DC youth’s relationship with synthetic marijuana

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Earlier this August Sasha Bruce Youthwork’s DC Prevention Center for Wards 5 and 6 hosted a two night, youth-based dialogue surrounding the rise in the use of synthetic marijuana.

The relevancy of such an event was captured in The Washington Examiner’s recent article ‘Designer’ drugs are kids’ latest craze.

Of critical importance at these events was the discussion of advertising tactics for synthetic marijuana, which now include youth-focused marketing designs and familiar, cartoon-like imagery. The groups of young men and women involved provided valuable insight into the way this drug is now being used as another alternative to the more common form of marijuana and the way in which it is often taken without a real understanding of its real effects. The Prevention Center’s own Courtney Bennett, Community Organizer, served as the moderator for these important conversations.

The DC Prevention Center for Wards 5 and 6 operates in conjunction with the DC Department of Health Addiction Prevention & Recovery Administration to engage in and support protective factors among DC children and youth. It accomplishes this mission through community education forums, similar to these conversations, but also through prevention leadership training and community prevention network development.

In conjunction with this community forum, the DC Prevention Center also testified in the DC City Council to advocate for the passing of three bills that would work to ban these and similar synthetic cannibinoids.

Watch a short film documenting these conversations.

Donate to Sasha Bruce to support these kinds of programs and events.

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