cannabisnews.com: Group To Weed Out The Campus Drug Concern





Group To Weed Out The Campus Drug Concern
Posted by CN Staff on January 30, 2003 at 07:44:09 PT
By Rachel Gallegos, Contributing Writer
Source: Daily Trojan 
Students for Sensible Drug Policy, a new group at USC, is trying to gain support for the legalization of marijuana by working to get the information out to people on campus. SSDP, a national organization that began three years ago at the Rochester Institute for Technology, has expanded to 200 university and high school chapters across the country, according to the association's Web site.
The USC chapter now has had its second start, said Mitch Earleywine, an associate professor of psychology and the USC chapter adviser. The same group was on campus three years ago, but when the student organizing the group graduated, the group's membership dwindled, Earleywine said.At last semester's Great Debate between the editor in chief of High Times magazine, Steve Hager, and a member of the Drug Enforcement Agency, the idea for the group was brought up again. During the debate, Hager had pushed for someone to start a group at USC, and so Trevor Throntveit, an undeclared sophomore did. Last semester, an executive board of six people worked to start planning the group. By the end of the semester, they had a little more than 80 people on their mailing list, Throntveit said. On Tuesday, the group had its first general meeting in front of Leavey Library to pass out fliers and have people sign up on the e-mail list to receive more information about SSDP events. Now the group is hoping to have meetings the last Tuesday of every month to "promote and foster open discussion," Throntveit said.Lisa Core, a junior majoring in accounting and an executive board member of the USC chapter of SSDP, hopes that the members can help to clear up the whole misconception about the group.During the meeting Tuesday, Core said the organization's mission is more about "getting the information out" about why marijuana should be legalized than "smoking weed every day."Tim Tsai, an undeclared freshman, said he came to the meeting because he wanted to see an "informational-type session" where more than a small segment of people on the USC campus could be educated on what the group is about. He hopes they continue to spread information about the group to others on campus, he said.Core joined SSDP because she "wanted to get the word out" because there is "only so much you can do on your own". The mission statement for the national organization of SSDP is, "Students for Sensible Drug Policy is committed to providing education on the harms caused by the War on Drugs, working to involve youth in the political process, and promoting an open, honest, and rational discussion of alternative solutions to our nation's drug problem."Throntveit said in future meetings, he hopes to have "not just a group for proponents of weed", but a chance for discussion with people of differing views. SSDP passed out fliers Monday and Tuesday on campus, and "people were so receptive," said Rachel Kelley, one of the executive members and a freshman majoring in psychology.Throntveit said they are "still getting the ball rolling this semester" with the paperwork pending, but it is all submitted. This semester the group is going to participate in Medical Marijuana Week, which is Feb. 15 to 22.Feb. 18 is "Evict the DEA Day" across the country according to the group's flier. There will be rallies, protests and demonstrations in front of the offices to support the rights of medical-marijuana patients. Kelley said she will personally go, but. "the more the merrier."The USC chapter is also hoping to get a group together to travel to the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws Conference in San Francisco from April 17 to 19.The conference will have speakers and workshops, including a speech by Earleywine. Other students on campus, including Lawson Tatum, a sophomore majoring in kinesiology, said the group has the "right to say whatever they want to say for their cause" even though he is not in favor of it. Jomeline Balatayo, however was less in favor of this type of group on campus because it is "not for medical use" for the students in the group."It is hard to imagine any of them have cancer," Balatayo said. Because many people share their view, Lindsey Bowman, a freshman majoring in business agrees with the idea of the group to bring "diversity to our campus."Joel Hay, an associate professor of pharmaceutical economics and policy in the School of Pharmacy, said "no matter where you put the law," there are "always people advocating its legalization."Hay said, however, "more people will be harmed if marijuana is legalized." Hay mentioned the Web site -- http://www.newscientist.com -- that discusses the possible serious effects such as schizophrenia and depression because of marijuana use. Even though some have the argument that because tobacco and alcohol are both legal, marijuana should also be legalized, Hay said there is no reason to add another.Note: Policy: Legalization of marijuana is the core goal of returning organization.This article was published in Vol. 148, No. 11 - Thursday, January 30, 2003 - beginning on page 1 and ending on page 11.Source: Daily Trojan (CA Edu)Author: Rachel Gallegos, Contributing WriterPublished: Vol. 148, No. 11 - Jan. 30, 2003Copyright: 2003 Daily TrojanContact: dtrojan usc.eduWebsite: http://www.dailytrojan.com/ Related Articles & Web Sites:SSDP: http://www.ssdp.org/NORML: http://www.norml.org/High Times: http://www.hightimes.com/Text of Dr. Mitch Earleywine Interview - NPR http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread14712.shtmlExperts Debate High Times and Crimes http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread14288.shtmlSmoking Up The Debate on Pothttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread14237.shtml
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Comment #3 posted by freddybigbee on January 30, 2003 at 11:23:07 PT:
Mean people...
"..Mean people should be court mandated to smoke a doobie.."Not a bad idea. But seriously, when antis rant and rave it is sometimes helpful to point out that if they haven't tried it they literally don't know what they are talking about. Either they smoke some weed and become informed, or they remain ignorant clowns blowing smoke. If someone has smoked weed enough to know what it is, and is in favor of prohibition, at least they know what they're talking about. To them I say, if you don't like it, don't use it. Why impose your tastes on others? Ego out of control, perhaps?
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Comment #2 posted by JustGetnBy on January 30, 2003 at 09:32:21 PT:
WHY ADD ANOTHER ?
Only from the depths of absolute ignorance could such a statement come. How in the name of good sense can they cage a human for possessing, using, growing or transporting plant material that mankind has been using since pre=recorded history, and in the next breath say it is OK to use tobacco and alcohol ?..Mean people should be court mandated to smoke a doobie..
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Comment #1 posted by John Tyler on January 30, 2003 at 09:18:25 PT
Why just two things legal?
Even though some have the argument that because tobacco and alcohol are both legal, marijuana should also be legalized, Hay said there is no reason to add another. Wrong. There was no good reason it was declared illegal in the first place, and there is no good reason that it should remain illegal any longer. If this guy thinks only two things should be legal, I would prefer alcohol anc cannabis.
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