Cannabis education lacking

By Adelle Ellis, Times Reporter

Although many people are still uncertain how the legalization of cannabis will affect them and their communities, one common consensus is the need for more education around the drug.
According to an online CBC story, Health Canada has plans to spend approximately $100 million on cannabis education over six years, including public health campaigns on social media, a cannabis health facts advertising campaign to deliver “honest facts” to teens, and an interactive engagement tour targeting youth and young adults at events such as fairs, music festivals and sporting events, among other campaigns.
Locally, there are currently no specific cannabis awareness programs. But one local non-profit has plans to continue building substance use awareness through initiatives directed at Strathmore and Wheatland County youth.
The Strathmore Wheatland Addictions Team (SWAT) advocates for healthy, informed decisions through community-driven initiatives, and partnering with community members and other local agencies to build programs to protect youth from getting into risky behaviours such as violence, alcohol abuse and the use of illicit drugs.
“It’s too early to tell how the legislation will impact cannabis use in our community,” said Dean Young, committee member with SWAT. “We place our primary focus on education around cannabis. Our approach to education, for all substances, is non-partisan.”
Young said although he does not see local communities falling into the “reefer madness from the ’60s,” he does expect to see an increase of use due to the legitimacy and availability of cannabis.
“Cannabis is a drug like any other and there will be abuses, and there will be harms associated with it and its use. We will also see that legalization will not have reduced the harm as much as is being posited by some segments of society,” said Young.
Research into the medical effectiveness of cannabis in all its forms has yet to be conducted. Once more concrete research into cannabis consumption is concluded, SWAT plans on sharing future research with community members.
Although SWAT does not currently offer specific cannabis programming, they had previously participated in the Cannabis: Let’s Talk Alberta community conversation research project funded by Health Canada in partnership with the University of Victoria’s Institute of Substance Use Research, and saw benefit of an open dialogue with youth in realistic discussions of cannabis.
“Cannabis legalization will not affect SWAT’s mandate, as cannabis has always been a substance that falls within our purview. We will continue to advocate for harm reduction in all its forms, and cannabis will be covered in this approach,” said Young. “SWAT is prepared to provide awareness and advocacy going forward.”