SSDP's history

From SSDPedia

Contents 1 1996 2 1997 3 1998 4 1999 5 2000 6 2001 7 2002 8 2003 9 2004 10 2005 11 2006 12 2007

[edit] 1996

• Fall 1996 – Utilizing the Internet. Members of the Student Drug Reform Movement (SDRM) begin to chat over the internet using a Drug Reform Coordination Network (DRCNet) discussion page. This would mark the beginnings of SSDP Talk, SSDP's national discussion listserve.

• November 1996 – Protest of Drug Czar General McCaffrey speaks at American University. Organizers appear to demonstrate against the government's view that marijuana should not be used medicinally.

[edit] 1997

• Fall 1997 – Leaders’ Meeting. Shea Gunther starts the Rochester Cannabis Coaliton (RCC) at the Rochester Institute of Technology and applied to become an official student organization. RIT denied SSDP's application, which ultimately lead to Shea's expulsion from school.

[edit] 1998

• Winter 1998 – Conference Organized. Aaron Wilson assembles SDRM members at University of Massachusetts-Amherst. Approximately 50 people attended, the majority from the New England area. The core group of SSDP begins to emerge.

[edit] 1999

• October 4, 1999 – Government Advocates Emerge. Governor Gary Johnson (R-NM) kicks off a visit to the nation's capital by meeting with leaders of a SSDP. He is the country's highest-ranking elected official to advocate legalizing such drugs as cocaine, heroin and marijuana. "I hate to say it, but the majority of people who use drugs use them responsibly," Johnson tells members of SSDP. "They choose when to do it. They do them at home. It's not a financial burden." The meeting was nationally televised on CBS news.

• Nov. 1999-First National Gathering in DC. The decision is made collectively to form SSDP into a national organization and elect a board of directors. (Before then, Kris Lotlikar had been organizing under DRCNet and some had started SSDP chapters independently, but there had never been a formal national organization). The Board becomes comprised of one representative from each of the five schools that have chapters operating under the SSDP name (Hampshire College, University of Wisconsin-Madison, George Washington University, American University, and Rochester Institute of Technology). After the first Board is selected, the Board holds an informal meeting at a local burger joint and names Kris Lotlikar as the first National Director.

[edit] 2000

• January 2000 – ONDCP Caught in the Act. Dan Forbes article appears in Salon.com detailing how the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) paid television networks to include the anti-drug theme into scripts.

• January 2000 - First National Action. At and around the College Convention 2000 in New Hampshire, SSDP students protest the Higher Education Act (HEA) and pepper Bush with questions (Londonberry High School, town hall meeting). The Concord Monitor writes an article about the incident.

• Spring 2000 – First Loan Replacement Program. Hampshire College institutes the first HEA loan replacement program. Hampshire College President Greg Prince is the first college president to come out against the HEA.

• May 15, 2000 – Questions for Presidential Hopeful. Brian Gralnick asks presidential candidate Al Gore a tough question about drug policy on national television.

• August 1, 2000 – Co-Pilots. Shawn Heller and Brian Gralnick become co-National Directors.

• September 2000 – Rolling Stone Interview. Rolling Stone interviews SSDP members for our first article in the magazine. (This is the issue with Jakob Dylan on the cover.)

• October 26, 2000 – "The New Anti-War Protesters." This provocative article about SSDP appears in Rolling Stone.

• November 2000 – Heller Becomes Director. SSDP holds a National Leaders conference with the leaders of our now over fifty college campus chapters. Shawn Heller is ratified as the lone National Director by the newly expanded Board of Directors.

• November 3, 2000 – More Good Press. SSDP appears in the Chronicle of Higher Education article, “Drug Convictions Cost Almost 7,000 Students Eligibility for Aid,” regarding the HEA Drug Provision.

[edit] 2001

• March 3, 2001 – Legislation to Repeal. A coalition of U.S. House Democrats introduces legislation that would repeal a moratorium on federal financial aid to college students with drug convictions, citing denial of aid for 8,162 students this school year.

• March 15, 2001 – “Students VS. the Drug War.” This article appears in Rolling Stone as the feature story on HEA victim Marisa Garcia.

• March 29, 2001 – Ad Campaign Begins. SSDP Anti-HEA advertisement appears in Rolling Stone.

• April 2001 – Colleges Urge Change. Five Oregon colleges (Southern Oregon University, Portland Community College at Cascade, Portland Community College at Rock Creek, Lewis and Clark College, and Portland State University) pass resolutions urging changes to the HEA Drug Provision.

• April 28-29, 2001 – First Regional Conference. Hosted by UW-Madison branch of SSDP, the conference focuses on the drug war and HEA reform. Called “Illuminating Reality: social, intellectual, economic, and faith based approaches to the war on drugs in the 21st Century,” it becomes the model for regional conferences on the East Coast and Mid-West in future years.

• May 4, 2001 – Financial Aid Conference. SSDP chapter at Hampshire College holds conference for financial aid officers on the HEA/HEA Reform.

