As a bill is currently being proposed in Springfield to legalize marijuana, Dr. Kevin Sabet, who’s studied, researched and implemented drug policy, presented on what he feels is misinformation surrounding the policy.
Sabet discussed the science behind the drug and his hope not to allow marijuana to become the new tobacco and alcohol industry.
“The idea of ‘enjoy responsibly’ when the alcohol industry says that, if everyone ‘enjoyed responsibly,’ we wouldn’t have an alcohol industry, let’s put it that way,” said Dr. Kevin Sabet, President & CEO of SAM, or Smart Approaches to Marijuana.
Also discussed was the correlation between marijuana and other more serious drugs and addiction to them.
“When you look at the people who use heroin in this country, 90-some percent, depending on the year that you look at, marijuana and alcohol were the drugs of choice beforehand,” added Dr. Sabat.
Dr. Sabet is the President and CEO of SAM, or Smart Approaches to Marijuana, a non-profit that works to educate the public about marijuana and public policy.
Proponents of the bill say that the legalization would create jobs and generate funds in tax revenues to help reduce the state’s budget deficit.
Naperville News 17’s Alyssa Bochenek reports.
