As someone who lived in Boulder for a short stint before moving to my current residence in New York City, I can tell you first-hand that the state of Colorado is majestically evergreen, a landscape packed with towering trees and beautiful buds. It’s one of the most cannabis-friendly regions around, and has a high-caliber culture that represents all of the best things that marijuana and hemp has to offer the world. But, not everything is all peachy in the green wonderland of Colorado, and although cannabis is widely accepted statewide, the potential for underage cannabis use remains a prevalent issue to some.
And so, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) has recently launched a campaign called to get parents, educators, coaches, and mentors to use the proper tools, tips, and information to discuss not using marijuana to the state’s youth. Entitled the “Good to Know” campaign, the state is hoping that it can dissuade kids under the required age of 21 from using retail marijuana. Governor John Hickenlooper has jumped aboard the campaign, which will soon start featuring adverts on television, radio, social media, which includes prime time slots and Denver Broncos games as well.
“This campaign is a priority for me,” Governor Hickenlooper had said in a statement. “Just because marijuana is legal in Colorado doesn’t mean it’s safe for our young people. As a parent, I know conversations like these aren’t always easy, but it’s important for parents, teachers and other trusted adults to share what they know about the legal and health consequences of underage marijuana use.”
Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment has also launched a website with tips and tools to help parents talk openly to their kids about using marijuana at a young age. According to Dr. Larry Wolk, the executive director of the health department, research has shown that underage marijuana use can possibly impair brain development and keep kids for actualizing their full potential.
In the past, the CDPHE has run advertisements that tell residents and tourists the do’s and don’ts of using cannabis. But now, they seem to be keying in on the underage demographic, and are hoping to provide parents, educators, and other influential figures with the proper methodology to discuss cannabis use with the youth. On the website, the “Good to Know” campaign offers tips on how to talk to kids of various ages, as well as the mental and physical consequences of toking up underage.
It might seem like overkill, but it’s clear that the state of Colorado is taking their legalization efforts very seriously. And though this initiative might seem like a nuisance to a group of teenages just trying to experiment and have a good time, in reality the “Good to Know” campaign is a good thing, as it keeps negative attention away from the state’s premier cannabis industry, and also makes the legalization movement look much more legitimate as a whole.
