General
Government Funding Bill Stripped of Multiple Pro-Marijuana Industry Amendments; Pro-Health and Safety Groups Applaud Bipartisan Deal
Today, a government funding bill was stripped of numerous pro-marijuana industry amendments that would grant the industry access to the US financial system, allow Washington D.C. to institute a commercial marijuana market, and prevent enforcement of federal law and even basic federal oversight in states that have “legalized” the substance. Dr. Kevin Sabet, president of […]
New Jersey Coalition Urges Lawmakers to Oppose Marijuana Ballot Vote
Today, a coalition of concerned New Jersey policy groups, substance abuse workers, social justice advocates, and representatives of law enforcement gathered at the New Jersey State House to host a press conference calling on lawmakers to oppose placing marijuana legalization on the 2020 ballot. “The pot advocates here in Trenton are desperate to institute their […]
Virginia Attorney General Stonewalls Marijuana Public Health Concerns Due to “Time Constraints”
On Wednesday, December 11, 2019, Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring will host a “cannabis summit” featuring panels of experts on recreational marijuana legalization. Next year, the Virginia Legislature is anticipating legislation to remove criminal penalties for simple marijuana possession, but not legalize marijuana for commercial sale. According to AG Herring’s office, medical, substance abuse, and […]
Massachusetts Health Officials Confirm Vaping Illnesses Tied to “Legal” Market Following SAM FOIA
Following the submission of a Massachusetts Public Records Law request by Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM), Massachusetts health officials confirmed that six patients in the state suffering from the vaping illness now referred to as EVALI reported using products from regulated “legal” dispensaries in the state. This follows initial reporting by The Boston Globe that […]
SAM Participates in End-of-Year Holiday Hill Day
National marijuana policy group Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM) participated in an end-of-year Holiday Hill Day, bringing concerned parents, substance abuse and prevention professionals, and others to the United States Capitol to meet with lawmakers to discuss the potential harms of rewarding the marijuana industry by passing legislation such as the SAFE Banking Act and […]
New Hampshire Senate Judiciary Committee Rejects Marijuana Legalization Bill Ahead of 2020
The New Hampshire Senate Judiciary Committee voted to send a House-passed marijuana legalization to “interim study,” effectively killing the bill for the upcoming 2020 legislative session. The vote was unanimous. Dr. Kevin Sabet, president of Smart Approaches to Marijuana Action (SAM Action) and its New Hampshire Affiliate, SAM NH, released the following statement in response: […]
Legal Sale of Marijuana Begins in Michigan; Pot Industry Shut Out of Majority of the State
On December 1st, the legal sale of recreational marijuana begins in Michigan. Dr. Kevin Sabet, president of Smart Approaches to Marijuana Action (SAM Action), and its Michigan affiliate Healthy and Productive Michigan – that fought the ballot campaign and has led local level opt-out initiatives – released the following statement in advance: “Today is a […]
House Judiciary Committee Votes on ‘Nonstarter’ Marijuana Legalization Bill
The United States House Judiciary Committee held a vote on the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act, a bill to federally legalize, commercialize, and tax the use of marijuana. Dr. Kevin Sabet, president of Smart Approaches to Marijuana and a former senior drug policy advisor to the Obama Administration, released the following statement ahead […]
No ‘Lame Duck’ Marijuana Legalization in New Jersey
According to reporting from Politico, an attempt to pass a bill legalizing marijuana during the ‘lame duck’ session has failed to garner enough support. Dr. Kevin Sabet, president of Smart Approaches to Marijuana Action (SAM Action) and its New Jersey affiliate, New Jersey Responsible Approaches to Marijuana Policy (NJ-RAMP) released the following statement in response: […]
SAM Applauds HHS for Blocking Opioid Grant Funds from Medical Marijuana Programs
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) announced on Friday that federal monies doled out by the health agency would no longer flow to individuals or organizations that use, prescribe, or provide marijuana for the treatment of opioid use disorder and mental health issues. Furthermore, SAMHSA Director Elinore McCance-Katz stated that treatment programs […]
Legal Sale of Marijuana to Begin in Michigan; Pot Industry Shut Out of Majority of the State
On December 1st, the legal sale of recreational marijuana is slated to begin in Michigan. Dr. Kevin Sabet, president of Smart Approaches to Marijuana Action (SAM Action), and its Michigan affiliate Healthy and Productive Michigan – that fought the ballot campaign and has led local level opt-out initiatives – released the following statement in advance: […]
New Hampshire Senate Judiciary Committee Rejects Marijuana Legalization Bill Ahead of 2020
The New Hampshire Senate Judiciary Committee voted to send a House-passed marijuana legalization to “interim study,” effectively killing the bill for the upcoming 2020 legislative session. The vote was unanimous. Dr. Kevin Sabet, president of Smart Approaches to Marijuana Action (SAM Action) and its New Hampshire Affiliate, SAM NH, released the following statement in response: […]
