We are SAM. Smart Approaches to Marijuana. We are professionals working in mental health and public health. We are bipartisan. We are medical doctors, lawmakers, treatment providers, preventionists, teachers, law enforcement officers and others who seek a middle road between incarceration and legalization. Our commonsense, third-way approach to marijuana policy is based on reputable science and sound principles of public health and safety.
We at SAM:
believe in an approach that neither legalizes, nor demonizes, marijuana.
reject dichotomies — such as “incarceration versus legalization” — that offer only simplistic solutions to the highly complex problems stemming from marijuana use and the policies surrounding it.
champion smart policies that decrease marijuana use — and do not harm marijuana users and low-level dealers with arrest records that stigmatize them for life and in ways that make it even harder for them to break free from cycles of substance dependence.
How is SAM organized?
SAM is an alliance of organizations and individuals dedicated to a health-first approach to marijuana policy. If that describes you or your organization, we invite you to contact us to learn more about the resources we offer.
And what does a “health-first approach to marijuana policy” mean? Check out SAM’s wish list.