News

Washington, DC—Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM) condemns legislation introduced by Reps. Morgan Griffith (VA) and Marc Veasey (TX): the Hemp Enforcement, Modernization, and Protection (HEMP) Act.  “Make no mistake: This is simply an attempt at backdoor marijuana legalization,” said SAM CEO Kevin Sabet. “Again and again, we hear the same argument: that we can somehow regulate our way to safety around these dangerous drugs. […]

Washington, DC—Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM) highlights the dangers of marijuana to mothers and their children on this Maternal Health Awareness Day—a danger backed up by the best data and recognized by leading medical associations. “One of the most worrying trends around marijuana is its use by expectant and new mothers,” said SAM CEO Kevin Sabet. “Thanks […]

Washington, DC—Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM) applauds major victories for public health in Congressional appropriations language from the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Committee and the Labor, Health, and Human Services Committee, including crucial SAM-authored language in the bill text barring the use of federal dollars on PSA-advertising that encourages drug use.   “We are delighted to see that Congress is fighting to make […]

Washington, DC—Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM) celebrates the publication today of Danny Funt’s major new book on sports betting and addiction, Everybody Loses, from Simon & Schuster.  “As the author of the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act, I have had the honor of leading an effort to ensure people can gain access to mental health and addiction treatment,” […]

Washington, DC—Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM) condemns the Trump Administration’s recent cuts to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s grants to vital prevention and recovery organizations that are doing effective anti-drug work.   “SAMHSA grants to prevention, recovery, and related organizations play a crucial role in stopping the demand for dangerous drugs and addiction. This work literally saves lives,” said SAM CEO Kevin A. Sabet. “These cuts will hurt […]

Washington, DC—Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM) congratulates Sara Carter Bailey on her confirmation by the Senate as director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy.   “Congratulations to Sara Carter Bailey on her confirmation as the drug czar,” said SAM President and CEO Kevin Sabet.   “Sara is a strong, clear-voiced advocate for sane public health policy. […]

WASHINGTON, DC—Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM) condemns in the strongest possible terms President Donald Trump’s decision to buckle under industry pressure and finalize the Biden-era rule to downgrade marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III.  SAM President, Dr. Kevin Sabet, released the following statement:  “This rule, if finalized, will herald a public health disaster. It’s a full betrayal of the […]

A SAM Action television ad warns that moving marijuana to Schedule III would let CCP-backed and Mexican cartels launder profits and hurt Americans.  WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, SAM Action, the (c)4 arm of Smart Approaches to Marijuana, the nation’s leading organization opposing the commercialization of addictive marijuana products, announced a six-figure national television ad buy urging […]

From coast to coast, Americans increasingly are rejecting marijuana. Gallup data shows support for legal weed falling to historic lows. SAM is working hard in states across the country to advance real public health. A ballot iniative (which SAM supported) to end legal sales in Massachusetts recently drew more than 74,000 signers. In towns and […]

The original version of this article appeared in exxpress. At the MCC Budapest Summit on the global drug epidemic, exxpress spoke with Kevin Sabet. He is the president of Smart Approaches to Marijuana, a long-time advisor to several U.S. presidential administrations and one of the most well-known experts in drug policy. Immediately after his keynote—in which he described the […]

Hungary’s drug policy is “an example because it’s a very clear message and nobody can be confused about what the law says. I don’t necessarily think people should be imprisoned for years for having a joint, but we need not be encouraging that behavior, which is what legalization or decriminalization can do,” Dr. Kevin Sabet […]

To educate New Yorkers about the harms of marijuana use, particularly the use of high-potency THC drugs, Smart Approaches to Marijuana has launched alongside our New York Impact Report a new awareness campaign: WHAT IS MARIJUANA? It’s a question more policymakers and legislators should have asked before deciding to create the Empire State’s legal market. […]

WASHINGTON, DC—Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM) applauds the historic vote tonight by the US House of Representatives to close the hemp loophole and protect American families and public health.   SAM President & CEO Kevin Sabet released the following statement:   “For years, the predatory intoxicating hemp industry poisoned millions of children, deceived adults, and tricked lawmakers […]

Researchers in Ohio conducted a study on years of traffic data and found that 42% of drivers who died in car crashes tested positive for active THC in their blood—at astonishingly high levels. The study also noted that based on the autopsy reports, these were clearly not cases of residual use but recent use, within an hour […]

COLUMBUS—Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM) President and CEO Dr. Kevin Sabet applauds Ohio Governor Mike DeWine’s executive order banning intoxicating hemp products.  “Banning dangerous and addictive drugs marketed to kids is a public health non-negotiable,” said Sabet. “Intoxicating hemp products were putting kids across Ohio in danger for years before Governor DeWine stepped up to […]

More bad news for marijuana users: Researchers from Thomas Jefferson University conducted a study that found that among patients with heart failure, marijuana users had a 19% higher chance of readmission and a 60% higher chance of death than nonusers. The researchers explicitly juxtapose these findings with the increasing social and legal acceptance of marijuana, cautioning clinicians to […]

A study by Australian researchers found that children of mothers who had cannabis use disorder while pregnant are 79% more likely to have any anxiety disorder and 146% more likely to specifically have PTSD. It is painfully ironic that something marketed to moms to “mellow out” goes on to give their kids anxiety disorders. But these ugly ironies seem […]

Washington, D.C.—Monday saw the marijuana industry abuzz with news that President Trump had posted a video on Truth Social arguing that CBD has wide medical benefits for older Americans.   Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM) CEO Kevin A. Sabet said in response: “Big Marijuana boosters shouldn’t get too excited. If the past is any guide, these […]

62.7% of likely voters are less likely to support rescheduling if it gives big weed companies more financial incentive to advertise to children  WASHINGTON, D.C. — A new poll administered by Wes Anderson and his firm On Message Inc. finds that 62.7% of likely voters say they’d be less likely to support federal marijuana rescheduling if it gives […]

Sorry . . . what were you saying? Oh, yes: A massive neuroimaging study led by researchers at the University of Colorado found that huge majorities of young adult marijuana users suffer significant cognitive impairment in everyday life. Specifically, 63% of heavy lifetime users and 68% of recent users experienced reduced brain activity, which is associated with performance issues, […]

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM) applauds the House Appropriations Committee for continuing to show incredible leadership in the fight for evidence-based public health policy.   The Committee voted to advance a key SAM priority in its markup Wednesday. Language blocking the sale of recreational marijuana in our nation’s capital—the so-called Harris Rider—was included in […]

What does marijuana rescheduling mean for my state?   Moving marijuana to Schedule III will not legalize marijuana. It will provide the marijuana industry with a significant tax reduction and will normalize the drug to many Americans, which could increase marijuana use and harms nationwide. To address this, common-sense regulations must be implemented on the industry […]

A Harvard Medical School study found that recovery housing residents were twice as likely to remain abstinent (65% vs. 31%). Additionally, they had an incarceration rate of a third of what it was for those not in recovery housing (3% vs. 9%). The findings suggest that incentives matter, not only for staying off drugs but also for staying […]

WASHINGTON, DC—Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM) released a letter addressed to President Trump Monday, signed by a wide spectrum of SAM coalition partners, including the Foundation for Drug Policy Solutions, Family Research Council, Concerned Women for Legislative Action Committee, National Narcotic Officers’ Associations’ Coalition, and Drug Enforcement Association of Federal Narcotics Agents (DEAFNA). “President Trump […]