between everyone in attendance was unbelievable and a new experience for me. All of the people I met were wonderful, and it was incredible to share time with so many amazing people, including the staff who organized the event. Attending the SSDP conference has solidified my desire to attend future conferences, including the DPA conference in November. Thank you to everyone who made it one of the experiences of my life!
- Jurriaan van den Hurk, Virgina Commonwealth University

I would like to sincerely express my appreciation for everyone who contributed to the conference. One of the things that makes me passionate about our organization is that each of us have our own characteristics that make us unique and stand out from one another, although we find common beliefs and influences that help us stand together for common goals and aspirations. It truly was an unforgettable experience that will have an everlasting impression on not only our professional perspectives but interpersonal as well. If we don't stand up for injustice, who will?

- Jason Malonson, Northwest Arkansas Community College

Help support the amazing work of these chapters by making a donation today.

We're proud to announce three newly established SSDP chapters this week, making them the first additions to our chapter network in 2011! As we officially welcome University of Akron, Central Washington University & University of Florida by adding them to the map, we'd also like to take this opportunity to tell you about the students who stepped up to lead the student drug policy reform movement at their school by founding an SSDP chapter.

University of Akron - Akron, OH (Midwest Region)
Anthony Burrows has been working to establish an SSDP chapter at U of A for almost exactly a year! In January 2010, he came across our website while searching for organizations whose missions are focused on ending the war on drugs. He was faced with obstacle after obstacle in his quest to establish an active SSDP chapter at U of A, navigating through administrative red tape for much of the Fall 2010 semester, but he wasn't going to let a little bureaucracy stop him. Finally, last week, Anthony received word from his school administration that his student organization recognition request has been approved!

Central Washington University - Ellensburg, WA (Western Region)
Brian Grimmer discovered SSDP in October of last year while researching medical marijuana policies for Washington state college campuses. Now that the CWU SSDP chapter is up and running, he hopes to establish a campus medical marijuana policy that would provide protection for students who are medical cannabis patients.

University of Florida - Gainesville, FL (Southern Region)
Chase Corbin got connected to us in November when he was looking for drug policy internship opportunities, he noticed SSDP was mentioned on the Drug Policy Alliance (DPA) and Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) websites and decided to check us out. Chase hopes to make an impact on campus with his chapter by facilitating professional and evidence based discussions about drug policy. Currently a University Scholar at UF majoring in philosophy & economics, he hopes to attend law school then pursue a career in drug policy reform after completing his studies as an undergrad.

Students for Sensible Drug Policy is active across the United States with official chapters at over 150 high schools, colleges, universities, graduate & law schools. Visit our website to join or start one at your school today, and to access our activist resources including our comprehensive Student Organizing Manual.

Name: Angela Shen
Chapter: University of California, San Diego
Position: President

UC Berkeley SSDP Rally

SSDP chapters throughout the state are engaged in GOTV efforts on their college campuses and doing everything thing they can to help get young people to the cast their ballots. Yesterday, UC Berkeley SSDP members rallied on campus before canvassing neighborhoods with Yes on 19 door hangers.

Today, UC San Diego SSDP is rallying around the Dr. Bronner's fire truck directing people to their polling place. Our students at San Jose State University and San Francisco State University have working with other groups on campus to remind students to vote. Other chapters are tabling, using sidewalk chalk to direct people to the polls and handing out VOTE19 stickers to their peers.

UCSD SSDP Chapter Members Direct to the Polls

Chapters in California and throughout the country are calling young voters and asking them to vote today using the Yes on 19 call tool. You can use it right now too.

It seems like it's working. Our chapter leaders are reporting lines at the polls and many students confirming that they have already voted. On some college campuses, like San Diego State University, the polls are actually running out of provisional ballots.

And you have not voted yet, get to your local polling place immediately!

You can find your polling place here:
http://www.ssdp.org/polls

If California's Proposition 19 wins in 12 days, it will be because students came out and voted.

As Firedoglake's Jon Walker points out, those most likely to vote yes on Prop 19 are also those most likely to not vote on November 2. 

