General

[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 […]

Don’t Let Anyone Tell You Youth Marijuana Use Hasn’t Gone Up in States Like Colorado According to official statistics, Colorado shows increase in teen use since before legalization; 18-25 year old rate and overall 12 and older rate also up Contact: Anisha Gianchandani anisha@learnaboutsam.org +1 (703) 828-8182 [Alexandria, VA] – Despite claims to the contrary […]

New Study Finds More Marijuana Use, Higher Rates of Marijuana Addiction in States With Medical Marijuana Laws Contact: Anisha Gianchandani anisha@learnaboutsam.org +1 (703) 828-8182 [Alexandria, VA, April 26, 2017] – A new study released today by JAMA Psychiatry found that rates of marijuana use and marijuana addiction increased significantly more in states that passed medical […]

National Leaders and Elected Officials Gather in Atlanta to Coordinate Opposition to Marijuana Legalization in America Contact: Anisha Gianchandani anisha@learnaboutsam.org +1 (703) 828-8182 [Alexandria, VA, April 20, 2017] – Today, a group of national drug policy leaders, elected officials, and public health experts convened in Atlanta to coordinate the opposition to marijuana legalization in the […]

Marijuana Legalization Bills Defeated in Maryland Marijuana Legalization Proposals Die in Committee Contact: Anisha Gianchandani anisha@learnaboutsam.org +1 (703) 828-8182 [Alexandria, VA, April 12, 2017] – Yesterday, an alliance of concerned citizens, public health experts, and safety officials soundly defeated two marijuana legalization bills in Maryland. The bills, which would have permitted commercial pot shops in […]

Anti-Marijuana Legalization Advocates Clear Major Hurdle in Connecticut Senate Marijuana Legalization Proposal Stalled Contact: Anisha Gianchandani anisha@learnaboutsam.org +1 (703) 828-8182 [Alexandria, VA, April 6, 2017] – Yesterday, a broad coalition of public health experts, elected officials, educators, and concerned citizens made significant headway in the effort to stop marijuana legalization in Connecticut. Senate Bill 11 […]

National Organization Files Public Records Requests For Marijuana-Related Records From the State of Oregon Leaked Study Reveals State Violations of Federal Marijuana Guidance, Raises Questions About State Efforts to Provide Full Disclosure of Public Health and Safety Consequences of Legalization Contact: Anisha Gianchandani anisha@learnaboutsam.org +1 (703) 828-8182 [Alexandria, VA, March 28, 2017] – Yesterday, Smart […]

SAM Action to Investigate Campaign Contributions of Signatories to Rep. Rohrabacher’s Marijuana Appropriations Letter Contact: Anisha Gianchandani anisha@learnaboutsam.org +1 (703) 828-8182 [Alexandria, VA, March 27, 2017] – Today, Smart Approaches to Marijuana Action (SAM Action), a national organization dedicated to advancing evidence-based marijuana laws, announced plans to investigate all signatories to Congressman Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA)’s […]

Marijuana Legalization Bill Defeated in New Hampshire Senate Marijuana Legalization Proposal Dies in 19-4 Vote Contact: Anisha Gianchandani anisha@learnaboutsam.org +1 (703) 828-8182 [Alexandria, VA, March 17, 2017] – Yesterday, a coalition of public health experts, elected officials, educators, and concerned citizens soundly defeated Senate Bill 233 in a 19-4 vote in New Hampshire, which would […]

President Trump’s New Budget Blueprint Retains White House Office of National Drug Control Policy Contact: Anisha Gianchandani anisha@learnaboutsam.org +1 (703) 828-8182 [Alexandria, VA, March 16, 2017] — Today, SAM President Kevin Sabet commented on President Trump’s 2018 Budget Blueprint that retains the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) as a critical office […]

  Concerned Citizens and Elected Officials Join to Oppose Marijuana Legalization in Rhode Island, Launch Provocative New Ad Campaign Targeting Marijuana Legalization Proposals  “Are We Sure?” Media Campaign Raises Questions About Unintended Consequences of Legalization, Lifts “Smokescreen” Created by Special Interest Groups Targeting Rhode Island Contact: Anisha Gianchandani anisha@learnaboutsam.org +1 (703) 828-8182 [Providence, RI, March […]

  Statement From SAM President Kevin Sabet Regarding White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer’s Comments on Marijuana Laws Contact: Anisha Gianchandani anisha@learnaboutsam.org +1 (703) 828-8182 [Alexandria, VA] –  Today, Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM) issued the following statement in response to comments made by Sean Spicer, President Trump’s Press Secretary: “The current situation is unsustainable. […]

Today, a wide coalition of hundreds of organizations representing former and current federal, state, and local officials, hundreds of community-based organizations, and tens of thousands of people working in drug prevention, drug treatment, drug treatment courts, mental health, recovery, medicine, law enforcement, and millions of individuals in recovery, sent a letter to OMB Director Mick […]

New Study Finds Marijuana Abuse Linked to Suicide Attempts by Iraq/Afghanistan-Era Veterans Study shows strong, statistically significant link between marijuana use disorder and suicide attempts, even after controlling for PTSD, depression, alcohol abuse, and other drug addictions Contact: Anisha Gianchandani anisha@learnaboutsam.org +1 (703) 828-8182 [Alexandria, VA] – A recent study published by the Journal of […]

First NAS report on marijuana since 1999 finds marijuana especially damaging for psychosis, driving safety, progression to other drugs, learning, pregnancy; says state-based legalization connected to injuries among kids   [WASHINGTON, DC] – The National Academy of Sciences (NAS), in a landmark report written by top scientists, The Health Effects of Cannabis and Cannabinoids: Current State […]

Colorado shows increase in teen use since before legalization; 18-25 year old rate and overall 12 and older rate also up     [WASHINGTON, DC] – The nation’s only representative sample of people in U.S households release special state data today finding increases in marijuana use not seen in a national school survey (Monitoring the […]

States with Lax Marijuana Laws Also Show Higher Marijuana “Edible” Use than Other States   [WASHINGTON, DC] – The nation’s annual school survey of drug use, Monitoring the Future (MTF), shows marijuana use among adolescents, including heavy marijuana use, remaining stubbornly high and higher than ten years ago — despite reductions across the board among other drugs. Past […]

Event underscores Papal opposition to drug legalization and embrace of balanced drug policies   For Immediate Release November 23, 2016 [VATICAN CITY] — By special invitation from Pope Francis I, Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM) is in Vatican City this week to address a conference organized by the Pontifical Academies of Sciences entitled “Workshop on […]