Former VP and 2020 Democratic Candidate Joe Biden Stands by the Science on Marijuana Reform
On Saturday, former Vice President Joe Biden stated he favored decriminalizing marijuana over fully legalizing the substance and his administration would mirror this position. Furthermore, the presidential candidate posited that the science behind the link between marijuana use and further substance abuse deserves more scrutiny. Dr. Kevin Sabet, president of Smart Approaches to Marijuana and […]
New Study: Youth Marijuana Addiction Rates 25 Percent Higher in “Legalized States”
Today, a study published in the journal JAMA Psychiatry found that rates of marijuana addiction among teens (12-17) in states that have “legalized” marijuana were 25 percent higher than in states that have not legalized the substance. Among adults (26 or older), past-month use rates were 26 percent higher. What’s more, past-month frequent use and […]
Connecticut Coalition Urges Senators Murphy and Blumenthal to Oppose Marijuana Banking During Vaping Crisis
Today, state lawmakers, clergy, and representatives of public health and safety organizations hosted a press conference urging Senators Chris Murphy and Richard Blumenthal to join a growing chorus of voices across the nation calling on members of the United States Senate to halt efforts to extend banking and investment access to the marijuana industry amid […]
CDC: Vitamin E Found in 29 Lung Tissue Samples; More Research is Needed to Determine Source of Crisis
Today, officials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention discussed on a call with press a breakthrough study in determining a potential cause of the marijuana vaping illness outbreak. They did not conclude the source of the crisis. After analyzing 29 lung tissue samples, the CDC state they have found vitamin E acetate in […]
USDA Guidance on Hemp is a Good Start; More is Still Needed
Today, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) released draft guidelines on the cultivation and production of hemp. Smart Approaches to Marijuana president and founder Dr. Kevin Sabet released the following statement in response: “We are thankful that USDA is trying to take a careful approach in issuing guidance to farmers interested in growing hemp […]
Chicago City Council Black Caucus Raises the Alarm on Social Justice Concerns
The Chicago Sun Times reports that members of the Chicago City Council’s Black Caucus are threatening to slow walk the implementation of marijuana sales in the city due to the fact that no businesses slated to sell the substance once it is legal on January 1stare owned by people of color. Dr. Kevin Sabet, president […]
SAM Science Advisory Board Pens Letter to Congress on Vaping Crisis
Today, Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM), the nation’s leading nonpartisan organization advocating for science-based marijuana policy, sent a comprehensive letter to Congressional leadership outlining the fact that cases of severe respiratory illness and subsequent deaths from vaping are decisively tied to marijuana products and linked to purchases made in state “legal” stores. Additionally, the letter […]
SAM Expands Presence on Capitol Hill to Oppose Passage of Marijuana Legislation During Vaping Epidemic
Today, in its largest expansion of federal policy efforts yet, Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM), the largest national, nonpartisan marijuana policy group opposed to marijuana commercialization announced a partnership with Tripp and Jenn Baird of Off Hill Strategies and Luke Albee, former Chief of Staff to Senators Mark Warner (D-VA) and Patrick Leahy (D-VT). SAM […]
Marijuana Vaping Outbreak — Not Just a Black Market Issue
• Majority of the deaths and illness in this marijuana vaping outbreak have been connected to the use of marijuana oils. • At a time when we are investigating the causes of this rash of deaths and illnesses connected to marijuana oils and vapes, all marijuana legalization efforts and THC vaping oil sales should pause. […]
New Study: Marijuana Industry Social Media Presence Encourages Youth Use of The Drug
A study set to be published in the November issue of Drug and Alcohol Dependence found that roughly one in three youth (aged 15-19) engaged with marijuana advertisements on social media. Those who engaged with said promotions were five times more likely to have reported past-year marijuana use. The study, authored by researchers including Dr. […]
Another New Study: Opioid Deaths Rising in “Legal” States
This week, a study by researchers in Oregon and California added to the foundation of data countering efforts by the marijuana industry and its promoters to paint marijuana legalization as a solution to the opioid epidemic. The study used opioid mortality data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control to compare trends in opioid death […]
During a Marijuana Vaping Crisis, the U.S. House Puts Big Marijuana’s Demands Above the Interest of Public Health and Safety
Today, the United States House of Representatives passed the SAFE Banking Act, a bill to grant the marijuana industry access to the federal banking system. Notably, the bill passes the House while the nation is in the grips of a health crisis, with at least two of eight deaths and hundreds of cases of illness […]