According to the recent SurveyUSA poll, supporters of Prop 19 are more likely to be infrequent voters and less likely to have already voted by mail. The poll found those voters who say they “always” vote oppose Prop 19 by a margin of 44 to 47. On the other hand, likely voters who tend to rarely vote in midterms overwhelmingly support Prop 19. As a group, these infrequent voters support Prop 19 by a margin of nearly two to one, 58 percent to 34 percent. This means that for every two percent increase in overall turnout from infrequent voters, there would be an almost one percent increase in support for Prop 19.

The poll also found that among people who have already sent in a ballot, Prop 19 is narrowly losing, 47 percent to 50 percent, but it leads 48 to 42 among those who plan to vote but have not already. Of course, people who have already voted can’t change their minds and, by definition, can’t forget to vote on election day, which is not true with those who have yet to vote early.

Bottom line. Young people not only need to vote on Nov. 2, they have to drag their friends and peers to the polls with them.

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

Watch the instructional video and start making calls today!

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.

On newsstands this week, the October issue of High Times magazine features the Top 20 Institutions of Higher Education, their "annual list of schools and universities for students committed to marijuana activism". Compiled by SSDP staff members, this list reflects our chapters who have done outstanding work to reform marijuana and other drug policies at their schools during the 2009-2010 school year. Make sure to pick up a copy to read the full article with details on the amazing work these chapters did over the past year to earn this distinction.

1. Ithaca College Ithaca, NY
2. University of Utah Salt Lake City, UT
3. Kent State University Kent, OH
4. Northern Virginia Community College Woodbridge, VA
5. University of Iowa Iowa City, IA
6. Front Range Community College Boulder, CO
7. University of Maryland College Park, MD
8. University of Arkansas Fayetteville, AR
9. West Virginia University Morgantown, WV
10. University of Connecticut Storrs, CT
11. University of Texas El Paso, TX
12. Northern Illinois University Dekalb, IL
13. Black Hills State University Spearfish, SD
14. Brown University Providence, RI
15. Virginia Commonwealth University Richmond, VA
16. University of Miami Miami, FL
17. San Francisco State University San Francisco, CA
18. SUNY New Paltz New Paltz, NY
19. Reed College Portland, OR
20. Mills College Oakland, CA

Congratulations to all SSDP chapter members for your outstanding work advancing the student movement to end the war on drugs!

Stay tuned for updates from all of our 132 active chapters as they begin the 2010-2011 school year this month through our Action Alert list, Facebook Page & Cause, and Twitter.

Chapter members: check out this page to learn about how your chapter's work can be featured in High Times.

When Edmond School District officials in 2008 and 2009 unveiled a proposed random drug testing policy similar to one recently introduced by the Deer Creek School District, more than a dozen parents and school patrons showed up at a public forum saying they opposed the policy. About half that number spoke in favor of the testing.

Flex Your Rights, founded to educate the public about constitutional rights during police encounters, has been embraced by both the police and the public. Every citizen should understand their basic Bill of Rights protections, so it's completely understandable why two high school teachers in Virginia decided to show "BUSTED: A Citizen's Guide to Surviving Police Encounters" to their 12th grade government classes. Unfortunately, the two Norview High School teachers were put on leave this week after a parent complained that they showed a video and distributed handouts that gave advice on how to deal with police if stopped.

The war on drugs is a war on us.

In case you didn't read the New York Times this weekend, there was a grueling and heart-wrenching story about the families along the border in Mexico caught in the middle of their current political nightmare. When five houses in your neighborhood are set on fire by well-funded and well-armed men, you run - and many people are looking to the US for asylum. "Some of the families who are fleeing from Mexico are doing it because...if you want to get at somebody, you get at their children" said one terrified citizen.

There's a raging battle next door that the US government is responsible for waging and the first wave of refugees have arrived. Towns and cities all along the US border in Mexico are being abandoned as our neighbors flee for their lives.

Why?

To protect the children. To save the lives of the children.

We have created a war that kills children in order to save the children.

