Jordan Davidson

(Washington, DC) — Today, President Joe Biden signed the groundbreaking, bipartisan Medical Marijuana and Cannabidiol Research Expansion Act (H.R. 8454) into law. This marks the first time marijuana reform has been made into law in United States history. The President’s signing comes after the House of Representatives and Senate passed the legislation by a 325-90 […]

Official Release (Washington, DC) –– Today, the Biden Administration Department of Justice (DOJ) released a memo detailing their concerns about the SAFE Banking Act. Among the DOJ’s chief worries is that SAFE Banking could protect illegal criminal enterprises from being prosecuted for money laundering, a concern long expressed by Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM). These are the […]

(Alexandria, VA) — Earlier this month, a comprehensive study based on two national, large datasets by Temple University researchers showed that youth marijuana use increases after recreational legalization. The study will be published in the Addictive Behaviors journal in March 2023. The study found that, after legalization: Adolescent and young adult past-month cannabis use prevalence increased; Among adolescents and […]

(Washington, DC) – Today, a diverse coalition of medical professionals, addiction treatment providers, drug prevention organizations, law enforcement, communities of faith, and public policy advocacy organizations sent a letter to every United States Senator expressing their concerns with the SAFE Banking Act. “To put it simply, the passage of this piece of legislation would allow […]

(Denver, CO) –– Today, the Colorado School of Public Health’s Cannabis Research & Policy Project released the HB 21-1317 potency Report to the Colorado Legislature, which detailed high-potency marijuana’s harms on the state of Colorado. Last year’s regulatory overhaul law, HB1317, established a Scientific Review Council to make evidence-based recommendations to the Colorado General Assembly about regulatory changes and […]

(Washington, D.C.) – Earlier this week, preliminary data from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN) was published for the first time since its discontinuation in 2011. DAWN is a nationwide public health surveillance system that records drug-related emergency department visit data. This year’s report, containing data collected in […]

(Silver Spring, Maryland) Today, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued several warning letters to CBD and THC companies who are illegally selling and marketing products for human and animal use containing Delta-8 tetrahydrocannabinol, also known as Delta-8 THC, and infusing them in gummi bears and other candies, pet products, oils, and other foods. Dr. Kevin […]

(Washington, D.C.) – Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the SAM-supported Medical Marijuana Research Act. The bipartisan bill would remove some barriers that prevent researchers from adequately evaluating the potential risks and benefits of the use of marijuana and its derivatives. Notably, more than 30,000 research studies have been done on the drug under […]

(Alexandria, VA) – Sticking to campaign promises, President Biden’s new budget, released minutes ago, rejected marijuana commercialization in several major ways. It does not extend Justice Department protections to legal marijuana states, meaning federal resources can still be used to enforce marijuana laws. Additionally, the budget does not give the District of Columbia latitude to […]

(Washington, D.C.) – Today, the U.S. Senate passed the SAM-supported Cannabidiol Medical Marihuana Research Expansion Act. The bipartisan bill – which SAM helped to write – is sponsored by Senators Feinstein, Grassley, and Schatz, and would amend the Controlled Substances Act to remove some barriers that prevent researchers from adequately evaluating the potential risks and […]

(Alexandria, VA) – Today, Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM) released a rebuttal to a new report from the Coalition for Cannabis Policy, Education, and Regulation (CPEAR), a group funded by Molson Coors, Altria (Philip Morris), private cash and other companies. The report asserted that marijuana legalization is not tied to increases in youth marijuana use–something not supported by their evidence […]

(Alexandria, VA) – Today, a bill to establish a commercial marijuana market in Virginia died in a House of Delegates Subcommittee. This tremendous victory for public health follows a year-long push by the marijuana industry to pass a bill supported by the industry and its investors, including the Big Tobacco giant Altria. A broad coalition […]

(Pierre, SD) – Today, a bill to legalize marijuana in South Dakota died in the House State Affairs Committee. This tremendous victory for public health follows a year-long push by the marijuana industry to pass a bill supported by the industry and its investors. A broad coalition including Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM), law enforcement […]

SAM remains active in more than three dozen states, in addition to our work federally (check out our Webinar last week with NIDA Director Dr. Nora Volkow). Today alone, we are in Ohio speaking with a dozen legislators and on TV, conducting three radio interviews in three different states, meeting with top federal drug officials […]

(Concord, NH) – According to a new state Emerson College poll, 53% of New Hampshire voters do not support legalizing marijuana when presented with other, non-legalization policy options. This poll is significant to state lawmakers as the marijuana industry has renewed its annual push to expand into The Granite State, which allows for possession of the drug, but […]

(Annapolis, MD) – According to a new state Emerson College poll, 55% of Maryland voters do not support legalizing marijuana when presented with other, non-legalization policy options. This poll is significant to state lawmakers as the marijuana industry has renewed its annual push to expand into the Old Line State, which allows for possession of the drug, […]

(Alexandria, VA) – According to a new national Emerson College poll, 62% of registered voters do not support legalizing marijuana when presented with other, non-legalization policy options. Polls touted by promoters of the marijuana industry as showing widespread support for legalization offer a false dichotomy by perpetuating the myth that there are only two options, full legalization […]

(Alexandria, VA) – Today, following negotiations between the House and Senate, the “SAFE” Banking Act was defeated yet again, as it is now officially excluded from the National Defense Authorization Act, or NDAA, a large annual bill that sets policy for the Pentagon. Dr. Kevin Sabet, president of Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM) released the […]

(Alexandria, VA) – Today, the annual Monitoring the Future (MTF) Survey, a record of national youth drug and alcohol use and attitudes data, conducted by the University of Michigan and funded by the National Institutes of Health, found that due to the pandemic causing decreased social interactions, youth drug use rates have dropped among almost […]