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Students for Sensible Drug Policy Hosts “Rethinking Nicotine” Conference Bridging Tobacco Harm Reduction (THR) and the Harm Reduction Movement
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact:
Gina Giorgio
Director of Strategy and Development
Students for Sensible Drug Policy
Rethinking Nicotine: Science, Harm Reduction, and Sensible Policyis a one-day conference hosted by Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP) in Pittsburgh that challenges the extension of the War on Drugs into nicotine policy. Students attend for free.Livestream access available worldwide.
Pittsburgh, PA — March 17, 2026 Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP) will host Rethinking Nicotine: Science, Harm Reduction, and Sensible Policy on March 17, 2026, bringing together researchers, advocates, policymakers, and students to explore the science of nicotine and build stronger connections between the tobacco harm reduction (THR) field and the broader harm reduction movement.
The conference will take place at the Community College of Allegheny County’s Foerster Student Services Center from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM ET and will be followed by a networking happy hour from 4:30 PM to 6:30 PM ET at Federal Galley, a local food hall and beer garden. Students can register for free, and a livestream will be available to participants around the world.
A central goal of the event is to bridge conversations that have often occurred in parallel: those focused on reducing harms associated with tobacco use and those focused on reducing harms associated with drugs more broadly. SSDP organizers hope the gathering will foster collaboration between communities working toward evidence-based public health approaches grounded in compassion, autonomy, and human rights.
“Too often, nicotine policy repeats the same mistakes we’ve seen in the War on Drugs—relying on prohibition, stigma, and misinformation instead of evidence,” said SSDP Executive Director Kat Murti, who will emcee the event. “If we want to reduce harm and protect public health, we need honest conversations about relative risk, access to safer alternatives, and policies grounded in science rather than fear.”
Panels will examine the parallels between nicotine prohibition efforts and historic drug war policies, the role of harm reduction in supporting people who use nicotine, and how advocates from both movements can collaborate to advance pragmatic public health solutions.
“At their core, both tobacco harm reduction and traditional harm reduction share the same values: meeting people where they are and reducing harm rather than punishing behavior,” Murti added. “This conference is about bringing those communities together, sharing knowledge, and building a stronger movement for evidence-based policy.”
Conference Schedule
Welcome and Setting the Stage
SSDP Executive Director Kat Murti explains why Rethinking Nicotine matters
Nicotine as the New War on Drugs
For decades, the War on Drugs has relied on fear, stigma, and criminalization rather than evidence. Today, that same logic is increasingly applied to nicotine. This panel examines how moral panic, misinformation about relative risk, and abstinence-only
frameworks are shaping policy in ways that ignore lived experience and undermine public health.
Drawing from grassroots organizing, peer support spaces, and decades of tobacco policy leadership, speakers will explore how stigma distorts science, how prohibitionist reflexes fuel unintended consequences, and why dignity and autonomy must be central to nicotine harm reduction. From defeating punitive campus policies to challenging long-held misconceptions about nicotine itself, this session asks a fundamental question: will we repeat the mistakes of the drug war — or finally choose evidence over fear?
● Cliff Douglas – Veteran Advocate for Public Health and Ending the Smoking Epidemic
● Julia Hilbert – Vice Chair, SSDP and Pennsylvania Technical Assistance Coordinator, Prevention Point Pittsburgh
● Skip Murray – Tobacco Treatment Specialist and Freelance Writer
Science, Public Health & Risk: What the Evidence Actually Shows
Science, Public Health & Risk: What the Evidence Actually Shows Misinformation about nicotine risk continues to shape public opinion and public policy. This panel critically examines the science behind claims of “gateway” effects, exaggerated health harms, and population-level risk trends. Speakers will unpack common methodological flaws in nicotine research, explore how misinterpretations travel from academic journals to media headlines, and discuss the real-world consequences of conflating nicotine with combustible tobacco.
The session will also highlight how harm reduction is (or is not) integrated into clinical settings, syringe service programs, and recovery spaces — particularly for people who use drugs and face disproportionate tobacco-related harm.
Evidence matters. When science is misrepresented, policy suffers — and so do the people it is supposed to protect.
● Floe Foxon – Scientist and Data Analyst, Pinney Associates, Inc.
