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New Study: Use of High Potency Marijuana Increases Risk of Anxiety Disorders
Today’s highly potent marijuana drastically increases the risk of mental health issues according to a new study published in the journal JAMA Psychiatry. The study, conducted with 1,087 twenty-four-year olds who reported recent marijuana use, found that users of high potency marijuana were four times more likely to abuse the substance and twice as likely […]
Additional 6,800 People Would Die Each Year Due to Traffic Fatalities With Federal Legalization, Researchers Say
Two new studies published in JAMA Internal Medicine added to the preponderance of data showing that the legalization of marijuana at the state level has been associated with an increase of traffic fatalities caused by marijuana-impaired drivers. “While much information on the long-term impact of the normalization of today’s marijuana won’t be known for years, […]
U.S. House Leadership Includes Blatant Giveaway to Big Pot in COVID-19 Aid Package
Leadership of the United States House of Representatives recently unveiled the latest stimulus package as part of the continuing effort to deal with the economic fallout from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Baked into the package is language similar to the SAFE Banking Act, which would grant the federally-illegal marijuana industry access to the federal financial […]
CDOT Report: Colorado Daily Marijuana Users Believe Driving While High Safe; Skeptical of Data Proving Otherwise
According to a new report released by the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), daily users of today’s high potency marijuana in the Centennial State believe that driving while high on the drug is safe and are skeptical of laws, policies, and data regarding stoned driving. “Marijuana commercialization has pushed the normalization of the drug beyond […]
SAM Applauds House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee for Addressing Marijuana-Impaired Driving
This week, the leadership of the House of Representatives’ Transportation and Infrastructure Committee introduced the INVEST in America Act, a bill focusing on the completion of many infrastructure projects. A provision of this bill would mandate states that have “legalized” marijuana to raise awareness around the dangers of operating a vehicle while under the […]
Politico: Anti-pot advocate launching fight against New York legalization
By Rosa Goldensohn 08/31/2018 06:21 AM EDT A national marijuana policy activist is seeking to stem budding legalization efforts in New York, with high hopes of smoking out an industry that he says is bogarting the conversation. Kevin Sabet, who founded the group Smart Approaches to Marijuana with former Rep. Patrick Kennedy after Colorado legalized […]
DEA Announces Massive Increase in Marijuana Seizures; Mostly Driven by Illegal Grows in California
According to new data from the federal Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), there was a 42 percent increase in marijuana plant seizures from illegal grows in 2019 over the previous year with more than four million plants being seized. Of the plants seized, nearly 3.2 million were seized in California, where marijuana has been legal since […]
Connecticut Legislature to Adjourn; Marijuana Legalization Likely Defeated in 2020
It has been reported that leadership of the Connecticut Legislature have agreed to adjourn the 2020 legislative session and will meet later in the year only to consider top legislative priorities. This means the effort to legalize marijuana in the state will not move forward in 2020. Dr. Kevin Sabet, president of Smart Approaches to […]
ACLU Admits Marijuana Legalization Has Not Resulted in Social Justice
A study conducted by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), a group that has endorsed marijuana legalization and commercialization, finds that liberalizing marijuana policies has not delivered on one of its key promises: social justice. The study states that while marijuana decriminalization and legalization may reduce the overall amount of people arrested for possession […]
Two New Studies Add to Body of Evidence of Marijuana Commercialization’s Harms
This week, two important studies were published that continue to build upon the body of evidence that marijuana legalization and subsequent commercialization is an affront to public health and safety. The first, a review and meta-analysis with over 23,000 participants conducted by researchers from Queen’s University in Ontario and the University of Calgary and published […]
FDA Takes Action on Marijuana Business COVID-19 Claims; SAM Urges Further Action Against Unsubstantiated Claims
The FDA took enforcement action against a marijuana company for making unsubstantiated claims, including that their products had the power to cure and prevent the novel coronavirus, COVID-19. Dr. Kevin Sabet, president of Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM) and a former senior drug policy advisor to the Obama Administration, released the following statement praising the […]
New York State Legislature Advances Budget; SAM Applaud Lack of Marijuana Commercialization Language
New York State legislative leaders released a budget containing only essential line items pertaining to the operations of the state in response the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Notably, state lawmakers refrained from including marijuana legalization as a part of the budget. Dr. Kevin Sabet, president of Smart Approaches to Marijuana New York (SAM NY) and a […]