News

El Paso County continues to lead Colorado in medical marijuana cardholders and sales

Opponents, including the group Smart Approaches to Marijuana, say legalization of marijuana has undermined physical and mental health, with data that shows such effects as IQ loss, depression, suicide, psychosis, stroke and schizophrenia. Also of concern, the organization points to consequences to public safety, such as impairment while driving, and negative effects on education and employment, particularly […]

It’s time to stop celebrating April 20 as a day for marijuana

“Increased car crashes. More kids and adults high every day,” Sabet told me. “The stench of highly potent ‘skunk-weed’ permeating our major cities. 4/20 isn’t something to celebrate.” Sabet knows a thing or two about drugs, specifically marijuana. He is a former White House drug policy adviser to Presidents Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and […]

Republicans’ War Against Pot Is Back On

Marijuana advocates have seen years of progress on legalization. But three of the most prominent Republicans in the country are signaling the fight’s not done. Years of progress in the push for legal marijuana is hitting a sudden wall of opposition, thanks to a trio of potential future Republican presidential candidates. Over the last month, […]

SAM 4/19/2024 Friday Fact: Top 10 U.S. States by Annual Marijuana Use Among Youth (Aged 12-17) in 2021-2022

The SAMSHA 2021-2022 NSDUH: Model-Based Estimated Prevalence For States provides estimates of drug use at the state level. Their survey spans 2021 and 2022, rather than only one year, because they needed a sufficiently large sample size for all states.   Based on this, we looked at the prevalence of past-year marijuana use among the […]

The Denver Gazette: Don’t celebrate Colorado’s pot predators

The pot propagators of today can’t seem to agree on the origin of the annual “4/20” observance that is coming up Saturday — the backstory has various versions — and the marijuana-muddled minds that thought it up in the first place probably don’t remember. Whatever the dubious date is supposed to signify, permit us to […]

Florida to Consider Legalization of Marijuana Amidst Alarming Evidence of Harm

On April 1st, The Florida Supreme Court announced that a proposed constitutional amendment (Initiative #22-05) to legalize marijuana’s recreational use will appear on November ballots (South Dakotans will also see it). 60% of voters have to say yes for this to pass. So far, 13 states have legalized marijuana for medical use and 24 states have done so […]

SAM 4/12/2024 Friday Fact: Delta-8 THC Exposures Among Age Groups in 2022

America’s Poison Centers 2022 Annual Report of the National Poison Data System shows Delta-8 THC exposures among age groups. Overall, there were 3,358 Delta-8 THC exposures in 2022. Americans aged 19 or younger accounted for 56% of all Delta-8 THC exposures in 2022––those 12 or younger accounted for more than 40% of these exposures. Here’s […]

Governor approves medical marijuana protections for public sector employees

Governor Glenn Youngkin approved employment protections for public sector workers on Monday, April 8. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, roughly 740,000 people in the Commonwealth work for the government. An original law passed in 2021 protected employee rights to use medical marijuana but didn’t specifically include public servants like firefighters, something JM Pedini, development […]

Only 3 states have passed recreational weed ballot measures by more than 60%. Will FL be next?

As the campaign to get recreational cannabis legalized in Florida moves into its next phase, opponents and advocates of the proposal are operating under the same premise: The measure is likely to receive at least majority support by the voters in November. But that’s not good enough in the Sunshine State, which requires more than […]

Does America have a marijuana crisis?

Kevin A. Sabet, the founder of Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM), is on a mission to educate the public on the acute dangers the substance presents to America.  Read the article HERE.

Florida voters will decide if marijuana is legalized in the state

Medical marijuana is already legal in Florida. If enough voters say yes come election day, anyone 21 and up can walk into those dispensaries and purchase up to three ounces of marijuana. On April 1st, the Florida Supreme Court gave the go-ahead to put legalizing marijuana on the November ballot. Florida would become the 25th state to […]

Legal Marijuana Is Making Roads Deadlier – Bloomberg Editorial Board

Link to article: https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2024-04-04/marijuana-legalization-has-made-us-roads-more-lethal By The Editorial Board Marijuana legalization is killing a lot of people. Not slowly — though some studies suggest that it may be doing that, too — but quickly, in car crashes. It’s one more symptom of the disastrous rush by lawmakers to capitalize on cannabis sales without doing the hard work needed to […]

Dr. Kevin Sabet in Man & Culture: Does America have a marijuana crisis?

