Getting it Right from the Start

2/At Getting it Right from the Start we've long warned about this. We led the fight for the #CannabisCandy Child Safety Act, passed by #CALeg in 23'—but vetoed by
@cagovernornewsom.bsky.social.

This study underscores the urgent need to put health over corporate profit in #cannabis regulation.

Characteristics and Trends in Child Cannabis Exposures During Legalization in California - PubMed After cannabis legalization in California, reports of child cannabis exposures requiring medical attention increased significantly. Most reported cannabis exposures occurred in the home through the in...

1/New UCSF study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine finds pediatric #CannabisPoisonings in CA—moderate/severe cases only—rose significantly after legalization. 1 in 7 required critical care. Most involved #edibles mistaken for candy or used intentionally by teens.

Study: bit.ly/3J1YBs2

2/The segment closes with Dr. Silver’s call to action: oppose #CALeg bills #AB564 & #AB8, which would slash $1.35B from youth services, drug prevention, & environmental cleanup.

Bottom Line: These bills betray #Prop64’s promises. Don’t let #BigCannabis profit at kids’ expense. #Cannabis

Oakland Back-to-School Update / Cannabis Risks / SF's Ocean Beach Oaklandside's Ashley McBride gives us an update on OUSD; we take a look at the cannabis industry and increasing evidence of risks for users; and we hear from the author and illustrator of "Ocean Beach...

1/"This isn’t the pot of the past."

On #KALW’s #StateOfTheBay, our Dr. Lynn Silver breaks down how today’s #cannabis industry mimics #BigTobacco—marketing high-potency vapes & dabs to youth, pushing a false 'wellness' image, & fueling addiction.

Listen: www.kalw.org/show/state-b...

C.D.C. Ties 85 Cases of THC-Related Symptoms to Wisconsin Restaurant

New York Times article reveals 85 people were sickened after #THC-infused oil was mistakenly used at a Wisconsin restaurant sharing a kitchen with a #cannabis #edibles business. CA just legalized (we opposed) this kind of co-location. We should be concerned. www.nytimes.com/2025/07/28/w...

New findings highlight risks of prenatal #cannabis use. Neonates exposed to cannabis in utero had significantly smaller total brain volume vs. unexposed peers, even after controlling for maternal stress. www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

2/#CDPH should go further:

- Apply #THC limits to all #hemp products
- Ban inhalables like vapes, pre-rolls, wax, & flower
- Clarify “inhalables”

If it gets you high, it should be regulated. CA must close loopholes to protect #YouthHealth.

Learn more from our fact sheet: bit.ly/45ixzUS

1/We urge the California Dept. of Public Health to finalize & make permanent the regs prohibiting intoxicating #hemp.

These unregulated, high-#THC products—like Delta-8, Delta-10, THC-P—are being seized in schools, sold near campuses, & exposing kids to potent cannabinoids with no safety testing.

2/These bills would gut:

- Childcare for foster & low-income families
- Youth substance use prevention (275+ orgs)
- Cleanup of toxic illegal grows
- Local enforcement capacity

They won't fix the illicit market—just boost #Cannabis industry profits at kids' expense.

Take Action: bit.ly/46Lqjmt

1/#CALeg is moving fast to pass #cannabis industry–backed bills that would slash $1.35 billion from childcare, youth prevention & environmental programs. #PublicHealth

These cuts break the promise of #Prop64. @gavinnewsom.bsky.social @governor.ca.gov r.ca.gov

Take action now!
bit.ly/46Lqjmt

2/Reporter Tom Philp in #SacBee:

"#Prop64 is on a trajectory to being a false promise for CA as an industry begs for tax relief as lawmakers view their job as making #cannabis more affordable…Our economy has some huge affordability problems. This isn’t one of them.” @ameracadpeds.bsky.social

1/California Legislature: Read editorial by the Sacramento Bee's pulitzer prize-winning journalist Tom Philp on #BigCannabis's $1.3B tax cut grab.

While industry profits, kids & youth programs pay the price. Let’s honor #Prop64's promises. @senatorashby.bsky.social

Read: bit.ly/4lIPBWL

2/Our Dr. Silver notes in the Bee editorial: “This is an immense boondoggle for the #cannabis industry that is coming at the cost of kids…While the...industry is crying poverty, they are spending copiously to heavily lobby lawmakers.” @senatorashby.bsky.social

#CALeg: No on #AB564/#AB8

What if the only thing California Democrats can make more affordable is weed? | Opinion Failing to tackle more central problems to the California economy, lawmakers now focus on a cannabis tax that was supposed to fund youth programs.

1/Must-read Sacramento Bee editorial by Pulitzer-winner Tom Philp: CA’s “affordability crisis” isn’t #cannabis — it’s the cost of abandoning our commitments to kids & communities.” #AB564 #AB8 #CALeg

Learn why gutting #Prop64 for #BigCannabis is a disaster: www.sacbee.com/opinion/arti...

2/#Cannabis may be legal — but that doesn’t mean it’s harmless. We agree with authors's recs & also support:

- Clear health warnings
- Potency limits
- Youth-targeted ad restrictions
- Clinician screening & education

Legalization must come with guardrails.
#CannabisPolicy #PublicHealth #Prop64

Survey: A Third of Californians Use Cannabis, But Many Don’t Know the Risks A new landmark survey of more than 5,000 Californians found that while over a third of Californians use cannabis and the majority use it for symptom relief, most do not consult with their doctor for a...

