A big thank you to everyone who made the trip to Atlanta, GA for our 5th Annual Smart Approaches to Marijuana Summit! As SAM Founder and President Dr. Kevin Sabet said during his opening remarks, those who are standing up and pushing back against the commercialization and normalization of marijuana are on the right side of history! Not only are we fighting, but we are winning.
Legalization seemed like a sure thing in New Jersey as Governor Phil Murphy made it a crucial policy goal to accomplish during his first ninety days, but after over 120 days in office, his push has so far failed thanks to the efforts of the Legislative Black Caucus, Bishop Jethro James, and SAM-affiliate New Jersey for Responsible Approaches to Marijuana Policy (NJ-RAMP).
A legalization bill was also recently defeated in New Hampshire thanks to the pressure applied by New Futures and SAM supporters in there.
In short, thanks to the hard work and dedication of advocates, lawmakers across the country are pumping the brakes on marijuana legalization to consider the fact that time and time again, the costs of legalization far outweigh the benefits.
At the Summit, Dr. Kevin Sabet highlighted these recent victories in the fight against the the next Big Tobacco and offered the sobering fact that our country is not witnessing just an opioid epidemic, but indeed we have an epidemic of addiction.
Following Dr. Sabet’s opening remarks, attendees were treated to a inspiring testimony by Bishop Jethro James of New Jersey of his valiant efforts pushing back against newly-elected Governor Phil Murphy’s attempt to legalize marijuana. At the climax of his speech, Bishop James exclaimed that “There’s no way in Hell you’re selling marijuana legalization to me as social justice!” Bishop James was also this year’s recipient of SAM’s Patrick J. Kennedy Outstanding Advocate Award for his work in New Jersey.
Special Agent in Charge (SAC) Robert Murphy of the DEA Atlanta Field Division addressed the conference on the reality that black markets are thriving off of marijuana originating in states that legalized the substance and took a moment to remind everyone that medical and recreational marijuana is still illegal under federal law.
After SAC Murphy’s address, Drs. Marilyn Huestis briefed the conference on new data regarding marijuana use and highway fatalities, and emergency room visits, respectively, that have been increasing following the legalization of recreational marijuana in various states.
Activist Jeffrey Veatch, whose talented son lost his life to addiction shortly after his introduction to marijuana, delivered a heartbreaking and sobering presentation on his son’s tragic death. Jeffrey travels the country delivering this compelling presentation to high school students in the hopes that the story of his son’s death can save another young man or woman from suffering the same fate.
SAM Chief of Staff and Senior Policy Advisor Luke Niforatos joined SAM Board member Ben Cort to discuss the damaging effects marijuana commercialization and normalization has had on Colorado. Cort explained how the marijuana industry has been developing more and more highly potent THC products and how he witnesses drivers behind the wheel using marijuana on a daily basis in Colorado. Niforatos discussed the rise of marijuana use in Colorado and how this influenced his decision to move his young family out of the state.
The SAM Summit featured a panel of marijuana victims, including two who are taking part in a new program titled “High Means DUI”, a project highlighting the effects of drugged driving. This panel featured Corinne Lamarca Gasper whose daughter was killed by a marijuana impaired driver, Aubree Adams, whose son suffered from a psychotic break after experimenting with marijuana, Darryl Rodgers whose son was killed in a car driven by a marijuana impaired driver, and Sally Schindel whose son, a veteran, took his own life, attributing his mental illness to marijuana use.
Finally, Julie Schauer, founder of Parents Opposed to Pot, and Dr. Karen Randall discussed the tragic link of marijuana and child abuse deaths that their organization has been tracking, the homelessness problem in Colorado, and the damaging examples of marijuana abuse that Dr. Randall has seen in her hospital.