SAM in the Press

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

SAM Double-Header Articles from Sabet and Niforatos

Read Dr. Kevin Sabet in Newsweek: Now Is Congress’ Chance To Close Its Hemp Loophole—And Save Lives | Opinion Read SAM Executive Vice President Luke Niforatos in The Denver Gazette – Perspective: Missing the mark on marijuana

Dr. Kevin Sabet in Newsweek: Now Is Congress’ Chance To Close Its Hemp Loophole—And Save Lives | Opinion

As the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate draft their versions of the Farm Bill, closing a loophole that has facilitated the nationwide proliferation of intoxicating hemp-derived THC products, like Delta-8 THC, should be a top priority. For America’s kids, the stakes could not be higher. Delta-8 THC is one of hundreds of cannabinoids found in the […]

AT UN COMMISSION ON NARCOTIC DRUGS, SAM URGES MEMBER-STATES AGAINST SANCTIONING DANGEROUS PSYCHOACTIVE DRUGS-FOR-PROFIT  

Sabet: “The biggest challenge we are all facing is turning our backs to the vision of a society where we prevent drug use before it starts and celebrate recovery.” (VIENNA, AUSTRIA) – In a rousing speech to the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs, Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM) President Dr. Kevin Sabet warned international leaders gathered […]

VP Harris holds marijuana reform roundtable

Vice President Kamala Harris, with the help of rapper of Fat Joe, held a conversation on marijuana reform at the White House. “When the Vice President calls me, I stop everything,” said Fat Joe. Harris hosted the roundtable to highlight the administration’s efforts to free individuals jailed for nonviolent marijuana possession and expand opportunities once […]

Sue Homola: Of all the pot options, the best keeps it illegal

THE HOUSE recently passed HB 1633-FN, a bill to legalize recreational marijuana. This is a commercialization sales model, which is directly opposite from the state-run system that Governor Chris Sununu said was the only type of business model he would accept. In 2023, Governor Sununu reversed his long standing promise to drug prevention and law enforcement […]

Widely Available THC Products Like Delta-8 Can Cause Physical, Mental, and Spiritual Problems

Despite the risks, more states continue to legalize marijuana in some form.  Currently, only four states still fully ban it.  They are Idaho, Kansas, South Carolina, and Wyoming.  However, South Carolina is now considering legalizing marijuana for medical purposes. Kevin Sabet, Ph.D., president of Smart Approaches to Marijuana, told CBN News he opposes that legislation. “I […]

Sabet in Daily Caller: Biden Should Puff, Puff Pass On Politicized Marijuana Rescheduling

When, in the waning days of the Obama administration, the government concluded that marijuana would continue to fall under Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act, scientists weren’t surprised. After all, marijuana, according to the administration, “does not meet any of the five elements necessary for a drug to have a ‘currently accepted medical use.’” […]

HAWAII STATE HOUSE MUST REJECT MARIJUANA COMMERCIALIZATION TO PROTECT PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY

Bill to Legalize Marijuana Has Previously Been Defeated At Least 10 Times (HONOLULU, HI) – 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 State Senate voting to flood the […]

Sabet in Bloomberg: Rescheduling Marijuana Would Be a Huge Threat to Public Health

It’s rare for policymakers to get a preview of the consequences of pending policies, but the descheduling of hemp-derived THC products has provided a preview of what is to come if marijuana is rescheduled and commercialized. As the federal government considers rescheduling marijuana, policymakers should learn from the mistakes that were made in the 2018 Farm […]

Impact of legal marijuana sales on your health

Kevin Sabet is the President and CEO of Smart Approaches to Marijuana, a political organization opposed to marijuana legalization and commercialization. He said today’s marijuana that you buy on the street is stronger than ever. “It’s much more harmful than it used to be. It’s been genetically bred to have the component that gets you […]

Oregon House making changes to Measure 110

Measure 110 was passed by voters back in 2020 in the hopes of addressing addiction as a health issue rather than a legal one. It decriminalized the possession of many drugs, including small amounts of hard drugs like methamphetamine, fentanyl and heroin. But since its passage, data shows Oregon’s drug problem has gotten worse. Dr. Kevin Sabet, President and CEO of the Foundation […]

Cannabis legislation advances in Richmond following compromise

SAM’s Jordan Davidson comments RICHMOND, Va. (WDBJ) – The plan to create a retail marketplace for marijuana continues to move forward in the Virginia General Assembly. Democrats in the House and Senate have agreed on a compromise that would allow sales to start next year. But its future is still uncertain with the possibility of […]

Niforatos in National Review: China’s Growing Illegal Pot Industry in the U.S. Should Spark Action

Top political leaders are wise to demand more information and stop the spread of these illegal operations. The link between the Chinese government and fentanyl is widely known. Using Mexican producers, international drug cartels linked to the Chinese government are laundering money and trafficking deadly drugs — and killing Americans at a record rate. But there’s […]

Marijuana users sue for gun rights

Proponents of federal bans point to dangers of high-potency THC Luke Niforatos is the executive vice president of Smart Approaches to Marijuana, a group that opposes marijuana legalization and commercialization. He characterized the movement to challenge the federal ban as another effort by the cannabis industry to normalize marijuana’s use. But today’s high-potency marijuana shouldn’t […]

Sabet on Louisiana’s WWL: ‘Today’s marijuana is stronger than anything your parents smoked and is destroying communities’

Dr. Kevin Sabet weighed in on U.S. drug policy on Newell Normand’s show where he said people don’t realize how much drug culture hurts our communities. “I’ve never met anyone who said they would be better off if they used more drugs,” Dr. Sabet said, adding, “It’s really just common sense.” Listen to the whole […]