● Jacob James Rich – Policy Analyst, Reason Foundation
● Arielle Selya – Senior Scientist, Pinney Associates, Inc.
Failures of Prohibition: Countries as Case Studies
Around the world, governments are repeating a familiar pattern: restrict safer nicotine products, ignore consumer demand, and watch illicit markets flourish. This panel examines the political economy of vape bans and overregulation through case studies from the United Kingdom, Australia, Mexico, and the United States.
Speakers will analyze how moral panic, bureaucratic incentives, and regulatory bottlenecks have reversed harm reduction progress and expanded counterfeit markets. From the UK’s shift away from its former leadership in tobacco harm reduction to Mexico’s constitutional battles over vape prohibition to the FDA’s failure to approve the harm reduction products that consumers actually want, these stories demonstrate a consistent lesson: prohibition does not eliminate use — it simply reshapes risk.
● Reem Ibrahim – Research Fellow, Policy and Media, Reason
● Sofia Hamilton – Senior Health Policy Analyst, Americans for Prosperity
● Jorge Valderrábano – SSDP Ambassador and CEO, Ágora
● Tim Andrews – Director of Consumer Issues at Americans for Tax Reform
Tobacco Harm Reduction is Harm Reduction
This panel examines how tobacco harm reduction (THR) is — and is not — being implemented within harm reduction spaces. Drawing on qualitative research from Syringe Service Programs (SSPs), Recovery Community Organizations (RCOs), and Outpatient Treatment Programs (OTPs), speakers will highlight the near absence of structured THR services in many harm reduction settings, the limited but emerging models in clinical programs, and the structural barriers that prevent integration, while spotlighting new developments and promising innovations, and laying the foundations for holistic, client-centered models that respect autonomy, acknowledge the continuum of risk, and meet people where they are.
- Julia Hilbert – Vice Chair, SSDP and Pennsylvania Technical Assistance Coordinator, Prevention Point Pittsburgh
- Austen Markus – SSDP Ambassador and Research Coordinator, University of Pittsburgh
- Gaby Zabala Alemán – Tobacco Harm Reduction Education & Engagement Project Manager, National Harm Reduction Coalition
Grassroots & Legislative Strategies for Sensible Nicotine Policy
Policy change does not begin in federal agencies — it begins in communities. This panel brings together advocates working at the federal, state, and grassroots levels to examine how
sensible nicotine policy is built, defended, and sustained. Speakers will address federal-level attacks on harm reduction infrastructure, state legislative trends, and the critical role of consumer advocacy in shaping transparent, evidence-based regulation.
The conversation will focus on practical strategies: how to respond to rollbacks, how to engage lawmakers effectively, and how informed constituents can shift policy conversations away from prohibition and toward public health outcomes. At its core, harm reduction depends not only on science, but on organized, empowered communities willing to demand better policy.
● Daniel Fishbein – Policy Manager, Office of Federal Affairs Drug Policy Alliance
● Lindsey Stroud – Founder and President, Tobacco Harm Reduction 101
● Maria Papaioannoy – Founder and Spokesperson, Rights4Vapers (R4V)
Tech Tools & Education: Modernizing Harm Reduction
This panel explores how technology, education, and community-driven
tools can expand access to accurate information and reduce risk in real time. From app-based nicotine harm reduction education to technology-enhanced early warning systems that detect changes in supply and communicate risk quickly, speakers will demonstrate how innovation can support autonomy without defaulting to criminalization. Grounded in trauma-responsive,
community-centered practice, this session highlights how education empowers individuals to make informed choices — and how digital tools can strengthen, not replace, human connection.
● Tim Andrews – Director of Consumer Issues at Americans for Tax Reform and creator of prohibitiondoesnotwork.com
● Skip Murray – Tobacco Treatment Specialist and Freelance Writer
● Merryn Spence – Drug Education Program Coordinator, SSDP
● Tonja Catron – Executive Director, The SOAR Initiative
The conference reflects SSDP’s broader mission of empowering individuals to replace punitive drug policies with approaches rooted in evidence, compassion, and human rights.
###
With chapters on campuses and in communities across the country, Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP) is the world’s largest youth-led grassroots network advocating for just, evidence-based drug policies. SSDP empowers young people to challenge punitive drug laws and advance policies rooted in evidence, compassion, and human rights.
