Monday, April 14, 2008

Midwest SSDP Regional Conference this Saturday If you're in range of Central Illinois, why don't you join us this weekend for the midwest regional Students for Sensible Drug Policy conference, hosted by Illinois State University SSDP (of which I am the faculty adviser). Friday, April 18: Hempfest on the Quad, from 1 pm to 9 pm All day fun with live music, drum circles, tie-dye, hemp jewelry making, cigarette oregano rolling contest, games, prizes and much more! At the same time, another student group I advise (Theatre of Ted) will be continuing their four-square marathon (that starts on Wednesday) at the south end of the quad and having a RockSquare concert in the late afternoon/evening. Saturday, April 19: Midwest SSDP Conference: 10:00 - 10:30 am -- Opening Address by SSDP Chapter President Ashley Barys 10:30 -11:20 -- Mary Price with Familys Against Mandatory Minimums (FAMM) 11:30 - 12:20 Kathleen Kane-Willis with The Institute for Metropolitan Affairs and George Pappas with IDEAL Reform talk about drug policy and cannabis in Illinois Pete Guither talks about national and international drug policy reform issues with a roundtable discussion 12:30-1:30 -- Lunch 1:30 -2:20 Amber Langston, outreach director of national SSDP presents a workshop on campus activism. Pete Guither presents a hands-on workshop: "Elevator Arguments: creating a concise targeted, case for reform." 2:30-3:20 -- Medical cannabis patient Julie Falco, Dan Linn with Illinois NORML and John Walker with ICAN will be on a panel together about progress in Illinois regarding medical cannabis. 3:30-4:20 -- Jim Gierach with Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP) 4:30-5:20 -- Ben Masel on industrial hemp, plus drug policy and elections. All above events will be in Schroeder Hall. Midnight: Theatre of Ted outdoors on the south end of the quad. Open-mic-style performance event (anyone can sign up to perform). This week, with a 4/20 theme. Sunday, April 20: 4:20 pm -- If you're still around, we're having a free screening of the new film Super High Me in Schroeder Hall 130. I haven't seen it yet, but it's apparently very funny (though not necessarily much of an advocacy film). That's right, everything is free. (Lunch is on your own.) Stop by and have some fun and learnin'! 10:38:13 PM | drug policy | Related  | permalink | comment []

Some reading Matthew Fogg: The War on Drugs is a War on our Youth Kurt L. Schmoke: Drug Sanity 12:23:38 AM | drug policy | Related  | permalink | comment []