Webinars: Cannabis

As attitudes shift and laws evolve, behaviors once considered taboo, such as sports betting and cannabis use, have become commonplace. Many young adults engage in sports betting for entertainment or to enhance their experience of sporting events, while others turn to cannabis for experimentation, socialization, and stress relief. However, emerging research highlights the risks associated with repeated cannabis use and sports betting, may contribute to addiction cycles and broader public health concerns.

This presentation will review the latest research on the relationship between gambling behaviors and cannabis use among young adults. Findings from a longitudinal study of young adult sports bettors (N=210, ages 18-29, across 35 states) will be discussed, shedding light on patterns of engagement, risk factors, and co-occurring behaviors.

College administers and prevention specialists will gain insights into these emerging trends and the implications for young adults navigating their early years of financial independence. The session will also suggest the need for evidence-based prevention strategies to help mitigate the risks associated with sports betting and cannabis use in college populations.

Learning Objectives

• Identify key trends in sports betting and cannabis use among young adults, including how changing policies and social norms impact behavior.
• Examine recent research findings on the intersection of gambling behaviors and substance use.
• Discuss potential prevention strategies and intervention approaches that college prevention specialists could implement to address the growing risks associated with sports betting and cannabis use.

Student-athletes spend significant time and energy to be the best in their sport but may not realize the ways alcohol and cannabis use can impact athletic performance and negate all those efforts. Through a real-life example from a national championship-winning coach and his partnership with campus prevention specialists, you’ll test your knowledge on the performance impacts of alcohol and cannabis use, learn how to apply this information to reach student-athletes effectively, and help create healthy, winning team cultures on campus.

Learning Objectives

• Discuss the ways alcohol and cannabis use can impact athletic performance.
• Identify student-athlete alcohol and cannabis use norms.
• Apply this information for substance misuse education for student-athletes.

This webinar session will delve into the complex landscape of substance use among college students. This session will explore the Dualistic Model of Passion (DMP) for substance use, and introduce its components (Obsessive Passion and Harmonious Passion) and their influences on substance use behaviors and use-related outcomes among college students. Additionally, this session will discuss the impacts of global events (e.g., the COVID-19 pandemic) on cannabis use and emotional well-being among college students with and without a cannabis use disorder. This webinar aims to underscore the importance of considering passion for substance use in substance use prevention and treatment.

Learning Objectives

• Exploring the Dualistic Model of Passion (DMP) for substance use
• Understanding the components of DMP – Obsessive Passion and Harmonious Passion;
• Examining the relationships between passion for substance use and use-related outcomes
• Impact of COVID-19 on cannabis use and emotional well-being among college students with and without a cannabis use disorder
• Implications for intervention and prevention strategies on substance use

Participants will learn about policy requirements relating to cannabis use, updated cannabis legislation, and the Drug Free Schools & Communities Act. Participants will be able to summarize campus federal requirements in relation to the changing cannabis laws and the impact on college campuses.

This webinar will educate participants on how commonly misused prescription drugs work in the brain to produce euphoria, dependency, and addiction—and how their absence may cause withdrawal. We will identify factors that increase a drug’s addiction potential, including a drug’s formulation and route of administration. Lastly, we’ll conclude by discussing the current approaches to treat opioid addiction or to rescue an opioid overdose.