For more information, please visit: https://ssdp.org.
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]]>The post CONGRATULATIONS TO THE 2026 ELECTED BOARD MEMBERS! appeared first on SSDP.
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RESOLUTIONS
Both of our resolutions submitted this year have passed! To learn more about the resolution submitted this Congress, please view this blog post!
Resolution 1: Institutionalizing Community-Led Monitoring (clm) for Project Accountability and Impact
Whereas, Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP) is committed to the principle of “nothing about us without us,” recognizing that the most effective interventions in drug policy and harm reduction are those designed and led by the communities they serve;
Whereas, community-led monitoring (clm) is a recognized evidence-informed mechanism that empowers service users and advocates to identify local barriers to care and justice, ensuring that programs are responsive to the actual needs of the community;
Whereas, the current lack of a standardized, community-driven evaluation framework hinders our ability to document the unique expertise of SSDP ambassadors and the qualitative impact of their advocacy on social justice and human rights;
Whereas, implementing a CLM framework would allow SSDP to collect “community-owned” data, providing a powerful evidence base for national and international decision-makers while strengthening internal accountability;
Let it be resolved that… SSDP will develop and implement a mandatory “community-led project rubric” for all funded or sanctioned initiatives. This rubric shall be designed as an ongoing, participatory process that includes:
Community-defined indicators: establishing baseline goals that reflect the priorities and safety of the local community and the active members involved.
Ongoing feedback loops: periodic mid-project assessments led by participants to identify gaps in service delivery or advocacy and to allow for immediate strategic adjustments.
Impact and empowerment reporting: a final evaluation that measures not only quantitative outputs but also the qualitative shift in community power and policy influence, archived to inform future SSDP strategies.
Resolution 2: Adoption of a Comprehensive Protocol to Prevent and Address Gender-Based Violence and Sexual Harassment
Whereas, the safety and physical and emotional integrity of SSDP Ambassadors and staff are foundational to the success of our advocacy and the sustainability of the drug policy reform movement;
Whereas, the absence of a uniform, transparent, and enforceable protocol for reporting and addressing incidents of harassment and violence can lead to a culture of silence and the exclusion of marginalized voices;
Whereas, we recognize that drug policy reform is inextricably linked to gender justice, and our internal policies must reflect the high standards of human rights we demand from global decision-makers;
Let it be resolved that… the SSDP Staff and the Board of Directors, in consultation with experts in trauma-informed care, develop and adopt an official “SSDP Protocol for Gender Safety and Accountability.” This protocol shall be mandatory for all chapters and sanctioned events, and must include:
Clear definitions: Explicit definitions of prohibited conduct, including sexual harassment and gender-based discrimination.
Safe reporting mechanisms: Multiple, confidential channels for reporting that protect the survivor and prevent retaliation.
Survivor-centered response: A framework for accountability that prioritizes the agency of the survivor.
Preventative training: Mandatory onboarding for all SSDP leaders on consent and bystander intervention.
SEE YOU NEXT YEAR
We’re so appreciative of all of our network members who participated in this year’s Congress! If you were not able to participate as a board candidate, resolution submitter, or voter this year, I encourage you to please join us next year.
If you have any questions, please reach out to the Board of Directors at [email protected] and we’d be more than happy to help in whatever capacity we can.
Sensibly,
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]]>The post March SSDP Hangout appeared first on SSDP.
]]>With Spring Break almost in tow, join us to discuss how to increase personal safety while enjoying party scenes. This event will also double as office hours, so come with any and all questions you have for the board (but certainly no questions are required)! Hang out with other SSDP folks, and connect with our national board members.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87110008658
Meeting ID: 871 1000 8658
This event is open to the entire SSDP family: affiliates, alumni, members, chapter leaders, and more.
If you’re no longer involved with an SSDP chapter, or contact needs to be updated, please email [email protected] with your updated chapter information.
The post March SSDP Hangout appeared first on SSDP.
]]>The post Third Annual Professional Cannabis Industry Networking Event appeared first on SSDP.
]]>Meet the pros, swap ideas, and vibe with the best at the SSDP’s Third Annual Cannabis Industry Networking Event. Solidify your own future!
