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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 […]

(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 are the […]

(Alexandria, VA) — Earlier this month, a comprehensive study based on two national, large datasets by Temple University researchers showed that youth marijuana use increases after recreational legalization. The study will be published in the Addictive Behaviors journal in March 2023. The study found that, after legalization: Adolescent and young adult past-month cannabis use prevalence increased; Among adolescents and […]

In a statement released today, the Rosenthal Center for Addiction Studies shared that their founder and president, Dr. Mitchell “Mitch” Rosenthal, passed away peacefully on November 14. Dr. Rosenthal was a pioneer in the treatment of substance use disorders, having founded Phoenix House, the nation’s leading non-profit provider of treatment and recovery services. He also […]

(Washington, DC) – Today, a diverse coalition of medical professionals, addiction treatment providers, drug prevention organizations, law enforcement, communities of faith, and public policy advocacy organizations sent a letter to every United States Senator expressing their concerns with the SAFE Banking Act. “To put it simply, the passage of this piece of legislation would allow […]

(Washington, DC) — Today, President Joe Biden pardoned “all current United States citizens and lawful permanent residents who committed the offense of simple possession of marijuana in violation of the Controlled Substances Act.” Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM) President and CEO Dr. Kevin Sabet, the marijuana lead at the White House drug office from 2009–2011 […]

(Fargo, North Dakota) –– Today, Healthy and Productive North Dakota was filed to oppose the passage of Measure 2, the ballot measure to legalize recreational marijuana in North Dakota. The committee was filed by Kristie Spooner, LSW, who is an addiction counselor in Fargo, North Dakota, and served as the Chair of the campaign that […]

(New York, NY) The Foundation for Drug Policy Solutions (FDPS), a new, transformative, global 501(c)(3) “think and do” tank launching today at the Clinton Global Initiative in New York, has been formed in response to the raging addiction crisis and the arcane complications to supporting population-level policies aimed at reducing substance use initiation and disorder. The launch, which […]

(Washington, DC)- In an open letter to Senators Chuck Schumer, Cory Booker and Ron Wyden, a coalition of organizations representing medical professionals, treatment specialists, faith communities, families and other stakeholders raises concerns over the health and safety risks of the Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act––this bill, which lacks many safeguards for public health, would deschedule and legalize […]