Federal Agency Criticized for Giving Platform to Anti-Cannabis Claims

It feels like we’re back in the D.A.R.E. era. Recently, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) gave a major platform to a leading prohibitionist group, Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM), to spread a strictly anti-reform narrative. The webinar focused on negative trends and youth prevention but conveniently ignored data showing that teen use actually stabilizes or drops in legal, regulated markets. Instead, speakers pushed questionable stats about "cannabis-involved deaths" and doubled down on the idea that legalization fails to dent the illicit market—despite UN reports suggesting the opposite.

This is a frustrating reminder that federal agencies can still be stuck in old-school mindsets, even as the country moves toward rescheduling. For everyday tokers, this matters because these "official" platforms influence policy and funding that can hinder true progress. It highlights why we need to keep pushing for science-based education rather than biased rhetoric. Staying informed helps the community push back against outdated narratives that threaten our access to safe, legal herb.