1/New UC San Diego study of 5000 plus Californians finds widespread #cannabis use—but major gaps in knowledge about health risks, laws & safe use.

Only 15% turn to doctors for guidance. Authors call for more education for users & providers to reduce harm.

Learn More: bit.ly/4eAemSu

2/KTVU segment also highlights why #CALeg must reject #cannabis tax cuts that would drain funding from #YouthHealth, #DrugPrevention & toxic cleanup programs.

Say NO to #AB564 & the tax cut provisions in #AB8.

We need #PublicHealth–driven policy — not profit-driven rollbacks.

1/Thanks to #KTVU for spotlighting our Dr. Silver (Public Health Institute/Getting it Right from the Start) re: growing evidence linking #cannabis use to heart attacks, stroke, & cardiovascular death — esp. with 1 in 10 youth now using daily - vastly higher than recent past.

Watch: bit.ly/44lNEKc

2/We oppose #AB564 + the tax cut in #AB8 (Billion Dollar Boondoggle). As our Dr. Silver told the Mercury News: “The industry has whitewashed #cannabis harms + marketed it as wellness.”

One youth featured in piece lost years to daily high-potency use. These are the lives prevention programs protect.

Child safety advocates and California’s cannabis industry battle over tax funds This summer, two state congressional actions might affect the way cannabis taxes are collected and allocated.

1/The San Jose Mercury's Jia Jung breaks down what’s at stake: Will CA protect public/enviro health or boost #cannabis industry profits?

The #CALeg is considering tax cuts that could divert $1.2B over 5 years from childcare, youth prevention, & enviro programs.

Article: bit.ly/4kdrHBo

2/We need more sensible, science-based, #PublicHealth guardrails for #Cannabis:

· Add #HealthWarningLabels to products
· Restrict youth-targeted marketing
· Limit product potency (i.e. #THC)
· Equip clinicians to screen & educate

Legalization isn’t the end of conversation—it’s the beginning.

The real youth drug crisis is marijuana These kids are not using yesterday’s weed.

1/Smart Approaches to Marijuana's Kevin Sabet pens editorial in The Hill highlighting the growing bipartisan concern over health risks of increasing youth use of #Cannabis (esp. #HighPotency)—incl. our recent study linking local cannabis retail bans to lower youth #psychosis rates.

bit.ly/4kX8DJ5

2/As editorial warns: #Cannabis use is rising — & so are the risks.

It’s time for clinicians to treat it like #tobacco: screen, educate, & assess use in all patients.

Regulators must move beyond profits & protect health through warnings, potency limits, & marketing restrictions. #PublicHealth

Cannabis use could double risk of heart deaths, study suggests Experts say research from University of Toulouse raises ‘serious questions’ about health risks of cannabis

1/Guardian's @andrewgregory.com covers our
editorial in the British Medical Journal's Heart on the new meta-analysis of 24 studies — involving ~200 million people — finding #cannabis use linked to 2x higher risk of death from #HeartDisease & 20% higher risk of stroke.

Read article: bit.ly/3T15gEz

2/As #KQED reports, our (Dr. Lynn Silver) co-authored editorial urges urgent action:

- Require health warning labels on #Cannabis products
- Restrict marketing
- Set limits on product potency

It’s time to treat cannabis like we treat #tobacco: not criminalized, but discouraged. #PublicHealth

Cannabis Users at Higher Risk of Heart Attack and Stroke | KQED Bay Area researchers argue doctors should treat cannabis as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease.

1/KQED’s April Dembrosky covers our editorial (with
Dr. Glantz) in Heart (of the British Medical Journal) re: a new meta-analysis that found #cannabis users face:

• 29% higher risk of #HeartAttack
• 20% higher risk of #Stroke
• Double the risk of #CardiovascularDeath

Read: bit.ly/4n9JJr3

2/“This isn’t your 1970s weed.” Our Director Dr. Lynn Silver tells CNN it’s time for clinicians to screen for #cannabis use like they do for #tobacco — & for regulators to focus on real health risks, not just building a legal market.
#PublicHealth

Read Editorial: bit.ly/43MLYcj

Marijuana use dramatically increases risk of dying from heart attacks and stroke, large study finds | CNN Using marijuana doubles the risk of dying from heart disease, especially from stroke and heart attacks, a large new study found.

1/Major new CNN story about our editorial (& accompanying study) in @Heart_BMJ details some of its key findings: Using #cannabis doubles risk of dying from #HeartDisease, with significantly increased risk for #HeartAttacks (+29%) & stroke (+20%).

Read more: bit.ly/45pf6rf

#Cannabis #HeartHealth

2/Our Dr. Lynn Silver is quoted in article on issue by
@weedweeknews.bsky.social @alexhalperin.bsky.social: “These devastating cuts to childcare, youth substance abuse prevention programs & environmental remediation come just as the Fed. Gov. is slashing funding for all these areas.” bit.ly/3Thl3PA

1/#CALeg must reject tax cuts for #BigCannabis & oppose diverting #Cannabis Tax Fund $—meant for kids, #PublicHealth & environment—to cover industry costs.

These corporate giveaways are @ expense of youth. Stand up for #Prop64’s promise. @cagovernornewsom.bsky.social

No on #AB564 & #AB8 (parts).