Join the Rowan Chapter of SSDP for the Third Annual Professional Cannabis Industry Networking Event!
This is your chance to meet and connect with fellow pros in the cannabis world. Whether you’re a grower, distributor, retailer, or just passionate about the industry, come hang out, share ideas, and build your network—all in person. Don’t miss out on this awesome opportunity to grow your contacts and learn from the best!
The post Third Annual Professional Cannabis Industry Networking Event appeared first on SSDP.
]]>The post Stand-Up for Justice – Comedy Benefitting SSDP appeared first on SSDP.
]]>STARRING:
Andrew Park Andrew blends character work with rich storytelling, turning uncomfortable family moments into unexpected laughs. Drawing from childhood, family dynamics, and personal reinvention, his comedy explores what happens when you stop worrying about what people think, and just lean in.
The post Stand-Up for Justice – Comedy Benefitting SSDP appeared first on SSDP.
]]>The post Murder on the Land and the Sea: Extrajudicial Drug War Killings in the 21st Century appeared first on SSDP.
]]>Drugs are an issue which – like migration, social liberalization and economic tensions – has the capacity to shatter democratic and human rights norms. Perhaps no other extreme found in drug policies today does so more than that of extrajudicial killings. “Murder on the Land and the Sea” will discuss identified episodes of drug war EJKs in the 21st century, their context and interrelationships, and their implications for the future of democracy and the rules-based order.
The program will have a focus on drawing the parallel between the Duterte drug war killings and the Trump boat strikes; and making the case for accountability and for treating the boat strikes as a matter of gravity, despite the relatively small number of direct victims and the larger events occurring in foreign affairs today. It may also address the massacre committed recently by police in Rio de Janeiro. It will highlight the suffering of people in affected regions. Note will be made of other extrajudicial drug war killing episodes, including Indonesia, Bangladesh, Thailand, and Venezuela.
Speakers:
- Moderator: Kat Murti, Executive Director, Students for Sensible Drug Policy
- David Borden, Executive Director, StoptheDrugWar.org
- Carlos Conde, Rights Report Philippines, former Human Rights Watch, NYT
- Diego Garcia-Devis, Drug Policy Team Manager, Open Society Foundations
- Annie Shiel, US Advocacy Director, Center for Civilians in Conflict
Organized by DRCNet Foundation AKA StoptheDrugWar.org, with cosponsors Associazone Luca Coscioni, Drug Policy Alliance, Forum Droghe, International Drug Law Advocacy & Resource Center, No Peace Without Justice, NoBox Transitions Philippines, Philippine Coalition for the International Criminal Court, Students for Sensible Drug Policy, Veterans Action Council, Washington Office on Latin America
Watch Now
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]]>The post Research Harm: How Drug Scheduling Undermines Science, Public Health, and Evidence-Based Policy appeared first on SSDP.
]]>Side event at the 69th session of the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs
International drug control regimes and domestic drug scheduling laws increasingly impose severe barriers on scientific research. In particular, Schedule I classification creates onerous regulatory hurdles that restrict access, delay studies, and deter researchers from pursuing promising lines of inquiry into substances with potential therapeutic value. These barriers have profound implications for public health, innovation, and evidence-based policymaking.Broadcast live from the 69th Session of the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs, this panel discussion introduces and examines the concept of “research harm,” the tangible damage caused when drug control frameworks obstruct scientific inquiry, delay medical breakthroughs, and limit the development of effective treatments for mental health conditions, substance use disorders, pain management, overdose prevention, basic brain research, and more.Drawing from real-world legal, scientific, and policy experience, this event will highlight how overly restrictive scheduling undermines the very objectives of the international drug control system, including the promotion of health, well-being, and scientific progress. It will also explore opportunities for reform within existing international frameworks to better balance control with access for legitimate research purposes.
