Latest News
SAM Sends Supports First Step Act, Opposes Gardner’s Attempted Poison Pill
This week, the First Step Act, a comprehensive, bi-partisan criminal justice reform bill, was passed by the United States Senate by a vote of 87-12. This bill is an important bill, reforming our criminal justice system with an opportunity for treatment, recovery, redemption, and rehabilitation. SAM shares these goals, and they form the basis for […]
Public Health’s Biggest Victories Over Big Pot in 2018
Public health and safety advocates, including Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM) and its state affiliates, are celebrating a year of victories against the growing marijuana industry as multiple marijuana legalization bills failed from coast-to-coast. (1) NORTH DAKOTA GAVE THE INDUSTRY THE BOOT – RESOUNDINGLY Healthy and Productive North Dakota, SAM’s affiliate in the Peace Garden […]
Governor Andrew Cuomo Calls for Marijuana Legalization; SAM-NY Promises Pushback
Today, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo proposed the legalization of marijuana as a part of his legislative agenda for the upcoming year. In response, the leading statewide nonprofit opposed to the legalization of the drug, Smart Approaches to Marijuana New York (SAM-NY), released the following statement: “It is unfortunate that Governor Cuomo, who has a […]
Benchmark NIH Survey Finds Marijuana Use Significantly Higher Among 10th Graders, Vaping Also Significantly Increasing
Tenth grade marijuana use up 10% versus two years ago; vaping marijuana is up more than fifty percent among all age groups; edibles remain popular In the past few years, marijuana use is up significantly, by 10%, among 10th graders, and current vaping of marijuana is up 63% for eighth and tenth graders and 53% […]
SAM Slams “Weed For Rails” Proposal
Wednesday, former New York City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito announced an ill-advised proposal to use marijuana legalization in New York to fund improvements to the New York City subway. A coalition opposed to legalization in the state and city of New York, Smart Approaches to Marijuana New York (SAM-NY) reacted to the statement. “There is […]
Recreational Use of Marijuana Officially Legal in Michigan; Fight Not Over Yet
Today, as a result of the election on November 6th, the use of recreational marijuana is now legal in the state of Michigan. While the personal use of the drug will be legal for adults over the age of 21, retail stores will not be opening anytime soon as the state must first set guidelines […]
Annual HHS Survey Finds Marijuana Use Higher in “Legal” States; Colorado Leads Nation For First Time Adolescent Pot Use
Legal States Use Rates Nearly 45% Higher Than Other States; Alcohol Use Also Up in Colorado (Alexandria, VA) – More young people are trying marijuana for the first time in Colorado, the first state to allow recreational marijuana, than anywhere else in the nation, according to the nation’s most authoritative study on drugs, conducted by […]
New Colorado Report: Cost of Marijuana Legalization Far Outweighs Tax Revenues
(Denver, CO) – Today, a new study on the impact of marijuana legalization in Colorado conducted by the Centennial Institute found that for every one dollar in tax revenue from marijuana, the state spends $4.50 as a result of the effects of the consequences of legalization. This study used all available data from the state […]
A DRAW FOR LEGALIZATION ON ELECTION NIGHT
North Dakota Rejects Legalization; Michigan Passes It, But Opposition Vows Local and Legal Battles After a hotly contested year of campaigning, Smart Approaches to Marijuana Action (SAM Action) and its affiliates went one for one in ballot initiatives. In North Dakota, voters overwhelmingly defeated legalization, while in Michigan, a late surge of funds from Big […]
OPPONENTS OF MARIJUANA LEGALIZATION GATHER IN DETROIT
Today, a group of new supporters gathered in Detroit in opposition to Proposition 18-1. This group includes: Reverend Horace Sheffield, Detroit Association of Black Organizations Yvette McElory Anderson, Field Director, Fannie Lou Hamer PAC Reverend Dr. Wendell Anthony, President, Detroit Branch NAACP Kamilia Landrum, Deputy Director, Detroit Branch NAACP Bishop Corletta Vaughn Dr. Kevin Sabet, […]
SAM Model State Legislation
The expanded use of marijuana has demonstrated harms to public health through increased drugged driving fatalities, workplace accidents, development of mental health problems, and public exposure to second-hand smoke. The harms are particularly acute for children and adolescents, those with mental illness, those with predisposition to addictions, and pregnant women. The commercialization of marijuana leads […]
SAM Launches New Project on Day Canada Legalizes Marijuana
Today, despite international treaties outlawing the legal sales of marijuana, Canada became the largest sponsor of marijuana in the world, legalizing the commercial sales of the drug. In response, concerned citizens, activists, and public health experts gathered in Vancouver to announce the launch of a watchdog group dedicated to counting the costs of marijuana commercialization […]