Beyond Just Say No: Dr. June Chin on Rethinking Youth Cannabis Education
For generations, conversations about cannabis and young people were dominated by one message: Just Say No.
Programs like D.A.R.E. introduced millions of students to drug prevention education, often emphasizing abstinence without leaving much room for questions or deeper conversations. But as cannabis legalization expands across the country, the conversation surrounding cannabis education is changing.
Today, young people are growing up in a world where cannabis is legal for adults in many states, dispensaries are becoming familiar sights, and cannabis-related content is readily available through social media and popular culture.
The question is no longer simply how to discourage young people from consuming cannabis. It’s also how to provide them with accurate information and create environments where they feel comfortable asking questions.
New York’s Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) is addressing that challenge through Cannabis Honestly, a public health education campaign for young people ages 11 to 17 and the trusted adults in their lives.
Dr. June Chin, Chief Medical Officer at the New York State Office of Cannabis Management, believes meaningful cannabis education begins with honest conversations, credible information, and community involvement.
CashColorCannabis spoke with Dr. Chin about the inspiration behind Cannabis Honestly, what young people are saying about cannabis, the importance of mental health, and why educating the next generation requires a different approach.
CashColorCannabis: What inspired Cannabis Honestly, and what did you feel was missing from the current approach to youth cannabis education?
Dr. June Chin: Cannabis Honestly is our agency’s public health education campaign. It was designed for people ages 11 to 17 and the trusted adults in their lives.
We know that cannabis has changed dramatically. It’s legal for adults in New York. Products have more variation and potency, and young people are encountering information about cannabis through social media, their friends, and popular culture.
I’m a mom of two teenagers, and we have this conversation at home.
But the conversations at home and in our communities haven’t necessarily kept up. When we began this campaign, we really gave it some thought. Rather than simply telling young people what to think, we wanted to provide credible information and bring in parents, trusted caregivers, teachers, coaches, and mentors to start these meaningful conversations.
We’re really looking at this campaign as normalizing the cannabis conversation, not normalizing cannabis use for youth.
CashColorCannabis: What did you learn from speaking directly with young people about cannabis? Were there any responses that surprised you?
Dr. June Chin: We held 23 listening sessions across 11 counties. We worked with over 19 community organizations and heard from more than 450 participants.
We really listened before we created this campaign. We wanted to understand what young people were hearing about cannabis and what questions they had. We didn’t want to assume that we knew everything.
Even for me as a physician, we wanted to make sure we heard from community leaders as well.
We didn’t want to create another campaign that just talks to people. We wanted to build something together that was informed by the people it was intended to serve.
What stood out for all of us at the agency was how often mental health came up.
Mental health was raised in 85% of our youth listening sessions, even though it wasn’t specifically prompted.
Young people wanted us to understand how cannabis relates to anxiety, stress, mood, and emotional well-being.
As a clinician, I find that incredibly important because sometimes when you’re talking to a young person and asking them about cannabis, the bigger question is really how they’re feeling or what they’re going through.
There are deeper questions that we have to dig into.
CashColorCannabis: How are schools, local governments, and community organizations working together to make sure this education reaches young people?
Dr. June Chin: We work very closely with schools, local governments, and community-based organizations.
One example is our work with the Mount Vernon School District in Westchester.
We have to recognize that public health cannot operate in silos. We have to connect the dots and work together.
Schools cannot be expected to address youth substance use, mental health, and safety challenges alone.
State governments can provide science, resources, and evidence-informed guidance. Local governments bring community leadership and an understanding of the unique needs of their residents.
Schools have trusted relationships with students and families. Community-based organizations and healthcare professionals bring additional expertise.
A pediatrician, social worker, therapist, or school nurse might help with screening or intervention where it’s needed.
Our role at OCM is to connect those efforts rather than allow everyone to work independently.
The state can provide the tools, but communities really bring them to life.
CashColorCannabis: Has there been any pushback against Cannabis Honestly, particularly from people who may misunderstand the purpose of the program?
Dr. June Chin: The pushback we’ve received is really about making sure the education is evidence-based.
I think people who are a little more hesitant about cannabis education sometimes misunderstand the campaign as normalizing cannabis use.
But we’re really normalizing the conversation around cannabis.
That’s an important distinction.
Once we make that clear to the people we’re speaking with, I think they usually come around.
CashColorCannabis: What would you tell a parent or trusted adult who wants to have a conversation about cannabis with a young person but doesn’t know where to begin?
Dr. June Chin: I think the first thing to understand is that cannabis has changed. Our laws have changed.
Our understanding of the science continues to evolve.
But one thing that hasn’t changed, and you and I talked about this repeatedly throughout our conversation, is that young people need adults they can trust.
It’s about that relationship.
Cannabis Honestly is about giving people facts, tools, and the confidence to have those conversations.
It always goes back to the trusted adults.
And we need everyone at the table.
Continuing the Conversation
As cannabis legalization continues to reshape the country, conversations about education, public health, and responsible consumption are becoming increasingly important.
Cannabis Honestly represents one approach to addressing those challenges by bringing young people, families, educators, healthcare professionals, and communities into the conversation.
For more information about the initiative and its educational resources, visit CannabisHonestly.org.
There’s more to the conversation.
How did Dr. June Chin’s early work with HIV/AIDS patients influence her approach to cannabis medicine? What responsibility does the cannabis industry have in educating the public? And could New York’s approach to youth cannabis education become a blueprint for other states?
Hear our full conversation with Dr. June Chin streaming soon on all platforms.
