1. High self-esteem and sense of identity
2. Development of healthy coping skills
3. Norms discouraging cannabis use
4. Feelings of connectedness
5. Campus policy (and enforcement)
6. Effective prevention programming in place

Evidence-based Practices and Interventions

Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT)

SBIRT is a process in which the individual is screened, brief motivational interviewing occurs, and the individual is referred to appropriate resources.

Brief Motivational Interviewing (BMI)

Brief Motivational Interviewing (BMI) is a strategy in which a trained professional conducts a brief counseling session, exploring behaviors and resolving feelings of ambivalence towards problem behaviors. An example of this is modifying BASICS for cannabis use (sometimes referred to as CASICS).

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (From the National Institute on Drug Abuse)

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) was developed as a method to prevent relapse when treating problem drinking, and can be adapted for cannabis use. Cognitive-behavioral strategies are based on the theory that in the development of maladaptive behavioral patterns like substance misuse, learning processes play a critical role. Individuals in CBT learn to identify and correct problematic behaviors by applying a range of different skills that can be used to stop drug misuse and to address a range of other problems that often co-occur with it.

A central element of CBT is anticipating likely problems and enhancing patients’ self-control by helping them develop effective coping strategies. Specific techniques include exploring the positive and negative consequences of continued drug use, self-monitoring to recognize cravings early and identify situations that might put one at risk for use, and developing strategies for coping with cravings and avoiding those high-risk situations.

Policies

Policy change has been shown to aid in the reduction of cannabis use. Some examples of policy change include strict no-use cannabis policy and policies about impairment on campus.

While state laws across the country are changing, cannabis is still an illegal substance in the state of Missouri. While some counties or cities have chosen to decriminalize cannabis for small amounts, all Missouri colleges and universities are covered under the federal Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act that prevents the use of illegal drugs on campus.

Individual campuses also have their own policies and procedures for handling possession of illegal drugs, paraphernalia, and other drug violations. Check with your campus law enforcement and/or conduct office for information on specific policies on your campus.

Environmental Strategies

Environmental strategies, alongside policy change, strengthen more accurate peer perceptions about acceptability of use and risks. Some examples of environmental strategies include limiting retailer availability, restricting locations where cannabis can be bought and used, and minimizing youth exposure to cannabis advertising.

Harm Reduction

Harm reduction methods can aid in reducing harmful behaviors of those who have decided to use cannabis already and do not wish to cease use. These strategies aim to minimize harm from use.

Social Norms

Social norms campaigns have shown to be effective in changing attitudes and perceptions of individuals related to the safety, prevalence, and risks of cannabis use.

*Adapted from the Michigan Collegiate Cannabis Prevention Toolkit