The predominant method of current Cannabis education revolves around avoidance of drugs (think the “Just say no” campaign in America) and complete abstinence. It relies on instilling fear into children and young adults and is not based on any scientific research done in the past decade or two. Cannabis is still being called a “gateway drug”, despite the fact that this has been disproved over and over again. Drug use and drug users are stigmatized in the abstinence-based approach and there is no rational space between complete abstinence and a drug problem.

Cannabis education needs to consider the opinions, perspectives and values of teenagers when designing curricula for school purposes. It must consider risk factors (poor socio-economic environment, family instability, childhood trauma, etc) and protective factors (community cohesion; supportive parental structure, highly developed social skills, etc) around drug use. It must be based on an interactive and multifaceted evidence-based approach that not only provides facts about Cannabis and its use, but also considers aspects such as personal development, general decision making skills, how to manage stress, and harm reduction.

There are few avenues available to the youth to have an unbiased discussion around Cannabis to adequately enlighten them on their choices and experiences with Cannabis use. By listening without judgment and asking open-ended questions in a non-threatening manner, interaction is encouraged and rapport is built. With this interactive approach, communication opportunities within the classroom opens up and ideas and experiences can be exchanged, while facts and accurate information is at hand.

It is important to note that regardless of whatever literature given or any perceived discouragement, the chances of a teenager experimenting with Cannabis is extremely high. It is therefore important to fill the gap left by programs such as D.A.R.E between complete abstinence and a problematic drug habit.

It is not often that an adolescent’s opinion is consulted when designing materials relevant to their education. We are all familiar with the concept of “token-ism”, where a representative is invited to form part of a committee for their input, but their input is not valued or considered when it is provided. The youth have a fundamental right to be included in the design of Cannabis education – it is the only way to ensure that it is relevant, truthful and efficient. By avoiding negative stereotyping, the youth can be valued as leaders and contributors to their own education.

By engaging the youth as credible partners with valued input and a right to that input, the needs of the diverse youth can be met effectively. Consultation with young people is crucial to successful and efficient Cannabis education.

Cannabis education should not be performed by law enforcement or a similar type of authority. For far too long the message of abstinence was spread and inadvertently, this has made the police man dangerous to a teenager consider experimenting with Cannabis. It forms part of the fear-rationale that most anti-drug campaigns are rooted in.

Trained facilitators and peer-based programs have shown promising results in delivery and generally avoid fear- or abstinence-based programs. By empowering some of the youth to act as assistants or facilitators can centralize the youth’s experience in development and delivery and will foster open and unbiased dialogue.

As parent it is important to have a discussion with your child before he/she experiments with Cannabis. Positive parenting and family management strategies, such as setting clear expectations, providing family support, and ongoing communication can lead to healthier choices and safer experiences.

Age-appropriate education should include discussions of potential risks and benefits and must develop decision-making skills. It is best to implement Cannabis education prior to initial use, but it should be ongoing and adapted according to age-relevant experiences. For example, around adolescence the discussion should shift towards handling first experiences or declining them if the youth feels unprepared for the experience.

Educating the entire family is important to encourage relevant and open discussions. Family discussions about Cannabis and use thereof is often avoided due to lack of knowledge or misinformation. Parents have been excluded from drug education, but when incorporated into the process, they can fulfill the essential role of enforcing consistent messaging around Cannabis in a legalized context.

Parents should be guided on how to facilitate the conversation without the adolescent “shutting down”. By providing them with guidelines, considerations and the essential correct information, parents can contribute to the accuracy of their child’s Cannabis education.

The abstinence- and fear-based programs previously utilized may work for some adolescents, but provides no guidance to the youth who will experiment with Cannabis regardless of these programs. No risks are addressed that could translate into violent or sexual behaviour with, for example, alcohol. In the same way, teenagers need to be educated to promote harm reduction relating to Cannabis use.

The most effective harm reduction takes place with older youth and heavy youth Cannabis users and its strategies to not condone drug use. It has become increasingly accepted as a pragmatic approach. Previous interventions were found to reduce risks of both alcohol and Cannabis use, making it an acceptable avenue for adolescent Cannabis education.

It is important to consider an adolescent’s socio-economic factors, cultural heritage and inherent beliefs among other factors, when designing Cannabis education. What works for one group might not work for another and it is important that the curriculum tailors to all contexts.

Programs should be based on the realities of the particular group, for example rural vs urban settings, and should be mindful of the fact that some groups are at greater risk of developing substance abuse problems than others. With meaningful inclusion, this gap can be bridged and relevant input and experiences can be provided by those who it is most applicable to – the youth.

Effective Cannabis education is dependent on ongoing conversations – no acceptable form of coherence on the subject can be achieved in a single session. Booster or follow-up sessions have proven to be valuable to the process and have shown promising results in preventative actions.

The youth have a right to access age-appropriate resources that are accessible, accurate and ongoing in order to help them navigate their invariably different experiences and exposure to Cannabis.