Latest News
SAM New York Response to Governor Cuomo’s State of the State Address
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo presented his annual State of the State Address in Albany. In his address, the governor repeated his call from last year to pass a bill legalizing the commercial sale of marijuana. The legislature failed to pass a bill accomplishing this last year due to the efforts of Smart Approaches to […]
State-Based Drug Use Survey Finds Marijuana Use Skyrocketing in “Legal” States
State-level data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, the most authoritative study on drug use conducted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration (SAMHSA), finds that marijuana use in “legal” states among youth, young adults, and the general population continued its multi-year upward trend in several categories. Additionally, use rates in […]
Government Funding Bill Stripped of Multiple Pro-Marijuana Industry Amendments; Pro-Health and Safety Groups Applaud Bipartisan Deal
Today, a government funding bill was stripped of numerous pro-marijuana industry amendments that would grant the industry access to the US financial system, allow Washington D.C. to institute a commercial marijuana market, and prevent enforcement of federal law and even basic federal oversight in states that have “legalized” the substance. Dr. Kevin Sabet, president of […]
New Jersey Coalition Urges Lawmakers to Oppose Marijuana Ballot Vote
Today, a coalition of concerned New Jersey policy groups, substance abuse workers, social justice advocates, and representatives of law enforcement gathered at the New Jersey State House to host a press conference calling on lawmakers to oppose placing marijuana legalization on the 2020 ballot. “The pot advocates here in Trenton are desperate to institute their […]
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 […]