General

[Washington, DC] – Today, Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM) officials, including a former Congressman and the nation’s first African-American magistrate judge, joined members of the New Jersey Legislative Black Caucus, faith-based leaders, researchers from the National Institutes of Health, and other public health and safety experts at a press conference warning about the dangers of marijuana and […]

Today, the day before the unofficial “marijuana holiday,” Healthy and Productive Illinois (HPIL) – a project of Smart Approaches to Marijuana Action (SAM Action) – released a comprehensive working paper on the projected costs of legalization in Illinois, finding that legalization would cost the state $670.5 million, far outweighing estimated tax revenue projections of approximately $566 million. The report will be released […]

Contact: Colton Grace Colton@learnaboutsam.org (864) 492-6719 [Alexandria, VA] – Today, Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM) issued the following statement from SAM President Dr. Kevin Sabet in response to a reported deal between President Donald Trump and Senator Cory Gardner to protect Colorado’s marijuana industry from federal law:   “This discussion is far from over. In the […]

[Alexandria, VA] – Today, Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM) issued the following statement from SAM President Dr. Kevin Sabet in response to two new studies that purport to show marijuana legalization as an aid to the opioid epidemic:   “These studies fall into the same logical fallacy as other similar studies. First, they do not show directly that […]

Elizabeth, NJ — Today, New Jersey Responsible Approaches to Marijuana and Smart Approaches to Marijuana officials will testify at a New Jersey Legislative Black Caucus hearing on marijuana legalization. WHO: New Jersey Responsible Approaches to Marijuana Policy (NJ-RAMP) Coalition Members, including: Kevin Sabet, PhD., President of SAM and NJ affiliate NJ-RAMP, former drug policy advisor […]

(Alexandria, VA) – Today, Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM) Founder and President Dr. Kevin A. Sabet released the following statement in response to the release of the text of the Fiscal Year 2018 Omnibus Appropriations Act: “SAM Action and its partners in public health, research, law enforcement, drug prevention, family, treatment and recovery made significant progress […]

Dramatic Increases in Fatal Drugged Driving Crashes, Workplace Accidents, Arrest Rates, Black Market Activity in States That Have Legalized Marijuana  (Alexandria, VA) – Today, Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM), the leading, nonpartisan U.S. organization offering a science-based approach to marijuana policy, released the most comprehensive study to date today entitled: Lessons from Marijuana Legalization in […]

These Legislators are Putting Profits Before Public Health (Denver, CO) – Today, The Marijuana Accountability Coalition (MAC) unveiled the results of the “Brought to You by the Pot Industry” campaign. This campaign sought to expose the top recipients of money from the pot industry as it works to become the next Big Tobacco. These lawmakers […]

(Alexandria, VA) – Today, Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM), a national organization dedicated to promoting evidenced-based marijuana laws and policies, released the following statement in response to a new report from the Drug Policy Alliance (DPA) calling for the decriminalization of all drugs: “We cannot incarcerate our way out of our nation’s drug problem,” said […]

SAM Statement Regarding Removal of DOJ Marijuana Enforcement Barriers from Proposed CJS Appropriations Bill [Alexandria, VA — June 29, 2017]  “On April 4, Representatives Rohrabacher and Blumenauer, two Members of Congress funded by illegal marijuana operations selling pot candies to kids, wrote appropriators asking to include their pro-marijuana language in a base spending bill—and they […]

[ALEXANDRIA, Va., June 28, 2017]–A proposed government spending bill released today eliminated a provision that has protected the marijuana industry from federal prosecution for violating the Controlled Substances Act. The Rohrabacher-Farr language was eliminated from the Commerce, Justice, Science bill that funds the Department of Justice. In addition, the Financial Services bill retained language preventing […]

Statement from SAM President Kevin Sabet Regarding Marijuana Study Committee in Rhode Island   Contact: Anisha Gianchandani anisha@learnaboutsam.org (703) 828-8182   [Alexandria, Va.] –  Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM) issued the following statement from SAM President Kevin Sabet in response to the passage of a Rhode Island bill to study the effects of marijuana legalization (H.5551): […]

