Smart Approaches to Marijuana Ranks the 2016 Presidential Candidates

Now that the 2016 presidential campaign is in full swing, it’s important for the American people to understand where their presidential candidates stand on the issues of marijuana. Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM) released an analysis and rating of every candidate's position on a range of these issues.

"The SAM scorecard is the first in-depth analysis of the 2016 field on these critical issues-not just a litmus test on marijuana legalization for recreational use," said Jeff Zinsmeister, Executive Vice President of SAM. "We're interested in promoting a comprehensive approach to marijuana that neither stigmatizes users nor opens the doors to a new multi-billion-dollar addictive industry."

“Our scorecard will keep the candidates accountable,” said Kevin Sabet, President of SAM.  Running in the middle of the pack is Hillary Clinton whose proposed $10 billion plan to address substance abuse and mental illness is admirable, her interest in allowing Colorado's failed "experiment" with legalized marijuana to continue. "We're heartened by Secretary Clinton's plan to tackle substance abuse, but marijuana is the elephant in the room that candidates can no longer ignore," remarked Sabet.

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 30 states. For more information on SAM go to, www.learnaboutsam.org

A PDF copy of the scorecard is here.

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