COURSE DESCRIPTION

In this session, we discuss how risk and protective factors are evolving in a changing cannabis landscape. Participants will also hear about key considerations for strategies related to preventing youth cannabis use. 

More than half of the US population now live in states where medical or adult-use of cannabis is allowed. As the legal landscape evolves in our own states, prevention practitioners have a role to play in addressing youth cannabis use. The presenter, Gisela Rots, will provide an overview of risk and protective factors, and key considerations for policy and communication strategies to prevent youth use.

Gisela Rots, a public health expert and highly skilled trainer, leads programs that improve outcomes for vulnerable populations through the use of evidence-based strategies. She specializes in substance misuse prevention, youth risk prevention, and building resilience. For over 15 years, she has managed award-winning training programs, integrated trauma-informed approaches into prevention, designed successful social marketing campaigns, advised state agencies and community coalitions, and developed cross-sector partnerships to improve services. 

Rots translates research into practice to address implementation hurdles across community, social, demographic, and environmental contexts. She is the director of the Center for Strategic Prevention Support (CSPS) and consults for Prevention [email protected]. She also leads an effort to address the needs of children experiencing opioid misuse in their homes.