New Grant Allows SAM to Establish Statewide Education Campaign in New Mexico

Today, Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM) — the nation’s leading organization dedicated to educating lawmakers and the general public to the potential harms of the normalization of marijuana use and opposing the commercialization of the substance — is proud to announce it has been awarded a grant from Daniel’s Fund, an organization dedicated to improving the lives and communities of individuals living in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming.

“Bill Daniels led an exemplary life of service and innovation, said Dr. Kevin Sabet, president of SAM and a former senior drug policy advisor to the Obama Administration. “In that spirit, we are thrilled to work with the Daniels Fund to better the lives of kids in New Mexico, a state in which the marijuana industry has a newfound foothold. The marijuana industry is relentless in its marketing to youth; we look forward to working with our state partners to help kids reject today’s highly potent marijuana.”

The grant will be used by SAM to plan and execute a statewide education campaign in the form of opinion pieces, webinars, and school engagements to educate youth, parents, school leaders, and policymakers as to the potential harms of marijuana use.

“As an alumnus of the University of Denver, where Mr. Daniels truly made his commitment to the next generation clear, it is an honor to extend his vision for kids in New Mexico,” said Luke Niforatos, Executive Vice President of SAM. “In Colorado, we have seen drastic increases in youth using high potency marijuana concentrates, which prompted us to help fund and support the passage of legislation seeking to reduce youth access to marijuana concentrates. We hope this grant will help us continue this success in New Mexico.”

The Daniels Fund, established by cable television pioneer Bill Daniels, is a private charitable foundation dedicated to making life better for the people of Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming through its grants program, scholarship program, and ethics initiative. Visit DanielsFund.org to learn more.

####