Latest News

Five errors The Washington Post should’ve caught about marijuana

SAM Co-founder Kevin Sabet, a former senior White House drug policy advisor, responds to The Washington Post’s publication of Doug Fine’s column, headlined: “Five Myths About Legalized Marijuana:” In recent years, The Washington Post has managed to strike a balance between pro- and anti-legalization opinion pieces (e.g. Rauch’s “Let’s Go Down the Aisle Toward Legalized […]

39% of marijuana using kids got their drug from a medical marijuana dispensary

Legalization advocates have been crying foul since SAM Director Kevin Sabet quoted directly from a report by Seattle Schools saying that 39% of kids who used marijuana received their drug from a medical marijuana dispensary. It’s not so strange that some advocates responded that way – after all, the first bit of data released showed […]

Don’t read too much into OAS report

An Organization of American States study is calling for a serious discussion about marijuana policy. The report, issued today, is a good first step, but should not be construed as an endorsement of marijuana legalization or policies outside United Nations drug control treaties, said two former top U.S. drug policy officials who served on the […]

President Carter opposes marijuana legalization, supports Project SAM

At meeting with state legislators in Atlanta, Ga., today, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter said the dichotomy of “punishment versus rehabilitation” oversimplifies the issue of marijuana legalization. He said he worries about legal marijuana being marketed to kids; presumes marijuana revenues will be outweighed by the costs of abuse; and favors arrests for users that […]

SAM in Vermont to talk marijuana policy

Click link to watch video: http://vp.telvue.com/preview?id=T01221&video=151884    

SAM Statement: President Obama Says “No” To Legalizing Drugs

Today, Project SAM (Smart Approaches to Marijuana) Director Kevin A. Sabet released a statement: “We applaud the President for definitively expressing that legalization is not the answer to our drug problems. President Obama’s drug strategy emphasizes a comprehensive approach to drug policy based on reducing the demand and supply for drugs in the United States. […]

SAM Statement: California Supreme Court – Cities can ban pot shops

Release: May 6, 2013 Today, Kevin A. Sabet, Director of Project SAM (Smart Approaches to Marijuana) released this statement on the California Supreme Court decision specifying that cities and towns can ban medical marijuana “dispensaries”:   “It is universally accepted that California’s medical marijuana system is a sad joke. This unanimous decision by the California […]

SAM cheers for Temple U. research

Project SAM (Smart Approaches to Marijuana) applauds Temple University’s Center for Substance Abuse Research (CSAR) for their discovery into the potential medical benefits of synthetic derivatives of marijuana for HIV/AIDS patients.

SPECIAL EMAIL – SAM STATEMENT BY REPS. KENNEDY AND HARRIS

Federal and state attorneys general must take action to end marijuana standoff, promote public and mental health FOR RELEASE May 2, 2013 STATEMENT TO THE PRESS BY: Patrick J. Kennedy, on behalf of Smart Approaches to Marijuana (Project SAM) Lead Sponsor of Mental Health and Addiction Equity Act (D) Congressman Andy Harris, MD Medical Doctor, […]

Project SAM Discusses Link Between Marijuana and Mental Illness, Presents 40,000 Signatures in Favor of Marijuana Prevention

(Washington, DC) – Project SAM (Smart Approaches to Marijuana) held a briefing today at the House Rayburn building (room 2203) to discuss the link between marijuana and mental illness. They also presented almost 40,000 signatures to the House and Senate leadership in support of marijuana prevention and in opposition to marijuana legalization. “Science has revealed […]

Kevin A. Sabet, Co-Founder of Project SAM offers comment on Rep. Dana Rohrbacher’s proposal for marijuana legalization:

“Mr Rohrbacher’s latest attempt to legalize marijuana will likely suffer the same fate as his several previous failed attempts have over the past decade. The Pew poll was just that — one poll. It reflects, more than anything, the lopsided discussion about legalization in this country. I’d like to know how how many of those […]

Denver mayor takes strong stand on Colorado’s A64

Denver Mayor Michael Hancock has issued a strong statement regarding implementation of Amendment 64, the state constitutional amendment Colorado voters approved last year to legalize marijuana for recreational use.