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New DEA Report Finds Rise in Marijuana Potency Increasing, Expansion of the Illicit Market, Growing Concerns about Youth Vaping and Environmental Damage (WASHINGTON, DC) – The rapid-expansion of state-legal marijuana marketplaces across the United States has been an unequivocable failure according to new data released by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) 2025 National Drug Threat […]

Prevention remains one of the most effective and cost-conscious tools we have in our fight against the drug crisis. This National Prevention Week, we urge lawmakers to renew their investments in prevention and push back against industry-backed efforts to normalize drug use. To maximize their effectiveness, prevention programs must reach adolescents before they are exposed to […]

SAM Applauds Senate Committee for Voting Down HB 1200, Cites Major Public Health Risks  (HARRISBURG, PA) – Today, the Pennsylvania Senate Law and Justice Committee rightly rejected HB 1200, a radical proposal that would have made Pennsylvania the first state in the country to establish a government-run recreational marijuana program, in violation of federal law. The […]

More young people are experimenting with marijuana and THC drugs, like cigarettes at a time not so long ago. It is true that youth were using marijuana way back when too, but today’s marijuana isn’t your grandpa’s 1-3% THC Woodstock Weed. It boasts on average 18-23% THC in flower and can be 99% THC potent in concentrates, dabs, […]

A systematic review found that prenatal marijuana use is associated with significantly increased odds of adverse neonatal outcomes, even after adjusting for factors such as tobacco use. Findings showed increased risks for low birth weight, preterm birth, and small for gestational age infants. Use of marijuana during pregnancy was linked to a 52% higher risk of preterm […]

Pot-Pushing Politicians Are Trading Young People’s Futures For More Government Spending (HARRISBURG, PA) – Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM) 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 Pennsylvania General Assembly voting to pass HB1200, which would flood the state with […]

Any cannabis legislation will face tough odds, but the bills introduced cater specifically to the GOP majorities. Five months into the current Congress, lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have introduced a wide range of cannabis-related bills. But none of them are going to move soon, and it may take a few tricks on […]

A study from researchers at the Creighton University School of Medicine found that lung cancer patients who smoked marijuana and tobacco were diagnosed with the condition 2.8 years earlier than those who smoked tobacco but not marijuana. A preprint of the results explained that “these findings signal a potential synergistic carcinogenic effect of tobacco and […]

Increased ER Visits the Latest Consequence of New York’s Embrace of Commercial Marijuana (NEW YORK, NY) – Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM) President Dr. Kevin Sabet, a former three-time White House drug policy advisor, released the following statement today in response to new reporting by LoHud that found cannabis-related ER visits in New York spiked 131% from 2019 to […]

The Trump administration’s mantra is to cut waste and cut costs. So, it might seem unthinkable that the federal government would give an addictive industry a tax cut. But that’s exactly what many are proposing. Last year, companies that make highly addictive and dangerous drug products spent more than $4.5 million convincing lawmakers that today’s high-potency marijuana […]

Letter Rightly Threatens Enforcement of Federal Controlled Substances Act, Penalties for Illicit Drug Sales in a School Zones to Both Pot Profiteers and Property Owners Where Businesses Are Operating (WASHINGTON, DC) – Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM) President Dr. Kevin Sabet, a former three-time White House drug policy advisor, issued the following statement today applauding the U.S. Attorney […]

A recent study in JAMA Neurology found that individuals who required hospital-based care due to marijuana were at an increased risk of being diagnosed with dementia. Compared to the general population, this population of marijuana users was 1.7 times more likely to be diagnosed with dementia within 5 years. The study, led by researchers in […]