Youth and Substance Use
On October 17th, 2022, the Innovations in Harm Reduction for Youth Cannabis Use event showcased new developments in harm reduction research and programs from across Canada. Participants included youth experts, advocates, community organizations, policy contributors and researchers to highlight youth-led and youth-centered approaches to cannabis education and harm reduction developed in the post-legalization context. This report provides and overview and context for eight programs, including their approaches to harm reduction, inclusion and engagement.
The 2023 Innovations report highlights the following programs and studies: Get Sensible (Canadian Students for Sensible Drug Policy); Cannabis in our Communities (Pauktuutit Inuit Women of Canada); YMCA Youth Cannabis Awareness Program; Cannabis & Mental Health; Lower Risk Cannabis Guidelines for Youth (Foundry, Victoria); Exploring cannabis use and mental health in sexually and gender diverse youth (DePSA Lab, Qualitative Community-Based Study); Engaging and Educating Young-Adult Cannabis Consumers (WeedOut Misinformation); Developing Cannabis Education and Harm Reduction Messages with Youth (TRACE V).
Video: Fictional drama film “CYCLES”
Our Teen’s Report on Adolescent Cannabis Experiences (TRACE) team created the fictional drama film “CYCLES,” based on the results of TRACE I and II. The film explores high school student decision making around the use of cannabis.
The CYCLES film also has a Facilitator’s guide and an Overview page to support its use in group settings.
TRACE V Report
TRACE V is the continuation of the Teens Report on Adolescent Cannabis Experiences (TRACE), a qualitative research program that began in 2006. TRACE addresses gaps in approaches to cannabis education for youth and explores how health and social inequities shape youth cannabis use. In this 2022 report, you can read about: what we have done, who participated in the project and what we heard from them, and things we learned from our interviews (e.g., about stigma, harm reduction, inequities) and more. [PDF]
Webinar: Innovations in Harm Reduction for Youth Cannabis Use
On October 17 2022, we hosted a hybrid event, Innovations in Harm Reduction for Youth Cannabis Use, where we showcased Canadian cannabis research and education projects designed for and with youth. We shared new developments in harm reduction and youth-led approaches, and discussed how to be inclusive of the diverse needs of youth who use cannabis. This event brought together youth experts, advocates, community organizations, and researchers from across the country (see video below).
Research paper: “You can’t chain a dog to a porch”: A multisite qualitative analysis of youth narratives of parental approaches to substance use. This paper shows that youth experiences of and perspectives on substance were shaped by parental approaches, which varied by local social, geographic and economic community contexts. [PDF] [Journal page].
Research paper: Developing harm reduction in the context of youth substance use: insights from a multi-site qualitative analysis of young people’s harm minimization strategies. This publication shows that youth employ a variety of harm reduction minimization strategies that reflect their respective contexts. [PDF] [Journal page].