Photo by David Greene
The New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports (NYS OASAS) announced on Friday, April 19, the launch of a new Cannabis Toolkit for parents and mentors, designed to offer resources and information about cannabis and how to talk to young people about the risks of underage cannabis use and the impact it can have. The free toolkit is available in both English and Spanish on the OASAS website.
The news comes on the same day that, as reported, New York City Mayor Eric Adams joined New York Gov. Kathy Hochul for a joint press conference to announce new measures to crack down on illegal smoke shops on Friday morning, April 19, further to complaints from residents, and ongoing raids (and robberies) of such premises. [A further story will follow on the latest press conference.]
Meanwhile, OASAS Commissioner Dr. Chinazo Cunningham, said on Friday of the new toolkit,“Young people may find cannabis products attractive and appealing, and parents and other trusted adults should know how to discuss this issue and give young people the information they need to stay safe. It is important to have regular conversations about this topic. Research shows that having these conversations can significantly influence a teen’s decisions regarding substance use.”
The new toolkit is focused on addressing and preventing underage use of cannabis, which health experts said can impair learning, short-term memory, decision-making and problem-solving skills, attention, and motivation. They said it can also lead to physical issues, such as bronchitis or asthma, and increased risk of schizophrenia and other serious mental health disorders.
Kyle Belokopitsky, NYS Parent-Teacher Association executive director, said, “We are thrilled that OASAS has taken on this critical work to support parent, family, educator, and youth education on cannabis. Since legalization of recreational marijuana, we have seen both cases of accidental ingestion and use by underage youth increase substantially, and education and awareness of harms and dangers of cannabis use by youth is so important.”
He added, “As a parent of a high school student, I personally know how hard these conversations are to have with your child, and we hope this toolkit with help both educators and families have meaningful talks with their children and students on the dangers and harms of substance use – including cannabis.”
OASAS officials said the toolkit provides evidence-based information and tips for starting and maintaining conversations with youth on things like cannabis potency, types of products, and the impact that cannabis and THC can have on the developing brain. They said it also offers important information on the risks of underage use, how to model healthy and safe behaviors, and discussing ways to avoid underage use altogether, all of which are hallmarks of OASAS prevention efforts.
Chris Alexander, executive director of NYS Office of Cannabis Management (OCM), said of the toolkit, “The New York State Office of Cannabis Management applauds the addition of resources like the Cannabis Toolkit by the Office of Addiction Services and Supports to help parents and mentors navigate critical discussions around cannabis and young people. Regular discussions on this topic are crucial, as research demonstrates their significant impact on influencing teens’ decisions regarding substance use.”
He added, “As we strive to promote public health and safety, resources like the Cannabis Toolkit play a meaningful role in supporting families as they navigate important discussions around preventing underage cannabis use and fostering informed decision-making among the young people in our communities.”
Meanwhile, Robert Schneider, executive director of the NYS Schools Boards Association said, “NYS OASAS’ new Cannabis Toolkit will help parents and adults navigate effective conversations with young adults about the risks associated with cannabis use. Students may learn the risks associated with substance use in classrooms, however, their decision-making can often rest on their peer group preferences, social pressures, and the possibilities of misinformation in social media feeds.”
He added, “This toolkit will provide needed structure and direction for meaningful dialogue between adults and youth about substance use which is a risk factor in youth development that can have a negative impact on learning, attention, and health.”
OASAS officials said their office oversees one of the nation’s largest systems of addiction services with approximately 1,700 prevention, treatment and recovery programs serving over 731,000 individuals per year. They said this includes the direct operation of 12 Addiction Treatment Centers where our doctors, nurses, and clinical staff provide inpatient and residential services to approximately 8,000 individuals per year.
As reported, a 2023 City law which prohibits owners of commercial premises from knowingly leasing commercial premises to, or otherwise allowing the use of such premises by, unlicensed smoke shops went into effect last July, but was not being actively implemented, according to the city council.
When Norwood News contacted the council to ask a related question about the law, in perhaps another sign of ongoing tensions between the Adams administration and the council, a deputy press secretary at the Office of City Council Speaker Adrienne E. Adams, said in part, “As part of the [Adams] Administration’s required quarterly reporting [on] this law, we learned in March that shockingly, they reported that zero notices or summonses were issued to commercial landlords and thus, none were found in violation.”
We asked the deputy secretary which agency was responsible for issuing the summonses. We did not receive an immediate response. As above, the mayor, the governor, and others addressed the new crackdown on illegal smoke shops during Friday’s press conference. A further story will follow.
New Yorkers struggling with an addiction, or whose loved ones are struggling, can find help and hope by calling the state’s toll-free, 24-hour, 7-day-a-week HOPEline at 1-877-8-HOPENY (1-877-846-7369) or by texting HOPENY (Short Code 467369).
Available addiction treatment including crisis/detox, inpatient, residential, or outpatient care can be found using the NYS OASAS Treatment Availability Dashboard at FindAddictionTreatment.ny.
If you, or a loved one, have experienced insurance obstacles related to treatment or need help filing an appeal for a denied claim, contact the CHAMP helpline by phone at 888-614-5400 or email at ombuds@oasas.ny.gov.
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Welcome to the Norwood News, a bi-weekly community newspaper that primarily serves the northwest Bronx communities of Norwood, Bedford Park, Fordham and University Heights. Through our Breaking Bronx blog, we focus on news and information for those neighborhoods, but aim to cover as much Bronx-related news as possible. Founded in 1988 by Mosholu Preservation Corporation, a not-for-profit affiliate of Montefiore Medical Center, the Norwood News began as a monthly and grew to a bi-weekly in 1994. In September 2003 the paper expanded to cover University Heights and now covers all the neighborhoods of Community District 7. The Norwood News exists to foster communication among citizens and organizations and to be a tool for neighborhood development efforts. The Norwood News runs the Bronx Youth Journalism Heard, a journalism training program for Bronx high school students. As you navigate this website, please let us know if you discover any glitches or if you have any suggestions. We’d love to hear from you. You can send e-mails to norwoodnews@norwoodnews.org or call us anytime (718) 324-4998.
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