The HB 1317 Education Campaign delivers facts, evidence-based content, messaging and skill-building to Colorado’s priority populations about the risks of high concentration cannabis (HCC) use. The campaign reaches audiences through multiple channels, programs and in-person events. The campaign’s unique brand and home is the Tea on THC website and its social media channels. There, visitors find audience-specific educational modules, myths and facts, podcasts, videos, posts and an AI-powered chatbot. The partner projects described below represent the latest innovations in our campaign to decrease initiation of cannabis use, to develop and deliver positive coping and stress management skills and to increase knowledge about today’s cannabis products. The results of this work are actively integrated into the Education Campaign.
1. Motivational Interviewing skills for friends, families and caring adults
(Project lead: Annie Collier, PhD with Sheana Bull, PhD, Clinic Chat and Initium Health)
Community members tell us that they need to know how to talk to their kids, friends and family members about cannabis use. In response, we are developing a program that teaches Motivational Interviewing skills to community members so that they feel comfortable having challenging conversations about cannabis use with loved ones. We plan to offer the program online and provide follow-up assistance to attendees on how to apply these skills using real-life conversations with a chatbot.
2. Science Informed Art Exhibitions
(Project lead: Annie Collier, PhD with Initium Health)
This evidence-based approach uses art to deeply engage and educate audiences about the health impacts of HCC. The project’s debut in the Denver community in Summer 2024 taught participants about the harms of HCC especially as it pertains to youth, pregnancy, and mental health. In the upcoming year there will be traveling exhibitions throughout Colorado that engage new artists in different Colorado communities, as well as curriculum and a video showing teachers how to develop similar art exhibitions with young people about HCC.
3. Promoting Perinatal Wellness
(Project lead: Jenn Leiferman, PhD with Sheana Bull, PhD, Clinic Chat)
This initiative provides accessible, theory-based educational content as well as stress management and coping techniques to support healthier decisions around cannabis use. The English and Spanish-language chatbot will be hosted on perinatal healthcare websites and will deliver easy-to-understand, non-judgmental, tailored messages to pregnant and postpartum individuals.
4. Youth and coping
(Project lead: Annie Collier, PhD with Sheana Bull, PhD, Clinic Chat and Initium Health)
Like Positive Coping During Pregnancy, this project educates young people ages 14 – 25 about healthier alternatives to cannabis use, relying on theory-based positive psychology content as well as stress management and coping techniques. The English and Spanish-language chatbot, hosted on the Tea on THC website, will deliver bespoke messages to young people.
5. Mindfulness and Positive Psychology Skills for Youth
(Project lead: Dannon Cox, PhD at University of Northern Colorado with Jenn Leiferman, PhD, CU liaison)
The project brings together HB-1317 resources and an existing program called Fight the Funk to help youth leadership teams address mental health challenges amongst rural high school students. The centerpiece of this hands-on work is the Fight the Funk Leadership Summit where 300 students, educators and district officials learn about HCC and positive psychology to prevent use. Subsequently, students develop action plans and implement them back at their home schools. For the final summit, students will share lessons learned from implementing their plans.
6. Continuing Education Events
(Project leads: Greg Tung, PhD and Jon Samet, MD, MS)
This program will provide guidelines and educational materials to clinical providers and educators who engage with patients and community members around high concentration cannabis topics.
7. Evaluation
(Project lead: Annie Collier, PhD with Zach Giano, PhD)
The evaluation team analyzes data from the educational campaign and partner projects to assess impacts on knowledge, attitudes and beliefs about high concentration cannabis use as well as changes in coping skills and stress management using positive psychology. The work of this team ensures that the HB 1317 Educational Campaign remains rooted in evidence.
With planning for the education campaign well underway, we would be pleased to receive input from the many people interested in providing thoughts concerning the campaign. To that end, please use the Public Comment form under the Contact Us tab for providing written comments. These will be considered by Dr. Collier and her team as the planning for the campaign continues. Submitted comments will be displayed below.
