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The question as to whether the Commonwealth should legalize recreational marijuana is once again sparking a debate at the State Capitol. Many opponents are also pushing back against the argument that since Pennsylvanians are crossing state lines to buy marijuana anyway, it makes sense to legalize it in the Commonwealth and collect the tax revenue. […]

Luke Niforatos, executive vice president for Smart Approaches to Marijuana:  Americans are watching legal weed’s promise go up in smoke Watch the entire interview HERE.

Recreational marijuana is currently legal or decriminalized in 23 states plus D.C., but remains illegal on the federal level. Federal laws against marijuana are generally not enforced against users, but regulations against drug trafficking and money laundering mean marijuana operations cannot use banks or claim tax deductions in the same way regular businesses do.  The […]

An interim study committee heard roughly six hours of testimony on Wednesday “We’re not talking about flower and marijuana joints anymore of the 70s. These new products we’re talking about — cannabis-infused with pink lemonade gummies, candies, cookies, ice cream sodas — these are legally being sold in the state-regulated markets,” said Luke Niforatos, executive vice […]

The problems that feed homelessness and disorder. Andy Kessler’s “Three Ideas to End Tent Cities” (Inside View, Oct. 30) raises worthy points to address San Francisco’s and the nation’s ballooning homeless crisis. The column would benefit, however, from acknowledging that addiction and the legalization of drugs is a significant contributor to homelessness. Read the entire […]

The hot-button issue of marijuana legalization is front and center in Ohio again and voters will ultimately decide whether or not it happens on Nov. 7. “Legalizing marijuana has nothing to do with social justice,” Smart Approaches to Marijuana Executive VP Luke Niforatos said. “We don’t think anyone who made a poor decision when they were 14 […]

More than a decade after Colorado became the first state to legalize marijuana in 2012, it is apparent that legalization has mostly failed based on the very criteria put forth by its champions “When Colorado became the first state to legalize marijuana for recreational use in 2014, expectations were as high as its users. For […]

Lots of people with anxiety are counting on cannabis’s ability to treat their symptoms. There’s a problem: The science shows that it probably doesn’t help, and it may make those symptoms worse. Cannabis companies have promoted their products as helpful for anxiety, making for a potentially lucrative market. Anxious consumers have turned to weed and edibles for […]

Most of the cohesion in the anti-weed movement — said Luke Niforatos, executive vice president of Smart Approaches to Marijuana, the leading anti-legalization advocacy group — comes from advocates and lobbying groups, not lawmakers’ offices themselves. He said SAM worked with Lankford on the letter and regularly connects offices they know are opposed to marijuana […]

Former Congressman Patrick J. Kennedy, Medical Professionals, Leading Scientists Urge NCAA President Charlie Baker To Recognize Scientific and Medical Data Detailing the Risks Associated with Today’s THC Drugs As Governor of Massachusetts, Baker Recognized the Dangers of THC Drug Use (WASHINGTON, DC) – Former Congressman Patrick J. Kennedy, Honorary Chair of Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM), today […]

“Substance Use Disorders, Chronic Homelessness, and Arrests increased by 17%, 35% and 13% respectively.” (WASHINGTON, DC) – Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM) President Dr. Kevin Sabet, a former White House drug policy advisor to Presidents Clinton, Bush, and Obama, released the following statement today in response to a new research paper released by the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas […]