Tag Archives: SAM

Poll: Illinois residents reject legalized marijuana by huge margin

A poll in November found that only 23% of Illinois residents support the legalization of recreational marijuana, while 69% support other options such as maintaining the current decriminalization law.  Pollsters interviewed 625 registered voters in Illinois by telephone, making the margin of error plus or minus 4 percent.

We constantly hear that the majority of Americans support legalization of marijuana. What reports don’t always reveal is that results always depend on how the questions are asked.  When voters know there’s the option of decriminalization, the polls are very different, as was the case in New York. Continue reading Poll: Illinois residents reject legalized marijuana by huge margin

Don’t Believe the False Claim that Marijuana Reduces Opiate Deaths

Today SAM issued a statement refuting the notion that states with medical marijuana have fewer opiate deaths.  We have noticed that marijuana is an adjunct to opiate dependence and abuse, not a replacement.   Here is what the SAM (Smart Approaches to Marijuana) statement said:

Top-Line Understanding (Download Full PDF Here):

A recent study found that before 2009, the existence of legally protected pot dispensaries in a state correlates with a lower number of opiate deaths in that state.

This correlation disappears after 2009. Authors interpret this as the “post-Ogden memo era” and surmise that pot dispensaries were more strictly controlled after 2009.

The study does not control for naloxone distribution Continue reading Don’t Believe the False Claim that Marijuana Reduces Opiate Deaths

Mothers of Children Harmed by Marijuana Speak out against CNN

CNN Reporter Attached Gas Mask With Bong to Her Face 

A group of mothers with children who have died or been severely hurt by today’s highly potent marijuana admonished CNN for their coverage of pot during their New Years Eve programming, calling it a “free infomercial for Big Marijuana.”

Sally Schindel, whose US Veteran son died by suicide and left a note blaming marijuana for his condition stated, “No ratings are worth glamorizing drug abuse. Today’s highly potent marijuana is not something to joke about – for some, like our family, it is the cause of constant grievance and loss.”

The CNN coverage showed a clearly embarrassed Anderson Cooper hiding his eyes as CNN anchor Randi Kaye was surrounded by a man inhaling marijuana with a gas mask on.

Corinne Gasper’s daughter, Jennifer, was killed by a stoned driver on her way to work a few years ago. “Jennifer wasn’t home for the holidays again, but we were reminded of her horrible death courtesy of CNN glorifying pot use.”

SAM energizes group to speak out

SAM (Smart Approaches to Marijuana), a non-profit organization founded by a former member of Congress and a former Obama Administration drug policy advisor, is organizing these voices and others, as well as looking into CNN’s compliance with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and Federal Communications Commission (FCC). SAM is also discussing options with private counsel.

Jody Belsher, whose son was triggered with a debilitating mental illness as a result of using pot, was watching CNN with her 6-year-old grandson when the marijuana coverage started. “I couldn’t believe my eyes. We were quickly reminded of our everyday nightmare. Why would CNN play a free infomercial from Big Marijuana, and where were the warnings to our children?”

SAM’s thousands of members are filing FCC complaints by using this link.

Laura Ingraham Show Countered CNN on the evening of  January 2. She interviewed Corinne Gasper whose daughter was killed by a stoned  medical marijuana user.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GfkNxZY216U&feature=youtu.be

Annual Survey Shows Marijuana Use Up Among Grades 8, 10, & 12

Monitoring the Future,* the nation’s annual survey of students, reported today marijuana use in 8th, 10th and 12th grades was higher than last year.  The survey also found that students in medical marijuana law states vaped marijuana at higher rates than students in other states, and consumed pot edibles (that can come in candies, sodas, or ice-creams) at double the rate than in non-medical marijuana law states. The survey does not include youth who drop out of school.

Misuse of prescription opioids continued its 10-year decline.  Virtually all other substances are at their lowest point in the history of the survey. The contrast is very significant, because many people think the overprescribing of opioids is the only reason our youth die of drug abuse.  They fail to reflect on the fact that early marijuana use is a predictor of other substance abuse.  Continue reading Annual Survey Shows Marijuana Use Up Among Grades 8, 10, & 12