Featuring:
- Moderator: Kat Murti, Executive Director, Students for Sensible Drug Policy
- Dr. Anne Schlag, Head of Research, Drug Science
- Joseph Hennessey, MD/PhD student & Co-Chair, Science Policy Committee, SSDP
- Brooke Sanders, translational neuroscientist & Director of Network Relations & Strategic Expansion, SSDP
- Finnegan McGuinness, transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)/esketamine technician & Program Assistant (Listen to Scientists), SSDP
- Gina Giorgio, Director of Strategy and Development, SSDP
- Sabrina Pimpinella, psychologist & member of the board of AUPAC (Association of Users and Professionals for the Comprehensive Approach to Cannabis and Other Drugs)
Organized by Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP) with the support of Ágora Ciudadanos Cambiando México, the Brazilian Network for Harm Reduction and Human Rights, theDRCNet Foundation AKA StoptheDrugWar.org, the Finnish Association for Humane Drug Policy, the NorwegianAssociation for Humane Drug Policy, Transform Drug Policy, the Vienna NGOCommittee on Drugs, and Youth RISE (Resource, Information, Support, Education)
Watch Online
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]]>The post You Have 48 Hours to Vote in Congress 2026! appeared first on SSDP.
]]>VOTE NOW
Students for Sensible Drug Policy is governed by a Board of Directors, which is comprised of both current student and youth Elected Directors, who are active chapter members elected by our membership, and Appointed Directors, who are appointed by the existing Board.
Together, they are responsible for crafting strategy for the organization, managing compliance and financial affairs, and overseeing SSDP’s Executive Director.
Meet your 2026 Elected Director Candidates!
By Us, For Us: Professionalizing the Future of SSDP
At the heart of SSDP is a simple truth: we are a global network of peers—including people who use drugs and harm reductionists—working directly for the safety of our own communities. We deliver life-saving services because we understand the risks and the solutions better than any external observer.
This year, you will have two Resolutions—formal, non-binding strategic recommendations submitted by members to guide the work of SSDP’s Staff and the Board—on your Congress ballot.
Learn more about why SSDP Ambassador Jorge Valderrabano proposed them!
VOTE NOW
The post You Have 48 Hours to Vote in Congress 2026! appeared first on SSDP.
]]>The post The Full Schedule Is Here: Rethinking Nicotine appeared first on SSDP.
]]>When we opened speaker applications for Rethinking Nicotine: Science, Harm Reduction, and Sensible Policy, we hoped for thoughtful proposals. What we received was something much bigger.
An incredible number of creative, deeply grounded, and action-oriented applications poured in from across the country and beyond. Reading through them was a reminder that this movement is growing — and that people are ready for a different conversation about nicotine. One rooted in evidence. In dignity. In lived experience.
More Than a Conference
Rethinking Nicotine is intentionally designed to bring together the tobacco harm reduction (THR) and traditional harm reduction communities — two movements that share core values but are too often siloed. Our goal is to identify overlap, build bridges, and strengthen grassroots efforts to resist punitive nicotine policies.
If you believe nicotine policy deserves evidence instead of moral panic, autonomy instead of stigma, and public health instead of prohibition — this space is for you.
Not able to attend in person? Register for livestream access. If cost is a barrier, we want you there. Email [email protected] to request a scholarship.
Register To Attend In Person or Virtually – Students Get In For Free!
Let’s rethink nicotine — together.
Schedule At a Glance
Monday, March 16th
6:00-9:00 pm – Pre-Conference Welcome Part, hosted by SSDP Pittsburgh Community Chapter (get details)
Tuesday, March 17th
9:00 am – Doors Open
10:00 – 10:05 am – Welcome
10:05 – 11:00 am – Nicotine as the New War on Drugs
11:00 – 12:00 pm – Science, Public Health & Risk: What the Evidence Actually Shows
12:00 – 1:00 pm – Lunch
1:00 – 1:45 pm – Failures of Prohibition: Countries as Case Studies
1:45 – 2:25 pm – Tobacco Harm Reduction is Harm Reduction
2:25 – 2:35 pm – Break
2:35 – 3:15 pm -Grassroots & Legislative Strategies for Sensible Nicotine Policy
3:15 – 3:55 pm -Tech Tools & Education: Modernizing Harm Reduction
3:55 – 4:00 pm – Closing
4:30 – 6:30 pm – Happy Hour
Register To Attend In Person or Virtually – Students Get In For Free!
Panel Details
Nicotine as the New War on Drugs
For decades, the War on Drugs has relied on fear, stigma, and criminalization rather than evidence. Today, that same logic is
increasingly applied to nicotine. This panel examines how moral panic, misinformation about relative risk, and abstinence-only
frameworks are shaping policy in ways that ignore lived experience and undermine public health.
