Originally published by Smart Approaches to Marijuana.
With sales of commercial marijuana beginning tomorrow in Maryland, Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM) President Dr. Kevin Sabet, a former drug policy advisor to Presidents Obama, Bush, and Clinton, released the following statement:
“Looking to score a quick payday that may never come, Maryland’s lawmakers opened the floodgates for high-potency THC drugs in their own communities. While many who championed this cause claimed it would serve as a form of social justice, we fully expect wealthy White investors from Big Marijuana to dominate the commercial landscape. As we’ve seen occur in other states, people in Maryland will soon see more youth use, greater rates of DUI crashes, and more workplace accidents attributable to marijuana.
“The marijuana industry repeated a set of practiced lines that Maryland politicians were all too eager to believe. No matter how you spin it, the industry relies on making higher-potency products, downplaying the mental and physical health risks of marijuana, and increasing usage rates – especially among young people and minorities. That’s the pattern we’ve seen in other pot-legal states.
“The public needs to know about the harms this industry is willing to inflict on their communities. Public education about mental and physical health impacts, addiction, and safety risks must be expanded significantly. The development and implementation of a youth-focused statewide prevention campaign is imperative. Parents and law enforcement, alongside addiction specialists, need additional support to minimize the damage done by this addiction-for-profit industry. Legalization won’t make Maryland safer or healthier, and it won’t be the cash cow pandering politicians sold the public.”
