Description
November 24, 2025 | 12:00 – 1:00 PM Cannabis Toolkit: A Resource for Service Providers Working with Youth
Description:
As the landscape of legal cannabis expands with an abundance of cannabis-based products available, healthcare providers need to give a high priority to discussing with their adolescent clients and parents and caregivers about the potential risks of cannabis use. This workshop will review a resource developed by the Maine Substance Use Disorder Learning Community – Talking with Teens about Cannabis Use. This science-informed toolkit provides information and talking points for healthcare service providers when addressing cannabis use with adolescent clients and affected families. The resource includes information on how to engage in effective conversations with adolescents, drawing on concepts from Motivational Interviewing, tips for responding to misperceptions about cannabis, a guide for parents/caregivers, a cannabis fact sheet, and resources on cannabis use.
Learning Objectives:
- Gain understanding on the importance of addressing cannabis use with adolescent clients and their parents/guardians.
- Increase knowledge on effective communication skills when discussing cannabis use with clients.
- Gain science-based knowledge regarding the potential hazards and harms of cannabis use by youth.
Presenter: Ken C. Winters, Ph.D.
Ken C. Winters, Ph.D. is a Senior Scientist at the Oregon Research Institute (MN location) and a Consultant for the Native Center for Behavioral Health at the University of Iowa. He previously was a Professor at the University of Minnesota’s Department of Psychiatry, where he founded and directed the Center for Adolescent Substance Abuse Research for 25 years. He is a co-founder of Smart Approaches to Marijuana Minnesota, a state-wide community coalition. Dr. Winters has received numerous research grants to address behavioral health from the National Institute of Health and various foundations during a 35-year period. He has published over 200 peer-reviewed articles and other works, which include co-editing with Kevin Sabet, Contemporary Health Issues on Marijuana, published in 2018 by Oxford University Press, and editing a 2021 special issue on cannabis and health published by Current Opinion in Psychology. He has extensive experience in providing talks and trainings on cannabis and health to parents, community leaders, service providers, policy makers and students, as well as giving expert testimony at legislative committees. Honors include the 2020 Public Champions award from MADD and an Award of Appreciation from the Minneapolis Hawthorne Community (both with a SAMMn colleague).
Continuing Medical Education:
This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the accreditation requirements and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through the joint providership of the Hanley Center for Health Leadership and Education and CCSME. The Hanley Center for Health Leadership and Education is accredited by the Maine Medical Association Committee on Continuing Medical Education and Accreditation to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
The Hanley Center for Health Leadership and Education designates this regularly scheduled series for a maximum of 1 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit ™. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
*Nurses and Nurse Practitioners will be awarded a certificate of participation with a maximum of 1 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit ™.
This course has been approved by Co-Occurring Collaborative Serving Maine (CCSME), as a NAADAC Approved Education Provider, for 1 educational credits. NAADAC Provider #324712, CCSME is responsible for all aspects of the programming.
Contact Hours 1 contact hours for social workers, licensed clinical professional counselors, and behavioral health professionals.
1 Category 1 Contact hours for psychologists. CCSME is a pre-approved sponsor and provider of Professional Education Activities for Psychologists.
1 contract hours CHES. CCSME is a designated provider of continuing education contact hours (CECH) in health education by the National Commission of Health Education Credentialing, Inc.