Drawing from grassroots organizing, peer support spaces, and decades of tobacco policy leadership, speakers will explore how
stigma distorts science, how prohibitionist reflexes fuel unintended consequences, and why dignity and autonomy must be
central to nicotine harm reduction. From defeating punitive campus policies to challenging long-held misconceptions about
nicotine itself, this session asks a fundamental question: will we repeat the mistakes of the drug war — or finally choose evidence
over fear?
● Moderator: Kat Murti, Executive Director, SSDP
● Cliff Douglas – Veteran Advocate for Public Health and Ending the Smoking Epidemic
● Julia Hilbert – Vice Chair, SSDP and Pennsylvania Technical Assistance Coordinator, Prevention Point Pittsburgh
● Skip Murray – Tobacco Treatment Specialist and Freelance Writer
Science, Public Health & Risk: What the Evidence Actually Shows
Science, Public Health & Risk: What the Evidence Actually Shows Misinformation about nicotine risk continues to shape
public opinion and public policy. This panel critically examines the science behind claims of “gateway” effects, exaggerated health
harms, and population-level risk trends. Speakers will unpack common methodological flaws in nicotine research, explore how
misinterpretations travel from academic journals to media headlines, and discuss the real-world consequences of conflating
nicotine with combustible tobacco. The session will also highlight how harm reduction is (or is not) integrated into clinical
settings, syringe service programs, and recovery spaces — particularly for people who use drugs and face disproportionate
tobacco-related harm. Evidence matters. When science is misrepresented, policy suffers — and so do the people it is supposed
to protect.
● Moderator: Kat Murti, Executive Director, SSDP
● Floe Foxon – Scientist and Data Analyst, Pinney Associates, Inc.
● Jacob James Rich – Policy Analyst, Reason Foundation
● Arielle Selya – Senior Scientist, Pinney Associates, Inc.
Failures of Prohibition: Countries as Case Studies
Around the world, governments are repeating a familiar pattern: restrict
safer nicotine products, ignore consumer demand, and watch illicit markets flourish. This panel examines the political economy
of vape bans and overregulation through case studies from the United Kingdom, Australia, Mexico, and the United States.
Speakers will analyze how moral panic, bureaucratic incentives, and regulatory bottlenecks have reversed harm reduction
progress and expanded counterfeit markets. From the UK’s shift away from its former leadership in tobacco harm reduction to
Mexico’s constitutional battles over vape prohibition to the FDA’s failure to approve the harm reduction products that consumers
actually want , these stories demonstrate a consistent lesson: prohibition does not eliminate use — it simply reshapes risk.
● Moderator: Kat Murti, Executive Director, SSDP
● Reem Ibrahim – Research Fellow, Policy and Media, Reason
● Sofia Hamilton – Senior Health Policy Analyst, Americans for Prosperity
● Jorge Valderrábano – SSDP Ambassador and CEO, Ágora
● Tim Andrews – Director of Consumer Issues at Americans for Tax Reform
Tobacco Harm Reduction is Harm Reduction
This panel examines how tobacco harm reduction (THR) is — and is not — being implemented within harm reduction spaces. Drawing on qualitative research from Syringe Service Programs (SSPs), Recovery Community Organizations (RCOs), and Outpatient Treatment Programs (OTPs), speakers will highlight the near absence of structured THR services in many harm reduction settings, the limited but emerging models in clinical programs, and the structural barriers that prevent integration, while spotlighting new developments and promising innovations, and laying the foundations for holistic, client-centered models that respect autonomy, acknowledge the continuum of risk, and meet people where they are.
