On Friday, March 1st, SAM Senior Policy Advisor, Luke Niforatos was in Concord, NH to announce the launch of SAM New Hampshire, a broad coalition of concerned citizens who do not want to see marijuana legalized. A full audience was in attendance, including prevention professionals, law enforcement, community members, concerned parents, and more, to support the launch of this important initiative.
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 30 states.
SAM New Hampshire is a coalition of individuals and associations who believe that the health, safety and economic harms of recreational marijuana legalization far outweigh the perceived social benefits.
Evidence shows that marijuana – which has skyrocketed in average potency over the past decades – is addictive and harmful to the human brainespecially when used by adolescents. In states that have already legalized the drug, there has been an increase in drugged driving crashes, youth marijuana use, and costs that far outweigh pot revenues. These states have seen a black market that continues to thrive, sustained disparities in marijuana arrest rates, and tobacco company investment in marijuana.
Marijuana is not a harmless drug.
For more information about marijuana use and its effects, visit www.samnewhampshire.org
