A brief rundown of marijuana news, research highlights, and our April SAM Summit! SAM Newsletter Update A brief rundown of marijuana news, research highlights, and SAM events so far in 2022 SAM in the News The Complexities of Addiction Treatment In response to a piece published by The New York Times on addiction and the decriminalization of all drugs, SAM CEO Dr. Kevin Sabet & Dr. Mitch Rosenthal authored a letter to the editor: "[D]ecriminalization without accountability, which ultimately leads to the full legalization of drugs like heroin, fentanyl and methamphetamine, will only worsen our nation’s addiction problem." Click here to read the rest of the piece! Colorado's Crime Wave and Marijuana Policies In the Gazette: "Coloradans’ concerns about public safety are growing, and for good reason... from 2011-2020...a 35% jump in violent crime, and a historic rise in property crimes. Amid the clamor for solutions, we shouldn’t forget about marijuana’s contribution to this mess." Click here to read the rest of SAM Executive Vice President Luke Niforatos' letter to the editor ‘Talk About Clusterf---’: Why Legal Weed Didn’t Kill Oregon’s Black Market “Legalization exacerbates the issue of illicit growing operations because it increases the demand for the product. With more users emerging throughout the state, more sellers — both legal and illegal — begin working to match the supply. The state has done little to curb demand because it has little incentive to do so.” -SAM President & CEO Dr. Kevin Sabet Read more in POLITICO Magazine Big Weed is on the Brink of Scoring Big Political Wins. So Where Are They? “Marijuana advocacy is no longer about hippies and long hair, it’s about suits and Harvard MBAs” -SAM President & CEO Dr. Kevin Sabet Read more in POLITICO The Marijuana Debate in Indiana: PBS SAM President & CEO Dr. Kevin Sabet joined public television's Indiana Lawmakers to set the record straight on the consequences of potential legalization and decriminalization of marijuana in Indiana. Check out the entire discussion here Setting the Record Straight on Legalization's Popularity In light of the new nationwide Emerson College poll that found 62% of registered voters do not support legalizing marijuana when presented with other, non-legalization policy options, SAM President & CEO Dr. Kevin Sabet was interviewed by WTOP, one of the top Washington, D.C.-area radio stations. As Dr. Sabet explained, despite the narrative pushed by many legalization advocates, "the attitude with legalization is much more nuanced." Click here to listen to the clip Have We Lost the Cannabis Legalization War? Is there even a war on drugs anymore? How can people in prevention go against a billion-dollar marijuana goliath industry? SAM President & CEO Dr. Kevin Sabet had a thoughtful conversation with Dr. Roneet Lev on the High Truths podcast. Click here to listen to the episode The Maryland Legalization Push Continues As the Maryland General Assembly debates legalizing recreational marijuana, SAM is working to educate lawmakers on the dangers of legalization. On February 14, SAM Executive Vice President Luke Niforatos and Communications and Legislative Affairs Officer Jordan Davidson testified before the Maryland General Assembly in opposition to the legalization measures currently before the Maryland General Assembly. Luke testified through the lens as a Colorado citizen: “Law enforcement [in Colorado] has never had to spend more money on the marijuana problem than they have since they legalized it.” Click here to view Luke's testimony Jordan shared his concerns about broad legalization as a young person in recovery from Cannabis Use Disorder. Click here to view Jordan's testimony Click here to read the entire feature published in WYPR Upcoming Events Registration is now open for the 10th Annual SAM Summit taking place in Atlanta, Georgia, alongside the Rx Drug Abuse & Heroin Summit. This is the perfect option for interested parties to learn more about what the current research says about the negative effects of marijuana normalization on public health and safety. Click here for more information or to register Are you an organization that is looking for an opportunity to support and engage at our annual 2022 SAM Summit? Email [email protected] to learn more about available sponsorship options! The 2022 SAM Summit is sponsored by: Winbigler Medical, PLLC Let’s Get Clear Georgia SAM Resources SAM Webinar with Dr. Nora Volkow, Patrick J. Kennedy and Dr. Kevin Sabet Last month National Institute on Drug Abuse Director Dr. Nora Volkow and former Congressman Patrick J. Kennedy joined SAM and Dr. Kevin Sabet for a conversation about the clinical outcomes of marijuana use, particularly among teens. Click here to watch the full webinar.  The 2022 SAM Webinar Series is sponsored by D.A.R.E. SAM Training Sessions Do you want to educate your community and/or employees on all issues surrounding marijuana? Hold a SAM training session with one of our credentialed speakers! Click here to view our list of available speakers To reserve a SAM Speaker please email us at [email protected] 2021 Annual Report Released This week we released our 2021 annual report, which can be read in its entirety here. Here are some of the highlights: $125.7 million in earned media, almost $100 million more than 2020 40+ opinion pieces placed in more than 25 publications nationwide Publishing of Smokescreen: What the Marijuana Industry Doesn't Want You To Know Supported the nation's first marijuana potency limit in Vermont Joined a large coalition in Colorado to implement the state’s first regulatory overhaul and THC potency study commission Click here to view our 2021 annual report New Research New Poll Finds 62% of Americans Favor Marijuana Policies Other Than Legalization This new poll, conducted by Emerson College, found that the majority of voters support other non-legalization marijuana policies (prohibition, decriminalization, or medical legalization) while only 38% believe the country should move to legalize and commercialize marijuana for production, recreational use, and sales, like in stores. Click here to see the poll breakdown Marijuana Use Affects Long-Term Thinking and Planning "Studies have long shown that getting high can harm cognitive function. Now, a new review of research, published Thursday in the journal Addiction, finds that impact may last well beyond the initial high..." Click here to keep reading on CNN Driving While High Numbers Double After Legalization The New England Journal of Medicine published a new study that found "[a]fter cannabis legalization, the prevalence of moderately injured drivers...in participating British Columbia trauma centers more than doubled." Click here to read the entire study Keep SAM Moving SAM relies on the financial support of our partnerships and donors to keep providing the service of our mission, which is to educate citizens on the science of marijuana and to promote health-first, smart policies and attitudes that decrease marijuana use and its consequences. Donate to SAM Please consider taking the time to donate through this link or connecting with Garrett via email [email protected] for more ways to support SAM! About SAM Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM) is a nonpartisan, non-profit alliance of physicians, policy makers, prevention workers, treatment and recovery professionals, scientists, and other concerned citizens opposed to marijuana legalization who want health and scientific evidence to guide marijuana policies. SAM has affiliates in more than three dozen states. ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM) | 107 S. West Street, Suite 757, Alexandria, VA 22314 Unsubscribe [email protected] Update Profile | Constant Contact Data Notice Sent by [email protected] powered by Try email marketing for free today!