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Altria Phillip Morris Officially Lobbying on Marijuana;
SAM Submits FOIA Request to Uncover Depth of Influence on Virginia Marijuana Legalization Proposal
On the heels of breaking news that Altria Phillip Morris - the maker of Marlboro cigarettes, has officially begun lobbying in support of marijuana legalization in Virginia, SAM announced they would submit a Freedom of Information Act request to further unveil the influence the addiction giant has had on the development of Virginia's commercialization push.
"In Virginia, the legalization effort has been sold as a move for social justice, but how can we take that seriously if Altria has had its thumb on the scale this whole time behind the scenes?", asked Dr. Kevin Sabet, president of SAM and a former senior drug policy advisor to the Obama Administration. "With this FOIA request, we are demanding a disclosure of what involvement Altria has had in the shaping of the commercialization proposals and what communications Altria has had with legislative staff from both houses of the legislature as well as with the governor and his staff."
Report, funded by Scotts Miracle-Gro, suggests marijuana could bring billions to New York
A report released Wednesday by James Parrott, a longtime supporter of legalization, of the Center of NYC Affairs at The New School argued that marijuana legalization could provide significant relief to the the economic and budget shortfalls caused by the coronavirus pandemic across the state.
SAM President Dr. Kevin Sabet responded:
"We've seen similar reports out of New York and every other state where the marijuana industry is trying to expand and they all tend to look the same after awhile. Here are the facts: you cant promulgate a report touting the economic benefits of marijuana commercialization without also looking at the associated costs. Will commercialization create jobs and revenue? Sure, but it will also lead to increased drugged driving and subsequent fatal crashes, hospitalizations, increased substance abuse and addiction, and more issues with the illicit market than currently exist.
"Should we seriously be even considering for a second doing something that could potentially push hospital capacity at this time?
"Finally, James Parrott has a long history of being on the record supporting legalization, so it is not surprising his report failed to account for the negative aspects of legalization."
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