Read Dr. Kevin A. Sabet's Baltimore Sun column now.

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Dear Friend,

I wanted to share my most recent column published today in the Baltimore Sun titled “Pardons Prove Marijuana Legalization Isn't About Social Justice ([link removed]) ” In this piece, I talked about Governor Wes Moore's recent pardon of over 175,000 prior marijuana convictions in Maryland, the issues of marijuana legalization, and the impact that the marijuana addiction-for-profit industry will have on social justice.

Here is an excerpt from the piece: ([link removed])
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“Last week, Gov. Wes Moore pardoned more than 175,000 prior marijuana convictions, impacting more than 100,000 individuals. This comes nearly two years after the Old Line State voted to legalize marijuana. While the move is a good one, it was a too little, too late acknowledgement that marijuana legalization isn’t about social justice, and pot profiteers aren’t necessary to end the criminalization of small possession of marijuana.

“Moore’s decision to pardon these prior marijuana convictions should be commended. The charges related to low-level possession and paraphernalia. He followed in the steps of President Joe Biden, who in 2022 pardoned federal convictions for the low-level possession of marijuana.

“Moore called it “the most sweeping state level pardon in any state in American history.” Yet nobody will be released from prison, just as nobody was released from federal prison because of Biden’s pardons. The pardons in Maryland will also not expunge the criminal records of those with prior convictions.”

Click here to read the rest of the column in the Baltimore Sun. ([link removed])
Read Kevin’s latest column in the Baltimore Sun ([link removed])

We know that pot profiteers continue to drive a narrative that legalizing marijuana and injecting more drugs into our communities is a good way to address systemic injustices. But, people of color are almost 6 times more likely to be arrested for all drugs, including marijuana, than whites. Legalization also goes too far and creates a multi-billion dollar industry whose impact exacerbates many of the underlying contributors to systemic injustice. Click here to view our toolkit on how legalizing marijuana will lead to more social injustice. ([link removed])

Our fight is far from over and we are only getting started.

Sincerely,

Dr. Kevin A. Sabet

CEO & President

Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM)
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Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM) ([link removed]) is an alliance of organizations and individuals dedicated to a health-first approach to marijuana policy. We are professionals working in mental health and public health. We are bipartisan. We are medical doctors, lawmakers, treatment providers, preventionists, teachers, law enforcement officers and others who seek a middle road between incarceration and legalization. Our commonsense, third-way approach to marijuana policy is based on reputable science and sound principles of public health and safety.

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