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Patrick Kennedy’s unexpected challenge to marijuana legalization
Ed Gogek, a self-described “lifelong partisan Democrat” and physician who serves on the board of Keep AZ Drug Free, published an op-ed in the New York Times arguing that his party should not embrace legalization. Democrats have long pilloried Republicans for ignoring science, he wrote, but they’ve done just that when it comes to marijuana: […]
Former addict Democrat Patrick Kennedy joins opponents of legalizing marijuana in the U.S.
As the IrishCentral.com reported Jan. 11, 2013: “Former Rhode Island Congressman and recovering addict Patrick Kennedy is spearheading the fight against the legalization of marijuana in the United States through his new nonprofit organization, ‘Smart Approaches to Marijuana.’”
Pot opponents regroup after Washington, Colorado votes
Today, the Associated Press reported on the launch of Project SAM, and here are a few passages and quotes that help tell our story:
Kennedy on marijuana: ‘Destroys the brain and expedites psychosis’
Project SAM Chairman Patrick Kennedy recently spoke with The Washington Post. As the news organization noted Jan. 8:
Frum on CNN: Marijuana too risky a choice
Last week, I joined the board of a new organization to oppose marijuana legalization: Smart Approaches to Marijuana. The group is headed by former U.S. Rep. Patrick Kennedy and includes Kevin Sabet, a veteran of the Office of National Drug Control Policy under President Obama. The new group rejects the “war on drugs” model. It […]
Former U.S. Rep. Patrick Kennedy leads campaign against legal pot
As Alex Dobuzinskis of Reuters reports today in the first news story about Project SAM:
Frum: The perils of legalizing pot
We’re not doing well providing work for our young people. When they do find work, they’ll probably earn less than their parents, probably form less stable intimate relationships, and age into more uncertain retirements. But, hey, don’t say we do nothing for our kids. Instead of work, marriage, and security, we can offer pot, porn, […]
Heavy, persistent marijuana use linked with significant IQ loss
Recent reports show fewer adolescents believe regular cannabis use is harmful to health. Concomitantly, adolescents are initiating cannabis use at younger ages, and more adolescents are using cannabis on a daily basis.
Legalize pot? No, reform laws
On Election Day, marijuana enthusiasts rejoiced as Colorado and Washington legalized marijuana. (Ballot initiatives in Oregon and a medical initiative in Arkansas did not fare so well.) From the federal government’s perspective, however, marijuana remains illegal. It is anyone’s guess what the Obama administration’s next move will be, but it is important to understand that […]
Medical marijuana laws hurt kids, doctor says
In 2010, Denver psychiatrist Christian Thurstone explained to National Public Radio’s Neal Conan that the state’s relaxed laws made the drug widely available — and irresistible — to too many adolescents.
Neither legalization nor incarceration
Tomorrow, voters in three states will decide whether marijuana should be legal. For some people, even those in recovery, marijuana use presents a net benefit in society. They believe others can enjoy a joint once in a while without suffering significant consequences. For others, marijuana represents a serious health and social problem. I was senior […]