Keene State College Students For Sensible Drug Policy Chapter
As I stated before, I sent out e-mails across the nation after the 2012 Cannabis Law Reform Conference hosted by Oregon Students for Sensible Drug Policy, and even to some international Students for Sensible Drug Policy chapters, with interview questions in order to write articles like this one to highlight their efforts. I will continue to post the responses as I receive them. This Students for Sensible Drug Policy chapter interview on TWB will be with Keene State College. Chapter President Jake Russel was kind enough to send over the following responses (TWB questions are in bold, above Jake’s responses):
How long has your Students for Sensible Drug Policy Chapter existed?
I, Jake Russell, founded the KSC chapter of SSDP this past August of 2011.
How many members does your Students for Sensible Drug Policy currently have?
We have between 20 and 25 active members, and 6 officers including myself
What is your chapter of Students for Sensible Drug Policy doing to recruit new members?
We table in our Student Center, host speakers, have protests, screen films, and put up flyers to attract new members.
What are the goals of your Students for Sensible Drug Policy chapter for this academic year?
The main goal for our chapter is to pass a “Good Samaritan” policy, or Medical Amnesty policy, at Keene State College.
How would you describe the marijuana culture on your campus?
The marijuana culture is prevalent at Keene State.
How would you describe the campus laws towards marijuana?
There are no campus laws in place to deal with marijuana offenses, the Keene Police Dept. is called in every time marijuana is suspected on campus. It is a complete waste of police time and resources that could spent out fighting real crimes with actual victims.
If you could give advice to college students that are reading this interview, what would it be?
Join the fight to end the “war on drugs,” truly educate yourself on drugs and prohibition-style drug policies, don’t buy into the DARE propaganda. Compare the illegal drugs to the legal drugs (alcohol, cigarettes, and prescription medications) and ask yourself which is really more harmful.
What would be the benefits of legalizing marijuana?
Eliminate the profit motive for street gangs and drug cartels, end the arrests on peaceful people, restore liberty to our country, boost our economy, create tens of thousands of jobs, promote marijuana as a safer alternative for recreational use (as opposed to alcohol), regulate the sell of marijuana to keep it out of the hands of minors.
What are the drawbacks of continuing marijuana prohibition?
The continued massive incarceration of nonviolent offenders, wasting of police time and money, deaths from drug busts in people’s own homes (no-knock SWAT raids), and the continued false notions of marijuana’s “dangers.”
How would marijuana legalization affect your chapter of Students for Sensible Drug Policy?
We would continue the fight to legalize and regulate all drugs, seeing the success that marijuana legalization would have.
Do you have any Students for Sensible Drug Policy events coming up in your area?
We are protesting against the BEARCAT (Ballistic Engineered Armored Response Counter-Attack Truck) that the city of Keene wants to receive through a Homeland Security grant. We feel this vehicle (or “tank” as our Mayor has referred to it) would be used against the college students of Keene State, protestors, “riots” (college parties perhaps?), or in other situations where it is not necessary. We will be at City Hall on Thursday, March 1st when the City Council has a re-vote on whether or not to receive the BEARCAT to protest. The opposition to the BEARCAT has launched this issue into national news, the Huffington Post recently covered it and AOL picked it up and displayed the article on their Welcome page.
How can readers support your chapter of Students for Sensible Drug Policy?
“Like” us on facebook at facebook.com/KSCstudentsforsensibledrugpolicy. Come participate in our events on and off campus, and help Keene and KSC become a safer place to be.
