Latest News
Virginia Attorney General Stonewalls Marijuana Public Health Concerns Due to “Time Constraints”
On Wednesday, December 11, 2019, Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring will host a “cannabis summit” featuring panels of experts on recreational marijuana legalization. Next year, the Virginia Legislature is anticipating legislation to remove criminal penalties for simple marijuana possession, but not legalize marijuana for commercial sale. According to AG Herring’s office, medical, substance abuse, and […]
Massachusetts Health Officials Confirm Vaping Illnesses Tied to “Legal” Market Following SAM FOIA
Following the submission of a Massachusetts Public Records Law request by Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM), Massachusetts health officials confirmed that six patients in the state suffering from the vaping illness now referred to as EVALI reported using products from regulated “legal” dispensaries in the state. This follows initial reporting by The Boston Globe that […]
SAM Participates in End-of-Year Holiday Hill Day
National marijuana policy group Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM) participated in an end-of-year Holiday Hill Day, bringing concerned parents, substance abuse and prevention professionals, and others to the United States Capitol to meet with lawmakers to discuss the potential harms of rewarding the marijuana industry by passing legislation such as the SAFE Banking Act and […]
New Hampshire Senate Judiciary Committee Rejects Marijuana Legalization Bill Ahead of 2020
The New Hampshire Senate Judiciary Committee voted to send a House-passed marijuana legalization to “interim study,” effectively killing the bill for the upcoming 2020 legislative session. The vote was unanimous. Dr. Kevin Sabet, president of Smart Approaches to Marijuana Action (SAM Action) and its New Hampshire Affiliate, SAM NH, released the following statement in response: […]
Legal Sale of Marijuana Begins in Michigan; Pot Industry Shut Out of Majority of the State
On December 1st, the legal sale of recreational marijuana begins in Michigan. Dr. Kevin Sabet, president of Smart Approaches to Marijuana Action (SAM Action), and its Michigan affiliate Healthy and Productive Michigan – that fought the ballot campaign and has led local level opt-out initiatives – released the following statement in advance: “Today is a […]
House Judiciary Committee Votes on ‘Nonstarter’ Marijuana Legalization Bill
The United States House Judiciary Committee held a vote on the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act, a bill to federally legalize, commercialize, and tax the use of marijuana. Dr. Kevin Sabet, president of Smart Approaches to Marijuana and a former senior drug policy advisor to the Obama Administration, released the following statement ahead […]
No ‘Lame Duck’ Marijuana Legalization in New Jersey
According to reporting from Politico, an attempt to pass a bill legalizing marijuana during the ‘lame duck’ session has failed to garner enough support. Dr. Kevin Sabet, president of Smart Approaches to Marijuana Action (SAM Action) and its New Jersey affiliate, New Jersey Responsible Approaches to Marijuana Policy (NJ-RAMP) released the following statement in response: […]
SAM Applauds HHS for Blocking Opioid Grant Funds from Medical Marijuana Programs
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) announced on Friday that federal monies doled out by the health agency would no longer flow to individuals or organizations that use, prescribe, or provide marijuana for the treatment of opioid use disorder and mental health issues. Furthermore, SAMHSA Director Elinore McCance-Katz stated that treatment programs […]
Legal Sale of Marijuana to Begin in Michigan; Pot Industry Shut Out of Majority of the State
On December 1st, the legal sale of recreational marijuana is slated to begin in Michigan. Dr. Kevin Sabet, president of Smart Approaches to Marijuana Action (SAM Action), and its Michigan affiliate Healthy and Productive Michigan – that fought the ballot campaign and has led local level opt-out initiatives – released the following statement in advance: […]
New Hampshire Senate Judiciary Committee Rejects Marijuana Legalization Bill Ahead of 2020
The New Hampshire Senate Judiciary Committee voted to send a House-passed marijuana legalization to “interim study,” effectively killing the bill for the upcoming 2020 legislative session. The vote was unanimous. Dr. Kevin Sabet, president of Smart Approaches to Marijuana Action (SAM Action) and its New Hampshire Affiliate, SAM NH, released the following statement in response: […]
Former VP and 2020 Democratic Candidate Joe Biden Stands by the Science on Marijuana Reform
On Saturday, former Vice President Joe Biden stated he favored decriminalizing marijuana over fully legalizing the substance and his administration would mirror this position. Furthermore, the presidential candidate posited that the science behind the link between marijuana use and further substance abuse deserves more scrutiny. Dr. Kevin Sabet, president of Smart Approaches to Marijuana and […]
New Study: Youth Marijuana Addiction Rates 25 Percent Higher in “Legalized States”
Today, a study published in the journal JAMA Psychiatry found that rates of marijuana addiction among teens (12-17) in states that have “legalized” marijuana were 25 percent higher than in states that have not legalized the substance. Among adults (26 or older), past-month use rates were 26 percent higher. What’s more, past-month frequent use and […]