On January 31st, there was a massacre of students in Juárez straight out of Al Capone's days. Cartel mercenaries burst into a party filled with mostly high school students celebrating a soccer win and a birthday, and murdered 13 teenagers and two adults. Blood and bodies poured onto the street and the outrage poured out of Juárez and El Paso. In response, the US and Mexican governments have vowed to continue the same failed approach with a little extra aggression on top.

Earlier this month, two graduate students at the Monterrey Institute of Technology - the Harvard of Mexico - were murdered when they walked into a showdown between the military and a local cartel. They made the mistake of staying too late at the library to study. The Mexican government denies any real responsibility - but at least they did finally apologize under pressure.

A few days later in Durango, several students on their way to pick up their government scholarship checks were stopped at a cartel check point - stopped from ever breathing again. 10 young people were bombed and killed by the ruthless criminals in control of their part of the country. The victims ranged in age from 8 to 21, half of them under 16. (Apparently the military sometimes stays away from these roadblocks because it's not safe for them - the ones with guns who are hired to protect their citizens.)

So what is the message we are sending to the children?

According to one mother who has managed to escape to Texas with her life, '“All the children, the only thing they know how to play is sicarios,” she said, using the Spanish word for hired killers.'

Last week the LA Times reported the death toll in Mexico is more than previously estimated, and has topped 22,000 since the start of President Calderon's war on drug cartels in December 2007.

You know, it makes me absolutely ill every time a prohibitionist says, "Well if our drug policies save even one child's life, it's worth it."

Great attitude - but can you look at reality yet?

Last year over 50 SSDP chapters participated in our national day of action on Cinco de Mayo by drawing attention to the drug war violence occurring in Mexico. We protested the fact that in just over one year, more than 7,500 people had been killed in Mexico. Needless to say, prohibition hasn't gone away and today, more than 18,000 people have been murdered in Mexico.

So SSDP will be organizing a 2010 Day of Action and we hope that even more SSDP chapters will participate and our voices will be louder than last year. Go to http://www.ssdp.org/cincodemayo for more information.

SSDP chapters will be drawing attention to this issue by doing things like:

• Demonstrating on campus with Mexican flags or balloons
• Hosting a speaker from Law Enforcement Against Prohibition
• Handing out informational flyers
• Collecting petition signatures at EndDrugProhibition.com   

Excited? Get started!

Signup!
Get your chapter signed up to participate in the day of action ASAP! http://www.ssdp.org/cincodemayo/signup

Check Out the Resources
Here's a page of resources that you can download and use:http://www.ssdp.org/cincodemayo/resources
The page includes an editable press release that you can send to local news outlets, Mexican flags you can print out, an action plan, and more to come soon.

Sign the Petition During your demonstration you can set up a laptop and get people to sign the petition.
http://www.EndDrugProhibition.com

Facebook
Here's the Facebook event. RSVP and invite your friends!
http://www.ssdp.org/facebook/cincodemayo

There's more to come very soon...

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!

It's almost here! SSDP's 11th Annual International Conference. Check out what we have in store for you:

Tom Ammiano
California State Representative and Lead Sponsor of Marijuana Legalization Bill (AB390)

Gary Johnson
Former Governor of the State of New Mexico

Ethan Nadelmann
Executive Director, Drug Policy Alliance

This conference features a diverse schedule of panels and workshop and each is organized around a guiding question...

Saturday: Drug War Education Day

• What does a model medical marijuana dispensary look like?
• What is harm reduction?
• What would a legal marijuana market look like?
• What is the latest in psychedelic research?
• Should we legalize all drugs?
• How does U.S. drug policy affect Latin America?
• How does drug policy reform intersect with gender equality?
• Why are students vital to our movement?

Sunday: Training Workshops

• Persuading decision-makers (lobbying)
• Changing campus policies
• Building coalitions
• Working with the media
• Running an effective SSDP chapter
• Working with student government
• Online organizing
• Organizing successful events

You'll be able to take tours of a medical marijuana dispensary and Oaksterdam University! There will be a benefit concert on Saturday evening featuring Roots of Creation! Beautiful views of the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz! I'm so excited I can't stop using exclamation points! Believe it or not, there's even more to come.

