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USA: S.A.M. Latest News May 2018

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News Roundup

May 2018
It’s been a busy month!
Together, we are making a difference!

Marijuana Shops Recommend Marijuana to Pregnant Mothers; Despite Doctor’s Warnings MAC and SAM Take Action to Defend Babies from the Marijuana Industry!
A disturbing study published in the journalObstetrics & Gynecology found that close to 70% of marijuana dispensaries in Colorado were recommending high potency marijuana products to expectant mothers suffering symptoms of morning sickness. Even worse, “medical” marijuana dispensaries were more likely to recommend the substance than were recreational shops.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, marijuana use during pregnancy   can lead to low birth weight, developmental problems, and even stillbirth.
The Marijuana Accountability Coalition (MAC), in partnership with Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM), launched the “Don’t Hurt Our Future” Campaign, holding the marijuana industry accountable for putting money and greed over public safety in pushing products to pregnant mothers and unborn children.
In order to keep the marijuana industry from sweeping this under the rug, MAC and SAM placed 1,000 baby bibs, with the phrase “Don’t Hurt Our Future”, on the doors of marijuana dispensaries, State House offices, the Governor’s Mansion, and the Colorado Department of Revenue. “The marijuana industry will stop at nothing to make a buck,” said Justin Luke Riley, founder of the MAC. “Going against all available science, the industry is now recommending pot for pregnant women. They must be held accountable for their actions and not simply be given a slap on the wrist.

 

SAM Trainings Now Available!

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 who want to educate their communities and employees on all issues surrounding marijuana.
We go beyond slogans and clichés to give you a data-driven and tested approach to marijuana use and its consequences.
Learn What to Say and How to Say It!
  • What messages work best? Based on years of experience and professional opinion polling, SAM will teach you and your team the critical messages best used in the field and also provide quick answers to questions like: “But isn’t marijuana just a plant?”
  • Then, we will teach you how to effectively leverage that experience to have the greatest impact within your organization.
  • Learn how to gather more partners for your quest to educate on marijuana and influence leaders within your network.
To reserve your training today, please email us at

Young People Who View Marijuana Ads Are More Likely to Use Marijuana
Marijuana Related Fatalities On Washington Roadways Double According to New State Study
 
According to a new study by the Rand Corporation, young people who view marijuana advertisements are more likely to use the drug and also more likely to have positive views on the substance.
The findings, from a study that tracked adolescents’ viewing of medical marijuana ads over seven years, provides the best evidence to date that an increasing amount of advertising about marijuana may prompt young people to increase their use of the drug.
New data released by the Washington Traffic Safety Commission indicate several troubling trends have emerged since marijuana legalization.
Most notably, marijuana-impaired traffic fatalities have more than doubled, one in five drivers are under the influence of marijuana, and close to 65% of drivers who admit to driving under the influence believe that marijuana did not impair their ability to drive.

Marijuana Legalization Bill Defeated in Connecticut!
After pro-pot advocates claimed a victory in moving a bill to legalize marijuana out of committee, they almost immediately suffered a crushing defeat as neither chamber took up the bill in question. The push to legalize marijuana in Connecticut, at least for this year, is over.
“Lawmakers are seeing through the claims of Big Marijuana and are pumping the brakes on legalizing marijuana,” said Dr. Kevin Sabet, founder and president of SAM. “CT-SAM and SAM officials and supporters have testified numerous times before lawmakers in Connecticut and we can certainly celebrate this as a victory,” continued Sabet.

Marijuana Legalization Defeated Again in Vermont!
The Vermont House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly to defeat a bill that would have fully legalized the  commercialization of marijuana in the state. This was yet another crushing defeat for the active pro-pot lobby in Vermont that has been trying to legalize pot sales for years.
“This is a huge victory for public health and safety,” said Dr. Kevin Sabet, Founder and president of SAM and SAM Action. “The pot lobby pushed for full legalization by dangling the prospects of large tax revenues over the heads of Vermonters, but Vermont lawmakers saw right through it. Thanks to the terrific work by SAM VT, this bill is dead and marijuana sales
will not be legalized.”
Marijuana Use in U.S. Workforce Soaring in “Legal” States Maine Legislature Overturns Gov. LePage’s Veto on Marijuana Legalization Bill
According to a new study by Quest Diagnostics, one of the leading drug testing and analysis organizations in the country, drug use in the U.S. workforce is at the highest levels it has been in the last decade, driven in large part by states that have legalized the sale of marijuana.
“This data is indeed troubling, but it is not surprising,” said Smart Approaches to Marijuana founder and president Dr. Kevin Sabet. “This data mirrors the results we saw when Colorado and Washington legalized marijuana and are numbers we can expect to see any time a state foolishly follows their example.
Maine’s legislature voted to overturn Governor LePage’s common sense veto of a bill to legalize marijuana in the state. The bill will become law, but it is unlikely that the governor will push to start the rules making process to implement the commercialization of the substance.
While the passage of the bill is unfortunate, it allows towns to opt-in, rather than opt-out, of legalization. Over two-thirds of the towns in Maine voted against legalization, and now SAM Maine will fight town by town to stop the commercialization of marijuana in the state.

MARIJUANA: PREVENTING ANOTHER BIG TOBACCO MEDIA CAMPAIGN TOOLKIT NOW AVAILABLE

Big Marijuana is borrowing the playbook of Big Tobacco in search of the same deep profits at the expense of addicted users. It is time to combat their game with the facts! To help you do so, Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM) has partnered with Communities for Alcohol and Drug Free Youth (CADY) to offer a comprehensive media campaign prevention toolkit.


 

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If you can’t chip-in, then at the very least,  and help grow the SAM community!

 

In Health,

 

Colton Grace

 

Communications Associate

 

Smart Approaches to Marijuana

 

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