Curriculum

The comprehensive High School Impact Awareness curriculum can be used by any agency that works with high school aged youth and that has a mission of supporting preventative marijuana education. This curriculum goes in depth in helping youth understand the differences between the impacts of adult and youth marijuana use as well as medicinal and recreational use and is intended to be facilitated by a health or science teacher, mental health worker, law enforcement officer, or other youth services provider in a school or youth services agency.

"The High School Impact Awareness curriculum has been the most effective tool in helping my students navigate the new territory of legal recreational and medicinal marijuana. It provides balanced and well researched lessons that areengaging for my high school students. I would highly recommend the workbooks that accompany the curriculum since they support the lessons and get kids talking to parents about what they leaned."

-Megan Wykhuis, School Health Professional

The Middle School Impact Awareness curriculum supports early preventive efforts by educating youth about the impacts of youth marijuana use. This curriculum can be dropped into a health or science class or can support school or organization-wide marijuana prevention efforts. Middle School Impact Awareness can be taught by a health or science teacher, mental health worker, law enforcement officer, or other youth services provider in a school or youth services setting.

"As a teacher's aide at a Charter school in Colorado, I had the opportunity to observe The Marijuana Education Initiative's program.It is an interactive and visually insightful program, making it an appropriate curriculum for middle school kids. The facts learned from this program enable these children to make an educated choice when confronted with marijuana. As an adult I learned so many things I didn't know about marijuana."

-8th Grade Staff Member

The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests that education about issues like alcohol and drug use is most effective if it begins at least two years before a child is likely to be exposed to the behavior in a peer setting.  MEI’s Elementary Impact Awareness program begins to lay the foundation for an effective youth marijuana education by approaching issues like marijuana impacts on the developing brain and body as well as edible and labeling awareness.

"I have worked many years in education and have seen several drug-based curricula come and go, but I have never seen something as promising as the curriculum created by MEI."

-Jerry Buelter, Middle School Principal

The Intervention curriculum intended for a group or individual setting for youth who have an established habit of marijuana use and who want to reduce their dependence on marijuana or quit. The engaging Intervention curriculum includes discussion, activities, and journal writing and is intended to provide support to students who are motivated to reduce or quit their marijuana use. This curriculum requires an MEI Intervention workbook to help students explore their marijuana use habits and patterns.

"In short, this class gave me the gentle nudge I needed to start to change my lifestyle and gave me some strategies to help with this drastic change. Without this class I truly don’t know when I would have become aware of what I was doing or if I ever would have wanted to change. This class left me feeling excited to see what new hobbies I replace my old habits with and where I can take myself."

-MEI Student Participant

We know that when a youth loses the protective factors of school or other activities, they become more vulnerable. This program can support trusted adults, schools and organizations to keep kids engaged but still have an effective and appropriate consequence. The Infraction Response program can be used as part of the restorative justice process or to reduce a suspension resulting from a marijuana infraction.

Developed at the request of coaches and athletic directors, this enlightening presentation draws on information from the Intervention and Prevention curricula to increase athletes’ awareness of how marijuana use affects their athletic performance, mental capacity and stock as an athlete.

“The new curriculum is visionary and has the potential to fill an existing education gap statewide and nationally.”

-Steamboat Today

This element is designed for youth who are in the 18- to 21-year age range who seek information on how marijuana might affect them as they launch into adulthood. The Marijuana and the Young Adult curriculum supports young adults as they navigate choices they are confronted with as they come of age in a society that has legalized recreational marijuana. Designed for first-year college students or high school seniors ready to graduate and move into the workforce, military or higher education, this seminar can support youth in making healthy choices regarding marijuana use as they move into adulthood.

"The Marijuana Education Initiative is the first tool that gives Colorado educators the opportunity to truly educate students about the use of Marijuana."

-Jeremiah Blaha, Facility and Student Teacher Coordinator,
Colorado State University Pueblo School of Education

This is the curriculum many educators have been waiting for!  With vaping rates among youth increasing every year as well as with over 60% of vape users not being aware that most e-cigarettes (including all JUULS) contain nicotine, this curriculum dispels many of the myths around vaping and e-cigs.  Providing a wide range of information around vaping, this PowerPoint lesson is about 45 minutes and can be dropped into any secondary health, science or behavior support class. The lesson covers Big Tobacco’s promotion of e-cigarette use, the dangerous and addictive chemicals found in vaping devices and the health and educational impacts of vaping.  

We know…there are students who often learn best out of the classroom. That is why we created this unique marijuana curriculum designed for agencies and organizations that are looking for a less traditional educational program for youth. Designed to be delivered outside of the classroom or to enhance our traditional Impact Awareness curriculum, these dynamic lessons cover topics ranging from marijuana and the brain, marijuana awareness, marijuana and the body and refusal skills and all include an engaging activity that reinforces the lesson.  If you have already purchased these lessons and need information and links on where to purchase the supplies, click here.