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** Kevin Sabet in The Washington Post ([link removed])
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SAM CEO Kevin Sabet spoke to The Washington Post about President Trump's Truth Social post on CBD. He pointed out the cannabis industry is “grasping at straws” to paint Trump’s video as a signal of larger reform and added: “If the past is any indication, usually these posts have very little to nothing to do with formal policy positions.”

Read the whole story here ([link removed]) . You can also watch the video comment for the story Kevin made about some of the wider scientfific and medical issues around CBD.


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** Kevin & SAMHSA: Weed trends among youth ([link removed])
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Dr. Kevin Sabet participated in a crucial webinar in which he discussed the issues at play in the current trends driving youth weed use across the country, and how to develop effective countermeasures.

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** Luke Niforatos Presents at Eagle Forum
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SAM Executive Vice President Luke Niforatos provided a presentation on Fighting Recreational Marijuana ([link removed]) at Eagle Forum’s Eagle Council 53 Conference in Washington, DC.

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** SAM debates legal weed at New Hampshire Institute of Politics ([link removed])
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SAM President and CEO, Dr. Kevin Sabet, participated in a lively panel ([link removed]) on marijuana legalization and public safety in New Hampshire over the potential effects of any legal weed program in the Granite State. Click here to watch the event on video ([link removed]) and get great info about why legal weed is so risky.

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Click Here to Register ([link removed])


** Free SAM Webinar: One Nation Under the Influence: America’s Drug Habit and How We Can Overcome It ([link removed])
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Thursday, October 16,1:00 pm Eastern

Join our upcoming free webinar to hear directly from Dr. Kevin Sabet, author of One Nation Under the Influence, as he tackles the most urgent drug crisis in American history with real-world insights and bold, actionable solutions. With overdose deaths reaching staggering levels, this is a timely conversation you won’t want to miss—because no one is immune, and the time for change is now.


** In the News
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The Greg Kelly Show: Weed’s Negative Impacts on Behavior ([link removed])

Afro News: A sober voice in a buzzed world: Why THC drinks don’t belong in recovery ([link removed])

THC drinks are a major problem, especially for people living in recovery.
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Al-Jazeera: I ([link removed]) s Trump really considering relaxing laws on cannabis? ([link removed])


** Legislative Update
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Click here to tell Congress to ban hemp-derived intoxicants like Delta-8 THC ([link removed])

In the past month, the SAM Government Affairs team has worked hard to push against marijuana rescheduling and enact a federal ban on hemp-derived THC. With Congress needing to pass a government funding bill, there is a real chance that a nationwide hemp-THC ban gets passed out of both chambers!. We are working daily to ensure that Congress does the right thing and gets addictive, kid-friendly hemp intoxicants off gas station shelves.

TAKE ACTION ([link removed]) : Congress has a historic opportunity to rectify a legislative error in the 2018 Farm Bill that has enabled an addiction industry to hurt kids and families across the country. Thanks to our grassroots supporters like you, we have the opportunity to make our voices heard and make this win possible.

We are counting on you to ensure that public health is prioritized over corporate profits across the nation!


** State Updates
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Texas: Governor Abbott recently issued an executive order that offers minimal protection for children from these drugs and provides a Pyrrhic victory to the hemp industry. We remain committed to a complete ban on these products and look forward to collaborating with lawmakers to achieve this goal. 

In his executive order, the Governor delegated most policymaking authority to the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC). The Commission recently issued an emergency ruling, adding an age requirement for purchasing THC products in the state.

The commission will now debate what other rules to put in place permanently, but the regulations they offer will likely do little to protect the children and the most vulnerable of Texas.

Georgia: Lawmakers in Georgia held a hearing on the 25th to discuss proposed changes to the state’s medical marijuana program. Changes include increasing the potency limit from 5% to 50% and allowing the sale of vapes. These are just some of the troubling policies being considered at the hearing.

California: Governor Gavin Newsom recently signed legislation that would give the struggling marijuana industry a tax break. This decision follows an audit of the Department of Cannabis Control, which found that the agency was failing to prevent the industry from selling kid-friendly marijuana products.