If you haven't registered yet, do so today. And if you're a student and want to come but can't afford the trip, we've got you covered; apply for a conference scholarship and we will help get you to San Francisco. 

I sure am glad that I'm not a parent. America's elementary and middle schools are filled with horrifying dangers that terrify parents each morning as they send their children off to school. Gangs. Drugs. STD's. Peppermint oil.

That's right. A ten year old student was suspended from a New York school after she brought in peppermint oil and gave some drops to her fifth grade friends to flavor their water with. The school called the peppermint oil "an unregulated over-the-counter drug.”

Parents of other students in the school must be comforted that the swift suspension carried out by school officials will keep peppermint oil away from their children and send a strong message to the student body. After all, what better way to teach a 10 year old right from wrong than by kicking her out of school? For sharing peppermint oil...

I'm just glad it wasn't citrus folks. It starts with peppermint and before you know you it these kids are flavoring water with slices of lemons. Maybe some lime juice. And you know your kid has a problem when he's on the grapefruit. That stuff is bitter!

This incident is both an example of absurd zero tolerance drug policies and a growing effort to "police" children of all ages. School administrators enforce arbitrary policies with a heavy hand and much like law enforcement, they seem to never feel the need to apologize when they are clearly wrong. Watch this movie: The War on Kids

A few days ago, SSDP's ED Micah Daigle received this email:

Dear Micah,

I think personally it is absolutely disgusting that you would have a story on Rachel Hoffman that comes to her defense. She was everything that was wrong with this situation. She was helping the war on drugs. I don't care how the police twisted her mind and told her things. The simple fact was she was an under cover informant. To support someone who helps ruin peoples lives is something that is supported by SSPD? Things like this are the sole fact I believe there are huge holes in your organization and truly no firm stance on any one subject. These reasons are the reasons are dismembered the chapter I started at Northern Illinois University. Please try to think about what you are supporting and who. YOU GUYS ARE SUPPORTING AN UNDERCOVER AGENT.

A concerned citizen

Micah shared the email with me and needless to say, it infuriated me at first. But then I realized that this is the mentality our drug policies produce. Here is someone who supports the reform of marijuana laws writing to us that SSDP is wrong because we supported Rachel Hoffman's family in what I consider to be one of the worst drug war tragedies to ever occur.

So what if she became an informant? She should have never been put in that position in the first place. Rachel Hoffman didn't have some cooked up plan to start putting people behind bars and the 2 murderers that she did agree to help arrest weren't her friends. She was scared and confused and being threatened with a jail sentence.

Rachel was not "everything that was wrong with this situation." Maybe the author of that email hasn't heard the story so I'll remind him of everything that went wrong with Rachel's situation:

1. Marijuana is illegal.
2. Non-violent drug offenders face jail time.
3. Police waste resources, tax dollars, and man hours on people like Rachel Hoffman
4. The police department asked Rachel to purchase 1,500 ecstasy pills, 2 ounces of cocaine, and a handgun (which was contrary to department policy as it opened the opportunity for the suspected criminals to explain the presence of the gun), using $13,000 cash in a buy-bust operation.
5. The police knew the criminal history of the men she was supposed to meet.
6. The police lost track of Rachel during the sting.
7. She was murdered with the handgun the police sent her to purchase.

So go ahead and talk the talk. Maybe you've even walked the walk. But to truly comprehend both effective drug policy and personal liberty, you'll need to realize that the drug war has turned you into the same type of monster that it has turned the police department that blamed Rachel for her own death. You're the same as gang members and drug cartels that kill each other for snitching. You're mentality is the same as the 2 men that murdered her.

This is a human being. A human life. And yes, she did turn informant and that would have put 2 men behind bars. Two murderers behind bars that quite frankly belong right where they are.

Furthermore, Rachel's death spawned the creation of the Rachel's Law in Florida which "requires law enforcement agencies to (a) provide special training for officers who recruit confidential informants, (b) instruct informants that reduced sentences may not be provided in exchange for their work, and (c) permit informants to request a lawyer if they want one."