SAM Oregon is an affiliate of the national SAM organization, led by prohibitionist Kevin Sabet. I find it hilarious that SAM Oregon uses Ben Carson to support marijuana prohibition. SAM Oregon posted a quote from Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson where he states his opposition to marijuana legalization.  Yes, the same Ben Carson that believes the the Great Pyramids in Egypt were used to store grain instead of entomb pharaohs; that the Big Bang Theory is a fairy tale; that the theory of evolution is satanic; and has recently been caught falsely stating that he was offered a full scholarship at West Point. Oh yeah, Carson also claimed that a supplement cured his prostate cancer, but he went ahead and had his prostate removed anyway.

SAM’s national leader, Kevin Sabet, has made a career out of opposing sensible marijuana law reforms, especially any attempts to legalize marijuana, whether it be medicinal or adult use. Sabet traveled to Oregon for a statewide tour ahead of the 2014 election, hoping to derail the Measure 91 legalization campaign. Despite Sabet’s best efforts, where he was trailed by our own Russ Belville, Measure 91 passed handily with over 56% of the vote. Sabet predicted that the measure would fail and then claimed that the margin of victory was “slim“.

Sabet has apparently entrusted SAM Oregon’s leadership to a man named Randy Philbrick, who seemingly is responsible for using Ben Carson’s position as a reason to oppose legalization. SAM Oregon’s goal is to completely repeal Measure 91, starting by chipping away at some of the provisions, such as allowing home cultivation.

That SAM Oregon would support Ben Carson shouldn’t come as a surprise as Philbrick has called comedian Bill Maher a (WARNING: NSFW) “pussy” and a “pot smoking fucktard”. SAM Oregon’s director has even claimed that Tom Brady “got out the kneepads” to receive just a four game suspension  (and he isn’t referring to anything related to football); called Dallas Cowboy Dez Bryant a “bitch”; and insults hard-working people by stating that raising the minimum wage in Portland to $15 an hour would be rewarding “laziness” (there may be legitimate reasons for opposing an increase to the minimum wage, but calling his fellow Oregonians trying to secure a living wage as lazy is offensive). Philbrick has since scrubbed his social media pages of such offensive statements, but not before someone captured screenshots.

Does Kevin Sabet and the national SAM organization really stand behind a director that would use such derogatory language? Do Oregon legislators and policy makers want to give the time of day to an advocate that would be so insulting to Oregonians? Here’s hoping that SAM and SAM Oregon will continue to fail in its goal to continue prohibition in the great state of Oregon.

Some choice tweets from SAM Oregon’s director Randy Philbrick:

(Photo Credit for Featured Image: DonkeyHotey via flickr Creative Commons)

Anthony Johnson

Anthony, a longtime cannabis law reform advocate, was Chief Petitioner and co-author of Measure 91, Oregon's cannabis legalization effort. He served as director of both the New Approach Oregon and Vote Yes on 91 PACs, the political action committees responsible for the state's legalization campaign. As director of New Approach Oregon, Anthony continues to work towards effectively implementing the cannabis legalization system while protecting small business owners and the rights of patients. He sits on the Oregon Marijuana Rules Advisory Committee and fights for sensible rules at the legislature as well as city councils and county commissions across the state. Anthony helps cannabis business comply with Oregon's laws and advises advocates across the country. He also serves as content director of both the International Cannabis Business Conference and the Oregon Marijuana Business Conference, helping share the vision of moving the cannabis industry forward in a way that maintains the focus on keeping people out of prison and protecting patients. He was a member of the Oregon Health Authority Rules Advisory Committee, assisting the drafting of the administrative rules governing Oregon’s state-licensed medical marijuana facilities. He first co-authored and helped pass successful marijuana law reform measures while a law student at the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Law. He passed the Oregon Bar in 2005 and practiced criminal defense for two years before transitioning to working full-time in the political advocacy realm. His blogs on Marijuana Politics are personal in nature and don't speak for or reflect the opinions of any group or organization.