• May 8, 2001 – SSDP and DRCNet on CNN. Shawn Heller and David Borden are interviewed on CNN about HEA and the importance of education. Transcript.

• May 8, 2001 – Amherst Coffee Ban. This stunt pulled by Andrew Epstein makes national news (New York Times, Boston Globe). In it, Epstein persuades the college to discontinue coffee sales for a day and then proceeds to announce that coffee has been banned because of its negative health effects. Designed to make students think about America's drug policy, "black market" coffee was available at an elevated price along with caffeine rehabilitation centers.

• May 18, 2001 – Letter to the DEA. Thirteen leading education associations representing admissions officers, community and state colleges, financial aid administrators and student groups send a strongly worded letter outlining flaws in the HEA Drug Provision to Asa Hutchinson, new head of the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA).

• August 2, 2001 - "The New Coalition Against the Drug War." A Rolling Stone article about the drug policy reform movement. Features SSDP.

• August 6, 2001 – DEA Supports Change. Asa Hutchinson comes out in support of allowing previous drug offenders financial aid for college.

• August 16, 2001 - "America's War on Drugs." Another Rolling Stone article featuring SSDP.

• October 11, 2001 – Honorable Mention. Rolling Stone article on the HEA Drug Provision mentions Shawn Heller and Steve Silverman.

• November 2001 – 3rd Annual Conference. SSDP's conference at GWU has the highest number of representatives from schools and included National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) chapters for first time. Shortly thereafter, the first non-students are elected to the Board.

• December 2001 -- Taste Test. SSDP's first Hemp Foods taste test is held in front of the headquarters for the DEA.

• December 4, 2001 – Day of Action. SSDP and Vote Hemp organize a national Day of Action in opposition to an Oct. 9 ruling by the DEA that declared all foods made with hemp illegal. About 20 activists in Oakland, many from Berkeley, gather outside the Federal Building Tuesday afternoon to protest. The University of Missouri NORML and SSDP chapters also participate in protesting the ban on hemp. Groups gather in front of the Boone County courthouse with hemp products.

[edit] 2002

• January 16, 2002 – Public Criticism of Souder. Shawn Heller publicly criticizes Mark Souder regarding his HEA Drug Provision and receives widespread attention.

• February 2002 – Souder Confronted About HEA. Members of SSDP go to Fort Wayne, where Mark Souder speaks at a "Paying for College" workshop, which is sponsored by the Sallie Mae Fund at the University of Saint Francis. Members from the Washington, D.C., office and area chapters at Earlham College in Richmond and Ohio University attend the event to get long-awaited answers from the Republican congressman about the HEA legislation he authored.

• Spring 2002 – Rogers on NBC. Darrell Rogers is interviewed on NBC News regarding Drug Czar John Walters’s announcement of a new drug testing "how to" book for school administrators.

• March 14, 2002 – Two Articles, One Day. HEA Drug Provision article appears in Rolling Stone. Another article appears in the Chicago Daily Herald quoting Darrell Rogers in opposition to student drug testing.

• March 25, 2002 – Fund Enacted. SSDP and other drug-law reform groups inaugurate the John W. Perry Fund for students lacking aid due to the HEA Drug Provision.

• April 9, 2002 – Yale Begins Reimbursement. Yale becomes the fourth college to reimburse students who have lost aid due to the HEA Drug Provision. The first three to institute the policy are Hampshire College, Swarthmore College, and Western Washington University.

• June 6, 2002 – Demonstration and Arrests. SSDP and local drug reform groups hold a medicinal marijuana demonstration in Washington, D.C. Various members, including Shawn Heller and Darrell Rogers, get arrested for civil disobedience.

• July 2002 – Straight Partnership. SSDP forges alliance with Straights (drug rehab boot camp) survivors.

• July 3, 2002 – Disagreement with Supreme Court. SSDP sends out mass email informing people about the June 28 Supreme Court student drug-testing decision and explaining reasons for our dissent. Soon after, SSDP creates a drug testing informational pamphlet.

• Fall 2002 -- Medical Marijuana. SSDP's participates in several activities in CA with medicinal marijuana.

• September 2002 – Sacramento demonstration

• September 6, 2002 – ROAR Protest. Shawn Heller speaks at the Ravers Organizing Against the Rave (ROAR) Act protest in Washington. Ensuing article appears in URB magazine.

• October 2002 – Heller Receives Award. Shawn Heller is awarded the "Freedom Fighter of the Year" award by High Times Magazine and featured in a short article.

• November 2002 - SSDP/MPP Joint Conference in Anaheim, CA. Article about the conference appears in the November 10th edition of the LA Times (Local/National Edition)

[edit] 2003

• February 2003 – Northeast Regional Conference, Rhode Island

• February 13, 2003 – Reintroduction of Legislation. Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA), along with 38 co-sponsors, reintroduces H.R. 685, a bill to repeal the HEA.

