28 November 2014 | Tim Dyck.
The second webinar in the Substance Use Webinar Series was Low-Risk Cannabis Use on Campus led by Tim Dyck and Catriona Remocker from the Centre of Addictions Research of British Columbia (CARBC).
The current atmosphere around cannabis on Canadian campuses and in society is quite hazy. This is partly the result of conflicting messages around the impact of consumption on those who use the substance. Conventional messaging from health organizations and regulatory bodies has tended to emphasize harmfulness (leaving the impression “it’s all bad”). Conversely, proponents and defenders of use have accentuated benefits (suggesting ”it’s all good”). Competing values add further to the haze. For some the use, production and trade of cannabis ought to be regarded as a right since it poses no clear threat to public welfare. This contrasts with the standing policy stance of the federal government that the illegal status of cannabis must be maintained in order to adequately protect Canadians. These conflicting perspectives often leave post-secondary institutions and individuals in the fog about appropriate thinking, messaging, regulation and enforcement related to cannabis.
This webinar aimed to dispel some of the haze. It considered incidence, motivations for and effects of use, offered some suggestions on content for communication to encourage lower-risk practice among those who decide to use cannabis, and alluded to means through which that messaging can be shared on campus.
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