Coalition of Concerned Citizens in Compton, CA Urge Attorney General Sessions to Stop Marijuana Commercialization   Leaders in Underserved Community to Speak Out About Marijuana Industry Takeover of Neighborhoods; Present Citizen Petition Asking Department of Justice to Intervene   (Alexandria, VA, June 12, 2017) – Today, a grassroots and broad-based coalition of concerned residents and […]

Tobacco Wholesalers Seeking Marijuana Monopoly   More evidence emerged today about the intent of corporate interests to take over the legal marijuana industry.  According to a report published in the Boston Globe today, the industry involved in delivering and taxing cigarettes sold in Massachusetts is now trying to take advantage of the new law to […]

SAM President Dr. Kevin Sabet went live on NPR Chicago this morning. Take a listen to his complete rundown on marijuana policy (including legalization’s worsening impact on racial disparity, and why legalizing marijuana won’t make Illinois richer) here.

Statement from SAM President Kevin Sabet Regarding Marijuana Bill Veto in Vermont   Contact: Anisha Gianchandani anisha@learnaboutsam.org +1 (703) 828-8182   [Alexandria, VA, May 24, 2017] – Today, Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM) issued the following statement from SAM President Kevin Sabet in response to Governor Scott’s decision to veto marijuana legalization in Vermont:   […]

Statement From SAM President Kevin Sabet Regarding Today’s White House ONDCP Budget Proposal   Contact: Anisha Gianchandani anisha@learnaboutsam.org (703) 828-8182   [Alexandria, VA, May 23, 2017] –  Today, Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM) issued the following statement from SAM President Dr. Kevin Sabet in response to the Trump administration’s budget proposal:   “We are relieved […]

[Alexandria, VA, May 19, 2017] – Today, SAM President Kevin Sabet was featured in an extensive Q&A for Asbury Park Press “@ Issue” in New Jersey. Click on this link or see below for more.   The ongoing effort by New Jersey Senate Democrats to legalize recreational marijuana took another step forward last week with […]

Statement by President of Smart Approaches to Marijuana on Congressman Garrett’s Support for Marijuana Commercialization              Today, Dr. Kevin Sabet, president of Smart Approaches to Marijuana, a national group promoting evidence-based marijuana laws, issued the following statement regarding Congressman Garrett’s proposed legislation that would remove marijuana from the Controlled Substances […]

Statement from SAM President Kevin Sabet Regarding Vermont Vote Contact: Anisha Gianchandani anisha@learnaboutsam.org +1 (703) 828-8182   [Alexandria, VA, May 10, 2017] – Today, Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM) issued the following statement from President Kevin Sabet in response to the Vermont legislature’s vote to legalize marijuana possession:   “We are disappointed by today’s vote […]

Slew of New Research Mounts on Failures of Marijuana Legalization: Pot Shops Linked to More Youth Use, More Crime, No Reductions in Drinking Over the past several years, states that have legalized marijuana have suffered from a wide array of unintended consequences. States with legal marijuana continue to see a thriving black market, increases in […]

Marijuana and the Opioid Epidemic: Separating Fact from Fiction   Advocates for marijuana legalization have touted cannabis as a cure-all for just about everything. Over the years, claims have been made that the drug can “kill” cancer cells, cure alcoholism and – yes – even eliminate morning sickness. So with the tragic rise in the […]

Colorado: New Study Finds ER visits for Cannabis Quadrupled Since Legalization A new study being released next week by the American Academy of Pediatrics has revealed more troubling consequences stemming from the commercialization of marijuana in Colorado.  Per NBC News: The number of teenagers sent to emergency rooms more than quadrupled after marijuana was legalized […]

  Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM) Reacts to Marijuana Lobbying Group’s Admission to Soliciting Donations from Tobacco Industry Challenges Top Marijuana Lobbyist to Answer Four Questions Contact: Anisha Gianchandani anisha@learnaboutsam.org +1 (703) 828-8182 [Alexandria, VA, May 2, 2017] – Today, Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM), a national organization committed to promoting evidence-based marijuana laws at […]