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 | Dr. Kevin Sabet and SAM EVP Luke Niforatos with White House Director of National Drug Control Policy, Dr. Rahul Gupta. |
| AT UN COMMISSION ON NARCOTIC DRUGS, SAM URGES MEMBER-STATES AGAINST INCAUTIOUSLY LIBERALIZING THEIR DRUG LAWS
SAM President and CEO Dr. Kevin Sabet and Executive Vice President Luke Niforatos recently traveled to 5 countries, held 39 meetings, and had numerous pivotal health policy discussions with hundreds of people at the United Nations 67th Session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs in Vienna, Austria, among other events.
Watch Dr. Kevin Sabet’s United Nations speech here.
Multiple European health officials agreed with what we have been saying for years, that marijuana is addictive and dangerous. | |
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SAM Speaks at the Planet Youth Annual Conference in Reykjavik, Iceland
Dr. Kevin Sabet also spoke at the Planet Youth Annual Conference in Reykjavik, Iceland. It was marked by a notable international governmental presence discussing Planet Youth's prevention model. |
|  | Dr. Kevin Sabet with Jón Sigfússon, Chairman of Planet Youth. |
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| Feature Article
Dr. Kevin Sabet and former Obama Drug Czar Gil Kerlikowske collaborated to address Vice President Harris’s recent roundtable on marijuana and criminal justice reform. | |
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The 2025 SAM Good Drug Policy Summit is once again taking place in conjunction with CADCA’s National Leadership Forum at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in National Harbor, MD.
The 2025 Summit will take place on February 6-7. For more information on sponsorship opportunities, please email [email protected]. | |
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In the News |
Virginia’s Governor Youngkin vetoes retail marijuana in the state. “Cannabis is not good for Virginia,” Governor Youngkin stated. Read more here. |
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The Hill |
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US Senators Jim Risch (ID), Mitt Romney (UT), and Pete Ricketts (NE) sent a letter to DEA Administrator Anne Milgram highlighting concerns over the Department of Health and Human Services’ recommendation to reschedule marijuana citing non-compliance with US Treaty obligations. Read the letter here. |
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The House Homeland Security Committee received a DEA briefing on the threat posed by Chinese organized crime-operated marijuana farms in the United States. SAM has been active on the issue, having written and gotten signatures on a Congressional letter on the topic. Here’s what you need to know. |
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Congress is currently working on the SAFER Banking Act. Let Congress know that you are opposed to the SAFER Banking Act here. |
State Updates |
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Grassroots |
Parent Action Network joined the National Drug and Alcohol Screening Association (NDASA) to host our annual training conference and advocacy day in Washington, DC. PAN invited ten parent advocates, who spent a day learning how to tell their stories and advocate effectively for good drug policies. The training was followed by a day on Capitol Hill, where parents had the opportunity to put what they learned into practice, meeting with over 25 Congressional leaders.
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|  | PAN parents training and advocating in Washington, DC. Lee Stewart, Catherine Clark, Elle Constantine, Juli Shamash, Sonia Jimenez, Darryl Rodgers. Back row: Crissy Groenewegen (PAN), Jordan Davidson (SAM), Bronwen Skinner (PAN) and Perla Mendoza. Not pictured: Steve Glassman, Michelle Foye. |
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Events and Trainings |
 | SAM President & CEO Dr. Kevin Sabet provides the opening keynote at the 2024 Planet Youth Annual Conference in Reykjavik, Iceland. |
|  | SAM President & CEO Dr. Kevin Sabet & SAM Executive Vice President Luke Niforatos present at the 67th Session of the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs in Vienna, Austria. |
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In February, SAM’s Chief of Staff, Jaime Zerbe, delivered a presentation at the 2024 National Narcotic Officers' Associations' Coalition Conference in Washington, DC.
In March, SAM’s Director of Community Engagement & Outreach, Will Jones III, provided the opening keynote at the Sacramento County Prevention Summit in Sacramento, CA.
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| Schedule a SAM Training today and learn what to say and how to say it.In-person and virtual trainings are now available for all age groups associated with non-profit organizations, corporations, healthcare, clinicians, social workers, counselors, schools, law enforcement and local community groups around the country who want to educate their communities and employees on all issues surrounding marijuana. | |
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Stat of the Month |
According to data from America’s Poison Centers, from 2016 to 2022, marijuana edible-related poison control calls among children aged 0-12 years old increased 3,311%. This issue has worsened alongside the legalization and commercialization of marijuana, which has ushered in a for-profit industry that makes products that are increasingly attractive to minors. | |
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