Additionally, Governor Newsom put out an emergency ban on all hemp-derived THC products. The state is now reporting that the ban has a 99.7% compliance rate.


** Grassroots
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This month PAN honored National Recovery Month and National Suicide Prevention Month by featuring social media messaging on the importance of community connections in creating awareness, combatting stigma and most importantly supporting each other and our loved ones as they face their mental health and substance use challenges.

This message was reflected in the two most recent Fortitude episodes. Please take the time to listen to these stories of hope in recovery from both Heidi Lawrence ([link removed]) and Winnie Stevenson ([link removed]) .

Next month PAN Director Crissy Groenewegen will be presenting on a panel at the Save Our Kids Summit in Orlando, Florida. She’ll be joined by other professionals for a conversation on the addiction-for-profit industry and how families can protect their loved ones from this predatory industry.

PAN also continues to welcome new parents and families into the network, training them to advocate effectively and supporting them as they advocate in their own communities. In addition to training our families we also help these families connect with each other to provide support and shared experience, helping new families to understand that they are not alone and that together we can change minds.

While PAN’s primary focus is on the harms attributed to marijuana, we are currently interested in hearing from you if you or a loved one has had a negative experience with mushrooms, Kratom, or other psychedelics.

If you would like to share your experience involving marijuana, please participate in our survey here ([link removed]) . If you have had a negative experience with marijuana as a gateway and/or any other drug, please participate in our survey here ([link removed]) .

Don’t forget to visit the PAN pages on Smart Approaches to Marijuana ([link removed]) and Foundation for Drug Policy Solutions ([link removed]) to find valuable resources, articles, newsletters, and webinars. You can sign up for our newsletter and alerts here ([link removed]) .


** Events and Trainings
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** SAVE THE DATE: 2026 SAM Good Drug Policy Summit ([link removed])
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The 2026 SAM Good Drug Policy Summit will be taking place in partnership with the CADCA National Leadership Forum on February 5th and 6th in National Harbor, MD.


Registration for the Summit is now open. This can’t-miss event will feature the best in evidence-based drug policy and will run from the afternoon of Thursday, February 5 through Friday, February 6.
Click Here to Register ([link removed])

Contact [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) to learn about how you can get involved as a sponsor or speaker.

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Dr. Kevin Sabet joined Justin Giboney and Chris Butler on The Church Politics podcast.

Listen to the podcast here ([link removed]) .

SAM Federal and State Policy Associate Iman Lohrasbi participated on a panel at the 2025
National Interdisciplinary Cannabis Symposium in Denver, Co.

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SAM Executive Vice President Luke Niforatos spoke at Mobilize Recovery at University of Central Arkansas on September 30.


** SAM Trainings: Schedule a SAM Training today and learn what to say and how to say it.
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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 that want to educate their communities and employees on all issues surrounding marijuana.


To learn more about our speakers, please visit the training page on our website ([link removed]) . To schedule a training, please contact us at: [email protected] (mailto:[email protected])


** Stat of the Month
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** Cannabis Use May Quadruple Diabetes Risk ([link removed])
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Large real-world study ([link removed]) from Europe and the USA finds cannabis users face almost four times the risk of developing type 2 diabetes within five years than people who do not use the drug.


** Resource
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** NEW! SAM Deep Dives ([link removed])
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Deep Dives are a new resource from SAM ([link removed]) : substantial, media-rich explainers meant to help YOU combat misinformation and stay up-to-date on the issues around marijuana. Videos, expert analysis, the latest studies: check out SAM's Deep Dives today ([link removed]) .


** Donate ([link removed])
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Amajor new study ([link removed]) shows marijuana users are nearly four times more likely to develop diabetes, even after controlling for other health factors. This is a wake-up call: marijuana isn’t harmless, it’s fueling a serious public health crisis. Without The Drug Report ([link removed]) and Friday Fact, research like this would never reach the public or policymakers. But we cannot keep exposing these dangers without your help. Please make your most generous gift today to ensure the truth is heard before it’s too late.
Help Today With Your Gift ([link removed])

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