Lessons from the Field Webinar - Understanding and Preventing Student Marijuana Use

Attention: State and District Leaders, School Administrators, Educators, Student Support Personnel, Parents, and Education Stakeholders

The U.S. Department of Education is hosting a webinar series to address hot topics that are on the top of educators’ minds. After sharing federal updates, the series features lessons learned and best practices from faculty, staff, schools, districts, institutions of higher education, and other places of educational instruction. It also shares a variety of useful resources.

On behalf of the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education’s Office of Safe and Supportive Schools, the National Center on Safe Supportive Learning Environments (NCSSLE) invites you to join our next webinar, Understanding and Preventing Student Marijuana Use.

Understanding and Preventing Student Marijuana Use

Wednesday, March 22, 2023

3:00 – 4:30 pm ET

According to the 2022 Monitoring the Future (MTF) Survey, 30.7% of 12th graders used marijuana in the past year. Youth marijuana use may lead to permanent effects on the developing brain, such as problems with attention, memory, and learning, especially with regular or heavy use. The amount of the mind-altering chemical THC in marijuana has been increasing over the past few decades. Higher THC levels may mean greater risk for harmful effects and greater risk for addiction. Join this webinar to learn more about (1) the different forms of marijuana, (2) its impact on the brain, health, development, and learning, and (3) effective substance use prevention interventions to create environments where youth can thrive. This webinar will provide a series of presentations, a panel discussion, and a live question and answer session.

Speakers/Panelists

• Cindy Carraway-Wilson, Training Specialist, National Center on Safe Supportive Learning Environments (NCSSLE)
• Dr. Brooke Hoots, Lead, Cannabis Strategy Unit, Division of Overdose Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
• Dr. Ruben Baler, Health Scientist Administrator, Science Policy Branch, Office of Science Policy and Communications, National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIH/NIDA)
• Dr. Bertha Madras, Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, McClean Hospital
• Courtney Esparza, Public Health Advisor, Youth Engagement Lead, Office of Prevention Innovation, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
• Dr. Charlene McGunn, Executive Director, Chippewa Valley Coalition for Youth and Families

Webinar Materials

• Speaker Bios
• Slides
• Recording
• Transcript

Related Resources

• Marijuana Use and Teens (CDC)
• The Reward Circuit: How the Brain Responds to Marijuana (video) (NIDA)
• Cannabis (Marijuana) DrugFacts (website) (NIDA)
• Marijuana - The Risks Are Real (SAMHSA)
• Talking With Your Teen About Marijuana (SAMHSA)
• Substance Use Prevention Resources for Youth and College Students (SAMHSA)

Please contact NCSSLE if you have any questions. We look forward to sharing this information with you and hearing about the important work you are doing in your schools, communities, and states to meet the needs of students and staff.

More on the Lessons from the Field Webinar Series

To access archived materials from previous webinars and to find out what is coming next, go here.