• February 26, 2003 – Legal Protection for the Ill. Senator Joe Bolkcom (D-Iowa City) introduces a bill to the Iowa Senate to prevent prosecution of seriously ill patients using marijuana.

• April 10, 2003 – Day of Action. HEA National Day of Action organized by SSDP and the United States Student Association (USSA) draws thousands of students from over 100 colleges to Washington, along with Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA), Rep. Thomas Allen (D-ME), Rep. Maurice Hinchey (D-NY), Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), Rep. John Tierney (D-MA), and Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones (D-OH).

• April 12-13, 2003 – Chicago Conference. The Loyola SSDP branch hosts the Midwest Chapter Conference in Chicago. Topics covered included: Race, Class and the War On Drugs, The International Drug War and Colombia, Grassroots Community Organizing, Prisoner Reform, and Political Economy of the War On Drugs.

• April 16, 2003 – Drug Forum. The SSDP chapter at the University of Texas-Dallas hosts a forum on the War on Drugs. Speakers include Suzy Wills of Drug Policy Forum of Texas (DPFT) and Christopher Largen, coauthor of Prescription Pot.

• May 2, 2003 – LA Coverage. LA Times (National Edition) article “The Heretical Dr. X,” mentions SSDP.

• June 4, 2003 – Rockefeller Protest. Shawn Heller, Sean “P-Diddy” Combs, Susan Sarandon, and David Dinkins speak at a protest of the Rockefeller Drug Laws in New York. Over 100,000 people gather at City Hall for the event.

• June 11, 2003 – Concert Closed. DEA shuts down SSDP/NORML benefit concert in Billings, MT, bringing further national attention to the RAVE Act. A coalition consisting of NORML, SSDP, the Drug Policy Alliance (DPA), and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) plan to file a lawsuit against the DEA seeking an injunction and a declaration that the Illicit Drug Anti-Proliferation Act violates the First Amendment.

• June 22, 2003 – Skate for Justice. SSDP organizes a 48.9 mile bicycle/skate trip from Binghamton, NY, to Ithaca, NY, in order to raise awareness of drug policy issues.

• July 7, 2003 – LA Fundraiser. SSDP/MPP benefit featuring Bill Maher and John Fugelsang is held in LA with over 200 attendees.

• August 23, 2003 – Art in Baltimore. A fundraiser to benefit SSDP is organized as part of an exhibit at the American Visionary Art Museum entitled “High on Life.” Speakers at the event include Shawn Heller, Tony Papa, Steve Wishnia, Alex Grey, and Preston Peet.

• September 2003 – DEA Protest. SSDP, the Drug Policy Forum of Texas (DPFT), NORML, and a former DEA agent protest outside The Science Place over a DEA exhibit linking terrorism and drugs.

• September 2003 – Darrell Holds Down the Fort. Shawn Heller stepped down as National Director, and Darrell Rogers agreed to run SSDP while the board decided on a candidate for the position.

• September 20, 2003 – Freedom Rally. Massachusetts Cannabis Reform Coalition (MassCann) and NORML organize the event in Boston in support of marijuana legalization. Darrell Rogers, SSDP interim National Director, is one of the featured speakers at the event.

• September 22-23, 2003 – Cheryl Miller Memorial Project. MS patients gathered together in DC to honor Cheryl Miller’s work with medical marijuana. Activists spent the two days attending a vigil in front of the Supreme Court, holding a press conference, and lobbying Congress.

• October 3-4, 2003 – Detroit Conference. The SSDP chapter at Wayne State University work with Drug Policy Forum of Michigan to stage a two-day conference titled “And Justice for All? Communities of Color and the War on Drugs.”

[edit] 2004

• January 2004 – College Convention 2004. SSDP headed to New Hampshire to meet the candidates for president and asked them the hard questions. Most of the Democratic primary candidates said they would repeal the HEA Aid Elimination Penalty when asked by SSDPers. SSDP’s presence was so strong that it merited media attention in the Concord Monitor and other news outlets.

• January 2004 – National Conference. SSDP stayed an extra couple of days in New Hampshire and discussed strategy, agendas, and the War on Drugs.

• April 13, 2004 – HEA Day of Action. SSDP chapters across the country raised awareness of the drug provision’s harmful effects by calling their representatives and doing activities to highlight the 140,000 students denied aid to that date.

• July 7-10, 2004 - SSDP Infiltrates D.A.R.E. URI SSDP's Micah Daigle attends the 2004 D.A.R.E. International Training Conference and gathers intelligence about D.A.R.E.'s training tactics and curriculum. On the final day of the conference, he distributes a letter to nearly every D.A.R.E. officer in attendance.

[edit] 2005

[edit] 2006

• Congress, responding to pressure from SSDP and other advocates, scales back the HEA Aid Elimination Penalty, taking away its "reachback effect" so that it would only affect students convicted for offenses the occur while they are enrolled in college and receiving aid.

[edit] 2007