Kevin Sabet

DEA WAIVES REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS FOR  CBD RESEARCH, ADOPTING SAM RECOMMENDATION   FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 23, 2015   Contact: Jeffrey Zinsmeister jeff@learnaboutsam.org +1 (415) 680-3993   [WASHINGTON, DC] – Researching one of the non-intoxicating components of marijuana, cannabidiol (CBD), will now be made easier because of new DEA regulations released today. In line with SAM’s […]

Because of generous contributions, SAM is expanding again! We are hiring a full-time Communications and Marketing Director, and a part-time Special Assistant. FULL-TIME COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM), a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization working on drug policy issues, is seeking an experienced, energetic, detail-oriented, full-time Communications Director in our office located in Old Town […]

 HHS Survey of States: For the First Time, Colorado Leads the Nation in Regular Marijuana Use Among Youth Comprehensive state-by-state survey reveals trends not captured in nationwide studies FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 17, 2015 Contact: Jeffrey Zinsmeister jeff@learnaboutsam.org +1 (415) 680-3993 [WASHINGTON, DC] – The most comprehensive federal government drug use survey conducted in all 50 states […]

PRESS STATEMENT December 16, 2015 8:30 p.m.   Contact: Jeffrey Zinsmeister jeff@learnaboutsam.org +1 (415) 680-3993 WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, SAM President Dr. Kevin A. Sabet made the following statement on the U.S. Solicitor General’s amicus curiae brief submitted to the Supreme Court regarding the case Nebraska v. Colorado: “The hype about the Obama administration’s brief […]

CONGRESS PREVENTS POT INDUSTRY FROM LEVERAGING BANKING SYSTEM TO MASS-MARKET MARIJUANA; ALLOWS DOJ TO ENFORCE FEDERAL LAW WITH RESPECT TO “RECREATIONAL” MARIJUANA USE   FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 16, 2015 1:00 p.m.   Contact: Jeffrey Zinsmeister jeff@learnaboutsam.org +1 (415) 680-3993   [WASHINGTON, DC] – The Omnibus spending bill passed early this morning in Congress did […]

U.S. YOUTH DRUG SURVEY: MARIJUANA USE REMAINS STRONG DESPITE DROP IN OTHER DRUG USE; SURVEY DESIGN MISSES KIDS NOT IN SCHOOL   FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 16, 2015 12:01 a.m.   Contact: Jeffrey Zinsmeister jeff@learnaboutsam.org +1 (415) 680-3993   [WASHINGTON, DC] – The nation’s annual school survey of drug use, Monitoring the Future (MTF), shows marijuana use […]

FACT SHEET ON THE RECENT DECISION OF THE MEXICAN SUPREME COURT REGARDING MARIJUANA Major news organizations are exaggerating or misconstruing the scope of the decision by the Mexican Supreme Court—issued by a 4-to-1 vote of a panel consisting of five of that tribunal’s eleven judges—to allow four people to cultivate and consume marijuana for personal […]

SAM presidential scorecard updated SAM UPDATES PRESIDENTIAL SCORECARD AFTER SANDERS’ COMMENTS AND REPUBLICAN DEBATE   Candidates evaluated on three criteria, including support for treatment and prevention for users as alternatives to incarceration, a true medical marijuana program based on scientific research, and opposition to legalized and commercialized marijuana for recreational use WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today […]

PRESS STATEMENT                                                    Today, SAM President Kevin Sabet made the following statement on HR 3561, introduced by Rep. Earl Blumenauer: “While we disagree with Rep. Blumenauer’s attempts to legalize marijuana and legitimize a […]

SENATOR RAND PAUL GETS IT WRONG;  JUSTICE SONIA SOTOMAYOR GETS IT RIGHT ON MARIJUANA POLICY   SAM will shortly release a questionnaire and report card for all candidates to gauge their respective positions on this issue, and propose an evidence-based policy proposal that helps, not hurts, Americans. During this week’s Republican presidential debate, several candidates […]

REPORT: MARIJUANA COMMERCIALIZATION FAILING IN COLORADO FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 15, 2015 Rocky Mountain High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (RMHIDTA) report shows significant increases in traffic fatalities, child poison control exposures, hospitalizations, youth use, amongst other alarming data, detailing how Colorado’s experiment with retail marijuana regulation is a public health and safety failure. DENVER, CO – […]

