Pubdate: Mon, 21 Apr 2003
Source: Rebel Yell (Las Vegas, NV Edu)
Copyright: 2003 Rebel Yell
Contact: http://www.ryunlv.com/main.cfm?include=submit
Website: http://www.ryunlv.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1362
Author: Angela Flores

STUDENTS FOR SENSIBLE DRUG POLICY LOSES FUNDING

Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP) received some startling news last 
week: the national SSDP organization no longer recognizes the group as a 
legitimate entity and as a consequence, UNLV is pulling funding for the 
student group.

UNLV chapter of SSDP may not receive the $500 seed money it was promised 
this semester due to national SSDP's decision.

According to UNLV SSDP President Jenn Gross, the national organization 
objected to the pervasiveness of marijuana references in the group's material.

The group's flyers promoting their bi-monthly meetings were covered with 
the logo. Gross also said the national organization disapproved of the SSDP 
logo being associated with Lazy Days comics, whose subject matter 
predominantly deals with marijuana. Former SSDP President Jesse Underwood 
publishes the comic.

"We're trying to stop the war on drugs, and eventually to legalize 
marijuana," Gross said. "It's pretty hard to do that without showing the 
marijuana leaf."

According to Gross and UNLV SSDP Vice President Joe Sacco, the national 
organization was also displeased with an amateur video shot and produced by 
Underwood and his production company, Fresh Poop.

The video was shot on the bus ride to the national SSDP and Marijuana 
Policy Project convention Anaheim, California on Nov. 9, 2002. The national 
organization felt the video depicted SSDP in a poor light, Sacco said. The 
video was available on the Fresh Poop website: www.freshpoop.com.

"Perhaps it was the dildo-sucking contest or other various activities that 
went on on the bus," Sacco said. "But any questionable activity that may 
have occurred during the trip was in no way representative of SSDP, either 
national or UNLV's chapter."

Group members maintain that since they've been a recognized chapter for 
more than three quarters of the way through the semester in good standing, 
that they should get at least three-quarters of their funding.

Sacco maintains that the national organization is confusing activities 
undertaken by Fresh Poop with those of UNLV SSDP chapter.

"It wasn't an SSDP bus, it wasn't an SSDP video," Sacco said. "Nothing more 
happened than if any group of college students shared a bus and decided to 
go out of town to a concert."

UNLV SSDP did receive a heads-up when national SSDP Board of Directors 
member Lewis Whitten, a former UNLV SSDP member, wore an SSDP shirt to a 
recent national convention. The shirt depicted a marijuana leaf next to the 
SSDP logo, thus sparking discussion as to whether SSDP wanted its name 
associated with the marijuana leaf.

UNLV SSDP eventually took the marijuana logo off their shirts.

"Clearly, national SSDP is uncomfortable with how open and aggressive we 
are in raising awareness," Sacco said.

Sacco and Gross said that UNLV Student Body President Monica Moradkhan has 
offered to speak with the national organization to help assist the group in 
regaining its recognition.

The $500 the group expected to receive in the coming weeks was slated to 
fund the trip to Anaheim. Student Body President Monica Moradkhan said that 
even though the group is no longer recognized nationally, that it can still 
receive funding from CSUN student government. Plenty of local student 
groups on campus receive funding, she pointed out.

"There are other options," Moradkhan said. "I just don't think they should 
lose their funding for those reasons."

Gross said if the group fails to overturn the decision and doesn't get 
funding, there has been talk of starting up a new group called Nevadans for 
Unrestricted Gardening (NUG), the details of which Gross would not disclose.

Sacco said there are plenty of other organizations working toward similar 
causes that would be "less timid" in allowing students to be expressive. 
The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws is one 
organization Sacco said he plans to look into in the future.

"My number one concern is medical marijuana and that Americans have safe 
access," Sacco said.
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