On Anniversary of Legal THC Drug Sales, SAM Calls for State Leaders to Act to Protect Young People
(JEFFERSON CITY, MO) – Dr. Kevin Sabet, President of Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM) and a former White House drug policy advisor to Presidents Obama, Bush, and Clinton, released the following statement in advance of the one-year anniversary of commercial marijuana sales in Missouri:
“Big Marijuana spent millions to legalize its dangerous drugs in Missouri, and the industry’s misinformation campaign hasn’t stopped. While the industry often heralds its products as benign and even, beneficial, the reality over the past year has proven these drugs are anything but safe.
“Since opening its doors to commercial pot shops, Missouri Poison Control has ‘seen a record number of kids ages 5 and under exposed’ to THC drugs, tens of thousands of THC products have been recalled, and a thriving illicit market. Worse yet, we still don’t have clear data on legalization’s impact on the state’s young people, even though we know today’s medical science increasingly links these drugs to IQ loss and significant mental health issues including depression, suicidality, psychosis, and schizophrenia.
“Lawmakers should be taking proactive steps to enact strict potency caps, require products to carry warning labels, and expand educational resources to ensure young people know the dangers associated with these drugs. The industry cannot be allowed to continue to drive its addiction-for-profit model that’s wreaking havoc on communities across the state.”