University of Florida Drug Policy Institute Joins Senior Researchers at Harvard, Boston Children’s Hospital, University of Texas, and Others in Responding to Latest Claims by the International Centre for Science in Drug Policy A team of researchers from the UF Drug Policy Institute, Harvard University, and other institutions authored a lengthy response to a recent monograph written by the […]

Washington State Releases New Numbers Showing Increase in THC-Related Impaired Driving Cases   Preliminary Data Released Today From Washington State Toxicologist   (SEATTLE, WA) – Today, the Washington State toxicologist released preliminary data from the first four months of 2015, Jan-April, showing that the percentage of total driving cases testing positive for THC jumped from 28% […]

Greens & Libertarians Join SAM, Manufacturers Association, Behavioral Health Authorities, and Hospitals To Oppose Amendment   (COLUMBUS, CA) – Ohioans Against Marijuana Monopolies, a diverse coalition of citizens, launched its campaign to defeat Issue 3, a proposed Constitutional amendment to create a marijuana monopoly.  The event was held at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus. Issue 3 […]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yx-iy45X0DQ&feature=youtu.be Kevin Sabet testifies before the United States Senate Caucus on International Narcotics Control.

By Scott Gagnon, Published: June 29, 2015 Last week was a pretty epic week for America in terms of civil rights and healthcare.  But, if you were someone trying to push marijuana legalization in Maine, you had a pretty bad week. There was this new report which indicates most of the conditions for which medical marijuana has been approved […]

SAM President Kevin Sabet gives testimony before United States Senate Caucus on International Narcotics Control (WASHINGTON, D.C.) — Along with other key leaders in drug policy and research, including NIDA Director Dr. Nora Volkow, FDA Deputy Director Doug Throckmorton, and DEA Deputy Assistant Administrator Joseph Rannazzisi, SAM President Dr. Kevin Sabet was invited to give oral and written testimony […]

Backwards Momentum for Marijuana Legalization as Maine House Overwhelmingly Rejects Legalization  In a sign of waning support, the Maine House votes 98-45 against legalizing marijuana.  The messages cautioning against marijuana commercialization appear to take hold as the coalition pushing for the rejection of marijuana legalization picks up 27 votes from the prior House vote in […]

New Study: “Medical Marijuana Laws Amplify Recreational Juvenile Marijuana Use”  Study also finds that alcohol consumption is a salient predictor of marijuana use   (WASHINGTON, D.C.) — A new study (PDF here) in press published in the International Journal of Drug Policy found that medical marijuana laws “amplify” youth marijuana use. The study, which utilized the largest national […]

A study published in Lancet Psychiatry this week found that medical marijuana states showed no increase in high school marijuana use after such laws were passed. The study did find that 10th and 12th grade use in Colorado increased significantly after medical marijuana. The study is notable because it examined 24 states, and the authors should be commended for looking at this critical […]

By Alex Dobuzinskis, Published: May 28, 2015 at 10:05 AM A group opposed to pot legalization is unveiling proposals on Thursday for the U.S. government to ease restrictions on scientific research into marijuana’s potential as medicine, in a first step for an organization of its kind. The plan from Smart Approaches to Marijuana, which is co-founded by […]

SMART APPROACHES TO MARIJUANA (SAM) CALLS FOR MARIJUANA RESEARCH OVERHAUL Recommendations include eliminating the Public Health Service (PHS) committee review for marijuana research applications, initiating a compassionate use program, and expanding marijuana research sites (WASHINGTON DC)—Given the increasing interest and demand for research into marijuana’s therapeutic potential, Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM), a nonpartisan alliance […]

By Jon Collins, Published: April 21, 2015 Police chiefs across the state are preparing for the launch of Minnesota’s medical marijuana program this summer. Minnesota passed one of the country’s most restrictive medical marijuana laws last year. It prohibits personally growing marijuana or smoking marijuana and can be prescribed for less than a dozen conditions. Kevin […]

By Scott Gagnon, Published: April 10, 2015 Hello and welcome to the first proper blog entry on Smart Approaches to Public Health. It is a happy coincidence that the unveiling and launch of this blog was on the same day as another important unveiling. Today, Project SAM (Smart Approaches to Marijuana) released a video entitled “Big Tobacco 2.0.” The […]