- Moderator: Kat Murti, Executive Director, SSDP
- Julia Hilbert – Vice Chair, SSDP and Pennsylvania Technical Assistance Coordinator, Prevention Point Pittsburgh
- Austen Markus – SSDP Ambassador and Research Coordinator, University of Pittsburgh
- Gaby Zabala Alemán – Tobacco Harm Reduction Education & Engagement Project Manager, National Harm Reduction Coalition
Grassroots & Legislative Strategies for Sensible Nicotine Policy
Policy change does not begin in federal agencies — it begins
in communities. This panel brings together advocates working at the federal, state, and grassroots levels to examine how
sensible nicotine policy is built, defended, and sustained. Speakers will address federal-level attacks on harm reduction
infrastructure, state legislative trends, and the critical role of consumer advocacy in shaping transparent, evidence-based
regulation. The conversation will focus on practical strategies: how to respond to rollbacks, how to engage lawmakers effectively,
and how informed constituents can shift policy conversations away from prohibition and toward public health outcomes. At its
core, harm reduction depends not only on science, but on organized, empowered communities willing to demand better policy.
● Moderator: Kat Murti, Executive Director, SSDP
● Daniel Fishbein – Policy Manager, Office of Federal Affairs Drug Policy Alliance
● Lindsey Stroud – Founder and President, Tobacco Harm Reduction 101
● Maria Papaioannoy – Founder and Spokesperson, Rights4Vapers (R4V)
Tech Tools & Education: Modernizing Harm Reduction
This panel explores how technology, education, and community-driven
tools can expand access to accurate information and reduce risk in real time. From app-based nicotine harm reduction
education to technology-enhanced early warning systems that detect changes in supply and communicate risk quickly, speakers
will demonstrate how innovation can support autonomy without defaulting to criminalization. Grounded in trauma-responsive,
community-centered practice, this session highlights how education empowers individuals to make informed choices — and how
digital tools can strengthen, not replace, human connection.
● Moderator: Kat Murti, Executive Director, SSDP
● Tim Andrews – Director of Consumer Issues at Americans for Tax Reform and creator of prohibitiondoesnotwork.com
● Skip Murray – Tobacco Treatment Specialist and Freelance Writer
● Merryn Spence – Drug Education Program Coordinator, SSDP
● Tonja Catron – Executive Director, The SOAR Initiative
REGISTER TO ATTEND
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]]>The post By Us, For Us: Professionalizing the Future of SSDP appeared first on SSDP.
]]>At Congress, members vote to elect new Elected Directors and support or oppose Resolutions, or formal, non-binding strategic recommendations submitted by members to guide the work of SSDP’s Staff and the Board. This year voting takes place virtually March 6–8 — check your email inbox for the ballot! (Don’t get emails from SSDP? Be sure to subscribe!)
This year, you will have two resolutions on your Congress ballot. Read below to learn more about why SSDP Ambassador Jorge Valderrabano proposed them!
By Us, For Us: Professionalizing the Future of SSDP
Author: Jorge Valderrabano, SSDP Ambassador
At the heart of SSDP is a simple truth: we are a global network of peers—including people who use drugs and harm reductionists—working directly for the safety of our own communities. We deliver life-saving services because we understand the risks and the solutions better than any external observer.
Based on the previous, and as we approach the 2026 congress, I have proposed two resolutions: a community-led monitoring (CLM) mechanism and a gender safety protocol.
What is CLM and why does it matter?
Community-led monitoring (CLM) is an evidence-based methodology where the people receiving and delivering services are the ones who design, implement, and lead the evaluation of those services.
Originally championed by activists in the HIV/AIDS movement (and later standardized by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria, the International AIDS Society, UNAIDS, and others), the CLM was born from the need to hold systems accountable when they failed to reach marginalized groups.
The importance: it shifts power
Instead of an outside “expert” judging our work, we define our own indicators of success. It turns our lived experience into “community-owned data”, which is the most persuasive tool we have to influence national and international decision-makers.
Harm reductionists have always used CLM—we just haven’t always called it that. Every time a peer-led group adjusts their outreach based on feedback from the community, they are engaging in CLM. This resolution simply aims to professionalize this procedure to unlock better partnerships and higher levels of funding.
Drug checking services have been using this methodology since the beginning, for example. Harm reductionists collect data on substance purity directly from users to warn the community, understand drug use patterns, and improve the services. It is a peer-to-peer exchange that saves lives and generates research simultaneously.
The HOPE program: a CLM-ready initiative
SSDP’s HOPE (harm reduction and overdose prevention education) program is the ideal space for a formal CLM methodology. HOPE lets us recognize overdoses, provide training, and distribute naloxone kits.
