In the News
California may put mental health warning on pot products
By Lauren Barry, KRLD Radio, June 17th, 2022
Later this month, members of the California state assembly committee will meet to discuss a bill that would require new labels on cannabis products regarding mental health risks and more. The bill has already passed the state Senate.
Cases of Cannabis-Induced Psychosis Rise. Lawmakers Want to Add Mental Health Warnings to Pot Products
By April Dembosky, KQED, June 7th, 2022
“Today’s turbocharged products are turbocharging the harms associated with cannabis,” says Dr. Lynn Silver with the Public Health Institute, a nonprofit sponsoring the proposed labeling legislation, SB 1097, the Cannabis Right to Know Act.
Article was picked up by news outlets nationwide, including NPR.
Textual and Pictorial Enhancement of Cannabis Warning Labels: An Online Experiment among At-Risk U.S. Young Adults
By Dr. Lynn Silver, Alisa A. Padon, Others, Science Direct, June 6, 2022
This study experimentally examines whether enhanced cannabis warning labels (CWLs) outperform those currently required in the U.S. in improving recall of health risks, emotional responses, and perceived message effectiveness among at-risk young adults.
California: The State of Cannabis, Interview with Dr. Lynn Silver
KTVU-TV, April 20, 2022
On a special edition of KTVU News at 4, Heather Holmes speaks with pediatrician Dr. Lynn Silver about health warnings on edible marijuana products and the Cannabis Right to Know Act.
Opinion: Like Tobacco, Cannabis Should Include a Warning Label — Especially for Suicide Risk
By Dr. Roneet Lev, Times of San Diego, April 5, 2022
Cannabis products should carry a warning and consumer protections like tobacco and alcohol. One of the warnings is that the key ingredient THC has a risk of suicide. That’s why Senate Bill 1097, the Cannabis Right to Know Act, is a step in the right direction for consumer protection.
The Cannabis Right to Know Act – Press Event News Coverage
Our gathering of doctors, public health groups, youth and children advocates, and parents for a virtual press conference urging passage of The Cannabis Right to Know Act (SB 1097 – Senator Pan) received an enormous amount or press coverage! In addition to being featured on three primetime television news shows (including KRON-4 and KTVU-2) and featured in Politico and Calmatters newsletters, check out some of our other media highlights:
- State bill proposes more prominent warning labels for cannabis, Eureka Times Standard
- Anti-cannabis, industry forces collide on proposed California labeling law, North Bay Business Journal
- The California Report, KQED Radio
- Physicians and mental health experts call for stronger cannabis labeling, KCBS Radio
State bill proposes more prominent warning labels for cannabis
Eureka Times-Standard, March 31, 2022
“The Cannabis Right to Know Act makes sure that consumers know how to use cannabis more safely, know why using legal cannabis is safer and know the key health risks associated with cannabis use,” state Senator and pediatrician Richard Pan, the author of the bill, said during a Thursday press conference.
Opinion: Fact Checking Misleading Claims that California’s Cannabis Industry Is Suffering
Times of San Diego, March 23, 2022
In their quest to expand the industry’s commercial footprint in cities and counties across the state, lobbyists have disseminated information that does not align with independent research conducted by the Public Health Institute, which tracks local laws, cannabis licenses, and market data.
Setting the Record Straight: Fact-Checking Claims About California’s Legal Cannabis Industry
As California’s Cannabis industry claims to be failing and asks for tax relief, Getting it Right from the Start fact-checked their claims. Many appear to be misleading, and the legal industry is expanding rapidly. See our new fact sheet, Setting the Record Straight.
As new California bill seeks cannabis tax breaks, youth groups appeal to state to keep funding
Santa Rosa Press Democrat, February 17, 2022
Dr. Lynn Silver, Public Health Institute program manager, contends cannabis businesses trying to circumvent their tax obligations are “violating the intent” of what the state voters passed in 2016 with Prop. 64. The pediatrician suggested the anti-tax movement is driven by large cannabis corporations “maximizing profits” at the expense of children’s programs.
California’s cannabis conundrum — protecting youth or corporate profit?, By Dr Lynn Silver, Director of Getting it Right from the Start
San Jose Mercury News, February 12, 2022
Dr. Lynn Silver of Getting it Right from the Start details the challenges facing the legal cannabis market, the problem of overproduction, the importance of preserving current industry tax rates to pay for important prevention and health programs, and a series of sensible approaches to cannabis legalization in California.
California Promised Social Equity After Pot Legalization. Those Hit Hardest Feel Betrayed.
By Marisa Gerber, Los Angeles Times, January 27, 2022
Marisa Gerber of the Los Angeles Times investigates the unfulfilled Prop 64 promises of social equity for the communities most negatively impacted by the Drug War. Why not reserve all, or most, licenses for equity applicants & reject cannabis industry calls for across-the-board tax cuts so we can preserve what funding there is for childcare, youth, and equity programs?
Editorial: Billboards advertising pot broke Prop. 64’s promise. Don’t go back on the pledge to protect teens
Los Angeles Times, January 2, 2022
The Los Angeles Times points out that shielding teens from increased exposure to marijuana was a key selling point of the legalization plan California voters approved in 2016 and current billboard advertising violates its intent. The piece interviews our own Alisa Padon, who describes how seeing billboards advertising cannabis in communities serves to normalize it.
This is one of the many reasons why we say we need to decriminalize drugs. People aren’t getting help inside. We should be investing in building the support infrastructure in our communities. The jail/prison system is not a solution to “substance use disorder”. https://t.co/jNe9AAo9G4
The result of this country’s war on drugs and its war on the poor is that hundreds of thousands of people in prison today are suffering from a substance use disorder.
Ultra-high potency #Cannabis products resulting in more teens suffering from mental health disorders & lasting impacts on decision-making & problem-solving skills. Youth esp. cautioned because brains still developing. CA needs #SB1097! @nytimes @cdcaron https://t.co/tRhJWmfTbi
.@nytimes’s @cdcaron investigates health threats to teens from increasingly high potency #cannabis products, incl. psychosis, schizophrenia, & suicidal ideation, citing CA’s #SB1097 – which will add mental health warnings - as way to address crisis. https://t.co/tRhJWmfTbi #CaLeg
Two cannabis bills detrimental to public health and food safety, Dr. Lynn Silver, Director of Getting it Right from the Start
CalMatters, July 20, 2020
The article details a Getting it Right from the Start report that found much of cannabis revenues from legal marijuana in California, aren’t going towards helping the poor, or Black and Brown neighborhoods most harmed by the War on Drugs, but rather, the police.
Californian Cannabis Tax Revenues Are Used to Boost Police Budgets
By Alexander Lekhtman, Filter, July 23, 2020
The article details a Getting it Right from the Start report that found much of cannabis revenues from legal marijuana in California, aren’t going towards helping the poor, or Black and Brown neighborhoods most harmed by the War on Drugs, but rather, the police.