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Report Highlights: In the realm of marijuana regulation, a concerning issue has come to light, emphasizing the failure of states to effectively regulate the industry. Several dispensaries have been caught promoting THC potencies on their websites that defy scientific limits. Three notable marijuana stores currently advertise THC vape products with potencies exceeding 100%, a scientifically […]

“The debate over Measure 110, passed in 2020, was framed as “treatment over incarceration” for drug offenders. It seems all of us have now learned how wrong this framing was. What appeared to be a constructive debate about finding a better response to drug use was in fact a ballot measure that made drug use a […]

“What we’re seeing in legal states is that the black market for marijuana continues to beat the legal market,” said drug policy expert and Vice President of Smart Approaches to Marijuana, Luke Niforatos. It’s legal to grow weed in the state of Maine – you can actually grow about 3 mature plants but border patrol […]

Report Highlights: We must unite in our efforts to safeguard the well-being of our youth and prevent the long-term consequences of early drug exposure. We look forward to discussing how we can collectively address this issue. 

Legislators Urged to Further Reform the State’s Program to Protect Public Health and Safety (HARTFORD, CT) – Dr. Kevin Sabet, President of Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM) and a former drug policy advisor to Presidents Obama, Bush, and Clinton, released the following statement in advance of the one-year anniversary of commercial marijuana sales in Connecticut:  “Trends across the nation […]

What is Delta-8 THC and How Did it Get Legalized: Delta-8 THC is a cannabinoid found in the hemp plant and is structurally similar to Delta-9 THC, the psychoactive component of marijuana that makes people feel “high.” Delta-8 THC was inadvertently legalized in 2018 when that year’s Farm Bill legalized hemp. Hemp is required to […]

The past two years have industry insiders wondering how to get business booming again, while those against the industry want more regulations.  “We saw the marijuana sales and consumption skyrocket during COVID-19, why was that, well we saw addiction levels to all substances skyrocket during COVID-19 because of isolation, because of mental health challenges and […]

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Voters legalized marijuana use in 2012. Today, the industry has more than 2,500 active cannabis business licenses, including 912 retail establishment licenses. In addition, some 36,000 active occupational licenses have been issued to workers in the industry. Luke Niforatos of Smart Approaches to Marijuana characterized the drug’s legalization as a disaster for the state.  “We […]

Report Highlights: In 2022, nearly 3.9 million Americans between the ages of 16 and 25 admitted to driving under the influence of marijuana, compared to 2.4 million who admitted to driving under the influence of alcohol, according to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Among the 16–20 demographic, individuals were 2.3 times more […]

(WASHINGTON, DC) – Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM) President Dr. Kevin Sabet, a former White House drug policy advisor to Presidents Obama, Bush, and Clinton, today released the following statement in response to President Joseph Biden’s proclamation pardoning individuals who committed or were convicted of the offense of simple possession of marijuana: “Today, President Biden continues his […]

Efforts to prevent drug use and encourage kids to live free from drugs have come under increased attack. Rather than building on science and common sense, some have begun advocating for an unproven approach to prevention that aims to not prevent drug use at all—instead it educates children on how to use drugs. Policymakers should […]