News

Commercial Pot Legalization Defeated for the Second Consecutive Year in the Granite State FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEMay 11, 2023 Media Contact: Bob Driscollbob@learnaboutsam.org (CONCORD, NH) – The New Hampshire State Senate today firmly rejected Big Marijuana, Big Tobacco and Big Alcohol’s push to create another addiction-for-profit industry in the state. Following the defeat of H.B. 639, […]

So-called SAFE Banking Act a Gift for Big Banks, Big Tobacco, Cartels at the Expense of Public Health and Safety FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEMay 11, 2023 Media Contact: Bob Driscoll bob@learnaboutsam.org (WASHINGTON DC) – Smart Approaches to Marijuana CEO Dr. Kevin Sabet, a former drug policy advisor to President Obama, released the following statement today in advance of […]

Addiction Banking Act (S. 1323) Being Considered by the Senate Banking Committee Would Create Money-Laundering Bonanza for Illegal Drug Operations FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEMay 11, 2023 Media Contact: Bob Driscoll bob@learnaboutsam.org 716-307-7406 (WASHINGTON, DC) – Five former directors of the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), representing both Democrat and Republican administrations, today issued a stern warning urging Senators […]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEMay 10, 2023 Media Contact: Bob Driscoll bob@learnaboutsam.org 716-307-7406 Bill Being Considered by Senate Banking Committee a Bailout for Banks at the Expense of Public Health (WASHINGTON, DC) – A growing coalition of parents, public safety officials, and drug addiction and treatment experts are urging Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and Tim Scott (R-SC) to […]

A decade’s worth of data are in, and the promises of marijuana legalization are increasingly proving empty. From more marijuana-related hospitalizations to higher usage rates and an expansion of the illicit market, the effects of legalization have been detrimental to public health and safety, communities of color, and even the environment. Politicians who bought Big […]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 5, 2023 Media Contact: Tom Basile Tbasile@EmpireStrategy.com (Alexandria, VA) Today, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) highlighted a new study published in Psychological Medicine that shows young men with cannabis use disorder have an increased risk of developing schizophrenia. Researchers concluded that, at a population level, “one-fifth of cases of schizophrenia among young males might […]

By Kevin Sabet and Teresa Haley Chicago Tribune May 2, 2023 NBA stars are known for their highflying feats on the court. Now, they might just be high. Reports have suggested the new tentative contract between the NBA and the National Basketball Players Association might do the unthinkable: The deal may allow players to use […]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 27, 2023 Media Contact: Bob Driscollbob@learnaboutsam.org 716-307-7406 PUBLIC HEALTH, SAFETY EXPERTS URGE STATE SENATE TO REJECT BILL PACKED BY BIG POT (ST. PAUL, MN) – Smart Approaches to Marijuana Action (SAM Action) President Dr. Kevin Sabet, a former Obama drug policy advisor, released the following statement today in response to the […]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 27, 2023 Media Contact: Bob Driscollbob@learnaboutsam.org 716-307-7406 (RALEIGH, NC) – A coalition of parents, public safety officials, and public policy experts has launched a new grassroots campaign to educate lawmakers about the dangers associated with today’s commercial pot industry and high-potency marijuana products.  Smart Approaches to Marijuana: North Carolina (SAM Action NC) […]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 20, 2023 Media Contact: Bob Driscoll, BDriscoll@EmpireStrategy.com, 716-307-7406 POT INDUSTRY’S LIES EXPOSED IN NEW REPORTNEW STUDY REVEALS LATEST DATA EXPOSING COMMERCIAL MARIJUANA’S IMPACT ON HEALTH, SAFETY, EQUITY, AND FISCAL STRENGTH FOR STATES  Commercial Marijuana Industry Causing Sharp Increases in THC-related Addiction and Medical Emergencies, Exploding Illicit Markets, a Drugged Driving Epidemic, and Dangerous […]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEApril 17, 2023 Media Contact: Jaime Zerbe jaime@learnaboutsam.org 540-849-0107 MEDICAL AND ADULT USE MARIJUANA EXPANSION DANGEROUS, RISKS ARIZONANS HEALTH AND SAFETY  (PHOENIX, AZ) – Citing the serious risks to patients, a lack of peer reviewed research, and the potential to exacerbate the ongoing opioid and addiction crisis, SAM Action President and CEO Dr. Kevin […]

Important Legislation Will Help Protect Public Health and Safety April 5, 2023 Official Release (LITTLE ROCK, AR) – Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM) President and CEO Dr. Kevin Sabet, a former Clinton, Bush, and Obama drug policy advisor, released the following statement today in response to the passage of Senate Bill 358, which would ban […]

April 10, 2023 State Troopers urge Carney to veto marijuana bills Town Square Delaware By Sam Haut The Delaware State Trooper Association has put out ads urging Governor John Carney to veto two bills related to marijuana legalization in the state. The ads say the trooper believe legalization will lead to more driving deaths and […]

April 4, 2023 Official Release (DOVER, DE) – Smart Approaches to Marijuana President and CEO Dr. Kevin Sabet, a former Obama drug policy advisor, released the following statement today in response to the passage of HB 1 and HB 2, a pair of bills that would legalize and commercialize marijuana and create a dangerous commercial marijuana […]

Slowing the Growth of Weed NRPLUS MAGAZINE DECEMBER 19, 2022, ISSUE By RACHEL LU Why voters in Arkansas and the Dakotas said no to recreational pot For a time, it looked as if the debate about marijuana might just be over. Colorado legalized recreational marijuana in 2012. Over the next decade, 20 more states followed suit. The public […]

(Washington, DC) — Today, President Joe Biden signed the groundbreaking, bipartisan Medical Marijuana and Cannabidiol Research Expansion Act (H.R. 8454) into law. This marks the first time marijuana reform has been made into law in United States history. The President’s signing comes after the House of Representatives and Senate passed the legislation by a 325-90 […]

Official Release (Washington, DC) –– Today, the Biden Administration Department of Justice (DOJ) released a memo detailing their concerns about the SAFE Banking Act. Among the DOJ’s chief worries is that SAFE Banking could protect illegal criminal enterprises from being prosecuted for money laundering, a concern long expressed by Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM). These […]