(WASHINGTON, DC) – With the new Trump Administration taking shape,Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM) and the Foundation for Drug Policy Solutions (FDPS) brought together Members of Congress, parents, medical professionals, law enforcement, former White House drug policy officials, and other experts in Washington for a two-day conference to discuss solutions to the nation’s drug crisis. The conference addressed the state of the drug crisis and how to combat the addiction-for-profit industry’s predatory practices impacting millions of Americans. The growth of the psychoactive drug industry is impacting millions of Americans across the country and claiming tens of thousands of lives each year.
The 2025 Good Drug Policy Summit, held at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center, included powerful voices in from across prevention, treatment, recovery, and law enforcement. Presenters shared critical issues facing the nation, and discussed how to scale up drug policy solutions that harness science to prevent drug use, treat addiction, and forge pathways to recovery.
“From the border to the heartland, the nation’s drug and addiction crisis is ravaging families and leaving a path of heartbreak and destruction,” said Dr. Kevin Sabet, President and CEO of SAM and FDPS, and a former Obama Administration senior drug policy advisor. “There is a rightful attitude to aggressively stem the flow of illicit drugs coming in from Mexico, but the addiction industry is redoubling its campaigns to normalize and commercialize all drugs, not just today’s highly potent marijuana. This is one of the most consequential times for our nation’s drug policy. This year’s Good Drug Policy Summit provided an important opportunity for our stakeholders to engage with each other and share feedback from the front lines about the challenges facing those battling the addiction industry,” Sabet said.
Summit participants included Rep. Mary Miller (R-IL); former NIDA Director & White House Drug Czar Robert DuPont; former ONDCP deputy Bertha K. Madras, PhD, Harvard Medical School; Ben Cort, SAM Board Member, President/Managing Partner, NRT Behavioral Health; Aaron Weiner, PhD, Board Certified Psychologist and SAM Science Advisory Board Member; and Drug Free America Foundation Executive Director Amy Ronshausen, among many others.
SAM awarded Representative Mary Miller (R-IL) with its Legislator of the Year award because of her leadership offering amendment language to close the Delta-8 loophole in the Farm Bill. Speaking about the amendment, on Thursday during her remarks, Rep. Miller said: “I want to thank [the SAM team] for coming to my office last year and asking me to lead this important amendment. The 2018 Farm Bill legalized hemp to help farmers and the agriculture industry but inadvertently created a loophole for Delta-8 THC. As a mom and a grandma, I was horrified to learn that this allowed retailers to deceptively advertise THC-laced candies like gummy bears to children in prominent places like convenience stores.”
Luke Niforatos, Executive Vice President for SAM and FDPS, said, “The Trump Administration is making it clear that international cooperation is paramount to successfully combatting the addiction crisis but more must be done domestically as the industry faces increasing public pressure over its harmful products. In states across the nation and here in Washington, DC, the addiction industry is spending billions of dollars to hook a new generation on dangerous, psychoactive drugs. They continue to intentionally downplay the mental and physical health impacts and public safety dangers. Even worse, they continue to prove they’ll try to steamroll any attempts to impose restrictions on their products that might protect young people or discourage use.”
“Grassroots organizations like ours and those working in recovery need to continue to advance meaningful dialogue with lawmakers and public health officials that prioritizes education for young people about the harms of drug use, and greater access to treatment and recovery programs for those suffering from substance use disorders. Otherwise, we risk losing a generation to increasingly dangerous and addictive products,” Niforatos said.
For more information about the 2025 Good Drug Policy Summit, click HERE.