He has been an anti-narcotics crusader since he was a teenager in California during the 1990s. Now, Kevin A. Sabet, the founder of Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM), is on a mission to educate the public on the acute dangers the substance presents to America. He’s also optimistic that the battle against the further legalization of drugs […]

Florida Supreme Court rules to let marijuana legalization amendment on 2024 ballot

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The Florida Supreme Court ruled on Monday to allow a marijuana legalization amendment on the 2024 ballot. The amendment would allow for adults 21 years or older to possess, purchase or use marijuana products and marijuana accessories for non-medical, personal consumption. The initiative was put forth by Smart and Safe Florida. Currently, Florida allows medical marijuana […]

HAWAII STATE HOUSE WISELY REJECTS MARIJUANA COMMERCIALIZATION, PROTECTING PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY

Bill to Legalize Marijuana Again Fails in Democrat-Controlled Hawaii  Smart Approaches to Marijuana Action (SAM Action) President Dr. Kevin Sabet, a former White House drug policy advisor to Presidents Obama, Bush, and Clinton, released the following statement today in response to the Hawaii House of Representatives rejecting a proposal to flood the state with marijuana […]

Big Marijuana Gets Its Election Year Misinformation Campaign

Members of Law Enforcement, Parents, Addiction Treatment Providers and More Must Unite to Keep the Predatory Industry from Abusing Florida Communities (TALLAHASSEE, FL) – In response to the Florida State Supreme Court’s announcement today validating the signatures collected to amend the State Constitution to legalize marijuana and THC drugs (Initiative #22-05), Smart Approaches to Marijuana […]

Dr. Kevin Sabet on the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Check out the British Broadcasting Corporation’s (BBC) latest video featuring Dr. Kevin Sabet as he dives into the legalization debate in Germany and beyond. Watch now!

Kamala Harris is gravely wrong about rescheduling marijuana

Recently Vice President Kamala Harris convened a roundtable about marijuana and criminal justice reform with Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear (D), rapper Fat Joe, and individuals previously convicted of the offense of simple possession of marijuana who have been pardoned by President Biden. The message Harris delivered was simple: the Biden administration believes that “no one should be jailed for simply using” […]

Advocates react to Gov. Youngkin’s veto of recreational marijuana sales in Virginia

On Thursday, Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin vetoed a bill that would have allowed the recreational retail sales of marijuana to begin next year. Gov. Youngkin said legalizing the recreational sale of marijuana would only hurt the Commonwealth. “Cannabis is bad for Virginia and in all other states that have had an extensive retail market, what […]

Glenn Youngkin Gets it: More Drugs Would Be a Disaster for Virginia

Governor’s Veto Puts Public Health Over Corporations, Caps Bold Effort by Coalition to Defeat Commercial Pot (RICHMOND, VA) – Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM) President Kevin A. Sabet, Ph.D., a former Obama White House senior drug policy advisor, released the following statement today in response to Governor Glenn Youngkin’s veto of legislation that would have allowed commercial […]

SENATOR ROMNEY LEADS SENATE FOREIGN RELATIONS LETTER HIGHLIGHTING MARIJUANA RESCHEDULING CONCERNS

(WASHINGTON, DC) – Today, in his role as a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Senator Mitt Romney sent a letter to DEA Administrator Anne Milgram expressing concerns over reclassifying marijuana as a Schedule III drug. Senate Foreign Relations Committee Ranking Member Jim Risch and Senator Pete Ricketts also signed the letter. Dr. Kevin Sabet, President […]

Los Angeles Times: Biden, at risk with young voters, is racing to shift marijuana policy

Vice President Kamala Harris looked up from prepared remarks in the White House’s ornate Roosevelt Room this month to make sure the reporters there could hear her clearly: “Nobody should have to go to jail for smoking weed.” Harris’ “marijuana reform roundtable” was a striking reminder of how the politics have shifted for a onetime […]