SAM in the Press

Legislators Urged to Further Reform the State’s Program to Protect Public Health and Safety (HARTFORD, CT) – Dr. Kevin Sabet, President of Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM) and a former drug policy advisor to Presidents Obama, Bush, and Clinton, released the following statement in advance of the one-year anniversary of commercial marijuana sales in Connecticut:  “Trends across the nation […]

The past two years have industry insiders wondering how to get business booming again, while those against the industry want more regulations.  “We saw the marijuana sales and consumption skyrocket during COVID-19, why was that, well we saw addiction levels to all substances skyrocket during COVID-19 because of isolation, because of mental health challenges and […]

Voters legalized marijuana use in 2012. Today, the industry has more than 2,500 active cannabis business licenses, including 912 retail establishment licenses. In addition, some 36,000 active occupational licenses have been issued to workers in the industry. Luke Niforatos of Smart Approaches to Marijuana characterized the drug’s legalization as a disaster for the state.  “We […]

Efforts to prevent drug use and encourage kids to live free from drugs have come under increased attack. Rather than building on science and common sense, some have begun advocating for an unproven approach to prevention that aims to not prevent drug use at all—instead it educates children on how to use drugs. Policymakers should […]

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Protect Our Kids CEO Luke Niforatos discusses growing concerns among parents and medical workers over children’s exposure to hemp-driven products. Watch HERE

Federal drug officials are warning Georgia to shelve its plans to be the first state to allow pharmacies to dispense medical marijuana products. News outlets report that the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration on Nov. 27 warned pharmacies that dispensing medical marijuana violates federal law. Michael Mumper, the executive director of the nonprofit Georgians for Responsible Marijuana […]

Federal guidance conflicts with state authorization – AT THIS LINK By Rosie Manins and Helena Oliviero In a major blow to expanding access to medical cannabis in Georgia, the federal Drug Enforcement Administration has warned pharmacies across the state that dispensing medical marijuana violates federal law. The warning comes just after the state became the first in the nation to […]

8th and 12th Graders In “Legal” States More Likely To Use Psychoactive Drugs (WASHINGTON, DC) – In another buzz kill for the pot industry, the annual Monitoring the Future (MTF) Survey conducted by the University of Michigan and funded by the National Institutes of Health, shows marijuana use among minors is worsening in states with commercial markets […]

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While marijuana has been legal in Colorado for more than a decade, the drug is still illegal at the federal level. That is not likely to change anytime soon, but the federal government is considering reclassifying the drug, which could have big implications in several areas, including cannabis-related businesses in Colorado. “Right now, they’re looking like […]

The DEA is putting Georgia pharmacies on notice that federal laws prohibiting possession and sale of THC may prohibit them from selling medical marijuana. “You could have a product that claims to be low but is really above .3 percent when tested by authorities,” Sabet said. “And then that’s going to put the pharmacy at […]

20-Year Australian Study Found Marijuana May Not Be an Effective Long-Term Method of Reducing Harm for Those with an Opioid Use Disorder (WASHINGTON, DC) – A 20-year study out of Australia, recently published in the American Journal of Psychiatry, has found “no evidence to suggest cannabis reduces illicit opioid use, and it may not be an effective long-term […]

As more states move to legalize pot, concerns about the drug’s long-term effects multiply “Luke Niforatos is the executive vice president of Smart Approaches to Marijuana, an alliance of organizations and individuals opposed to marijuana legalization and commercialization. He argued marijuana makes people more vulnerable to opioid addiction. In a pamphlet, his organization cites a […]

Legal challenges are pending across the country against a federal law that prevents medical marijuana users from buying or owning firearms. Read the entire article HERE.

(CONCORD, NH) – 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 New Hampshire cannabis commission’s vote to conclude its work without putting forward recommendations for THC drug legalization: “This commission […]

The DEA is expected to follow HHS’ recommendation and move marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III. Kevin Sabet, a former drug policy adviser and president and CEO of Smart Approach to Marijuana, a political organization opposed to the legalization and commercialization of marijuana, told City & State that he was “shocked” by HHS’ move.  […]

“After a multi-million-dollar effort and numerous failures, advocates of marijuana legalization finally succeeded in Ohio this month. Voters approved a referendum to legalize the non-medical use of the drug 57-43 percent. Though the harms caused by the legalization of marijuana cannot be undone, policymakers in states with any form of legal marijuana must take additional […]

Kevin Sabet, president of Smart Approaches to Marijuana, a bipartisan organization made up of health experts, lawmakers and others that oppose marijuana legalization and commercialization, said the “hoax” was disappointing. “I received dozens of comments and thoughts from young people either in recovery [from cannabis use disorder], or contemplating recovery, who were inspired by his words.” […]

In less than 24 months, New Mexico’s state-legal marijuana marketplace has ballooned to more than 1,000 licensed pot shops. At the signing ceremony for the Cannabis Regulation Act of 2021, the bill that commercialized marijuana statewide, state officials claimed, “This is the right model for New Mexico because it creates a local, sustainable and regulated […]

Millions more Americans got hooked on marijuana last year and some 100,000 teenagers tried it for the first time, anti-pot activists say about the latest official data. Kevin Sabet, a former White House drugs tsar who now campaigns against breakneck legalization, said the government’s annual survey of substance abuse revealed ‘more users and more addiction.’ The number […]

 New Online Platform and Email Digest Provides the Latest News, Research and Commentary on the Nation’s Drug Crisis and Policy Debates Site Offers Aggregated Content from Traditional Media, Scientific Journals, Other Platforms (WASHINGTON, DC) – The nation’s leading drug policy organizations and their partners, including Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM) and the Foundation for Drug Policy Solutions (FDPS), have launched a […]

Youth Use Rising Across Age Groups, While Perceptions of Risk Decrease (WASHINGTON, DC) – Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM) President Dr. Kevin Sabet, one of the nation’s foremost experts on marijuana policy and a former White House drug policy advisor to Presidents Obama, Clinton and Bush, released the following statement today in response to the release of the 2022 […]

“We have this addiction for-profit industry that needs to drive the train. And that’s really probably the biggest concern because, again, they need to target youth and young adults to be profitable,” said Daviau. Read the entire article HERE.