Preventing the next Big Tobacco

Holding Big Marijuana Accountable,
Protecting the Public from Marijuana Commercialization

SAM’s primary focus is educating the public about the harms of marijuana legalization—a policy which has consistently placed corporate profits and addiction ahead of public health. We provide information on the harms of such policies to interested parties for use in messaging, and educate federal and state legislators on the benefits of a science-based marijuana policy.

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Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM) is

We envision a society where marijuana policies are aligned with the scientific understanding of marijuana’s harms, and the commercialization and normalization of marijuana are no more. Our mission 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.

Educating the public and policy makers on the harms of marijuana commercialization and legalization

We invest heavily in the longer-term goals of educating the public and policy-makers alike on the harms of marijuana use and marijuana commercialization, the importance of science-based drug policy, and research into the potential medical use of compounds derived from marijuana. Working with our state affiliates, we hold federal, state, and local-level briefings across the country on these issues, and produce and distribute a wide range of related educational materials at no charge.

 

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The Four Pillars of
Smart Approaches to Marijuana

Awareness

To inform public policy with the science of today’s marijuana.

Reform

To have honest conversation about legal reforms that include reducing the unintended consequences of current marijuana policies, such as lifelong stigma due to arrest.

Prevention

To prevent the establishment of Big Marijuana that would market marijuana to children — and to prevent Big Tobacco from taking over Big Marijuana. Those are the very likely results of legalization.

Research

To promote research on marijuana in order to obtain FDA-approved, pharmacy-dispensed, cannabis-based medications.

Stay Up to Date on Recent News

Republicans’ War Against Pot Is Back On

Marijuana advocates have seen years of progress on legalization. But three of the most prominent Republicans in the country are signaling the fight’s not done. Years of progress in the push for legal marijuana is hitting a sudden wall of opposition, thanks to a trio of potential future Republican presidential candidates. Over the last month, […]
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SAM 4/19/2024 Friday Fact: Top 10 U.S. States by Annual Marijuana Use Among Youth (Aged 12-17) in 2021-2022

The SAMSHA 2021-2022 NSDUH: Model-Based Estimated Prevalence For States provides estimates of drug use at the state level. Their survey spans 2021 and 2022, rather than only one year, because they needed a sufficiently large sample size for all states.   Based on this, we looked at the prevalence of past-year marijuana use among the […]
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The Denver Gazette: Don’t celebrate Colorado’s pot predators

The pot propagators of today can’t seem to agree on the origin of the annual “4/20” observance that is coming up Saturday — the backstory has various versions — and the marijuana-muddled minds that thought it up in the first place probably don’t remember. Whatever the dubious date is supposed to signify, permit us to […]
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Be a part of ourgrowing coalition

Our partners consist of both individuals and organizations who promote big ideas and help us in this ongoing work championing smart policies that decrease marijuana use.

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We should meet people where they are at, but never leave them where they are at.

Congressman Patrick J. KennedyCo-Founder, Smart Approached to Marijuana

Kevin Sabet CND 2024
SAM FDPS 2024 Highlight Video
SAM VP Luke Niforatos on Danger of Hemp Products: "A matter of life and death!"
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