Under a CLM framework, the program becomes a research powerhouse. We wouldn’t just ask if a kit was used; we would implement a “peer-led rubric” where the participants—people who use drugs and students on the front lines—evaluate the structural impact of the training itself. We move from “service delivery” to “community-led evidence generation. The SSDP Connect app can also be helpful to automate data collection in real-time, ensuring that every interaction within the HOPE program contributes to a living, breathing database of community expertise.
This also turns HOPE into a high-level advocacy tool. We can then present university boards and international stakeholders with undeniable data showing that our peer-led care is the gold standard for youth safety.
Active protection: gender safety as a community responsibility
Parallel to our project evaluation, we must protect our community through active measures. The gender safety protocol is about taking an active role in the prevention of gender violence and the promotion of equality at every level.
The fact that SSDP has not faced a specific gender-violence problem or crisis does not mean that risks do not exist or that we should remain passive. Drug policy reform is inextricably linked to gender justice. Adapting this protocol is a proactive commitment to ensuring SSDP remains a safe harbor before any harm can occur. It ensures our internal culture reflects the safety and respect we demand on the world stage.
Integrating these mechanisms isn’t about fixing a broken system; it’s about strengthening a powerful one. These resolutions professionalize our grassroots spirit and make us the most effective partner for global stakeholders.
Below you can find both resolutions. Vote yes to ensure SSDP remains a movement by us and for us, equipped with the best tools to change the world.
RESOLUTION: Institutionalizing Community-Led Monitoring (CLM) for Project Accountability and Impact
Presented at: SSDP Congress 2026
Sponsored by: Jorge Valderrabano
Whereas, Students for Sensible Drug Policies (SSDP) is committed to the principle of “nothing about us without us,” recognizing that the most effective interventions in drug policy and harm reduction are those designed and led by the communities they serve;
Whereas, community-led monitoring (CLM) is a recognized evidence-based mechanism that empowers service users and advocates to identify local barriers to care and justice, ensuring that programs are responsive to the actual needs of the community;
Whereas, the current lack of a standardized, community-driven evaluation framework hinders our ability to document the unique expertise of SSDP ambassadors and the qualitative impact of their advocacy on social justice and human rights;
Whereas, implementing a CLM framework would allow SSDP to collect “community-owned” data, providing a powerful evidence base for national and international decision-makers while strengthening internal accountability;
Let it be resolved that… SSDP will develop and implement a mandatory “community-led project rubric” for all funded or sanctioned initiatives. This rubric shall be designed as an ongoing, participatory process that includes:
1. Community-defined indicators: establishing baseline goals that reflect the priorities and safety of the local community and the active members involved.
2. Ongoing feedback loops: periodic mid-project assessments led by participants to identify gaps in service delivery or advocacy and to allow for immediate strategic adjustments.
3. Impact and empowerment reporting: a final evaluation that measures not only quantitative outputs but also the qualitative shift in community power and policy influence, archived to inform future SSDP strategies.
RESOLUTION: Adoption of a Comprehensive Protocol to Prevent and Address Gender-Based Violence and Sexual Harassment
Presented at: SSDP Congress 2026
Sponsored by: Jorge Valderrabano
Whereas, the safety and physical and emotional integrity of SSDP Ambassadors and staff are foundational to the success of our advocacy and the sustainability of the drug policy reform movement;
Whereas, the absence of a uniform, transparent, and enforceable protocol for reporting and addressing incidents of harassment and violence can lead to a culture of silence and the exclusion of marginalized voices;
Whereas, we recognize that drug policy reform is inextricably linked to gender justice, and our internal policies must reflect the high standards of human rights we demand from global decision-makers;
Let it be resolved that… the SSDP Staff and the Board of Directors, in consultation with experts in trauma-informed care, develop and adopt an official “SSDP Protocol for Gender Safety and Accountability.” This protocol shall be mandatory for all chapters and sanctioned events, and must include:
1. Clear definitions: Explicit definitions of prohibited conduct, including sexual harassment and gender-based discrimination.
2. Safe reporting mechanisms: Multiple, confidential channels for reporting that protect the survivor and prevent retaliation.
3. Survivor-centered response: A framework for accountability that prioritizes the agency of the survivor.
4. Preventative training: Mandatory onboarding for all SSDP leaders on consent and bystander intervention.
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