The cannabis reform club is a new group on campus devoted to education and advocacy of issues surrounding cannabis policy.

Jake Gioffredi, a first-year student majoring in neuroscience, created the club after having the idea last semester. Gioffredi said he has been involved with politics for the past few years, and cannabis policy has always been at the top of his list.

And so the Cannabis Reform Club was born.

“Number one would just be to form a group of people to educate ourselves on the issue. After that people from the club can go and advocate beyond college,” Gioffredi said.

The club held its first meeting last Tuesday and plans to meet bi-weekly. They originally intended to have their meetings in Carver but are now planning to move meetings to Kent. 

Gioffredi said the club is for everyone and hopes for a better turnout in future meetings.

“Historically cannabis reform efforts have been on the left, but we’ve seen a rise in conservatives and libertarians supporting it,” he said. “Just about any type of student would be welcomed.”

The club provides the opportunity to meet new people in the Simpson community while learning about an important issue facing the nation. The legalization efforts are constantly progressing, with new information coming out regularly. 

Gioffredi said one group the club would want to talk to would be Simpson Republicans. 

“Considering the majority of republicans support full legalization, if not decriminalization. Reaching out or even working with that group would be really important to try to raise support and advocate in the community.”

Gioffredi has been involved with local politics before starting here at Simpson and is continuing those efforts. He was involved with local candidate Joe Koerner’s campaign during the last election. One of Kerner’s campaign cornerstones was cannabis policy.

The club plans to survey a group of Simpson students to gauge support on different issues.

“Starting in the fall, we’re hoping to get a speaker each semester,” Gioffredi said. “Hopefully, we can get someone on medicine, another focusing on the criminal justice aspects of it.”

The internet can be a misleading place, with many sources claiming misinformation that leads to misconceptions while people also have their own experiences with cannabis that may change their opinion on the issue, so it’s important for people to go and learn about the issue themselves.

The club hopes to spark more conversations like this across the Simpson campus. Interested students should email Jake or follow the club on Instagram @crc_simpson.