HWRSD to host marijuana talk with Harvard professor

Oct. 6, 2016 | Chris Goudreau
cgoudreau@thereminder.com

WILBRAHAM – The Hampden-Wilbraham Regional School District (HWRSD) will host Harvard Medical School Professor of Psychobiology Bertha Madras, who will discuss the impacts of marijuana on teenage brain development by debunking myths and presenting the facts about marijuana usage.

Gina Kahn, director of the district’s Safe Schools/Healthy Students program at the HWRSD Center for Health and Safety, told Reminder Publications the program is co-hosted by the Hampden-Wilbraham Safe and Healthy Students Coalition and is called, “Fact or Fiction: Marijuana and the Teen Brain.”

The event is free and will take place on Oct. 12 at 6:30 p.m. in the Minnechaug Regional High School auditorium.

Kahn said the program aligns with the coalition’s work in raising awareness about abuse of substances such as alcohol, marijuana, , and prescription drugs.

“There are some definite developmental reasons why our teens are risk takers,” she explained. “It is part of the necessary developmental process that takes us from childhood into adulthood, but at the same time, what I have gleaned from Dr. Madras’ presentation is that urge to take the risks is happening at a time when the brain is extremely vulnerable to the effects.  Just in terms of optimal efficiencies – the processes of learning, of judgment – I think these are impacted [by marijuana usage].”

Kahn said Madras’ area of expertise is neurochemistry and presents the neurological impacts to audience members in a way that is easy to understand.

“She is the director or chair of the Department of Neurochemistry at Harvard Medical School and has longstanding areas in these areas and the impacts of substances on the brain,” Kahn noted.

She added the district releases a youth risk survey annual, which has shown reductions in marijuana and alcohol among students.

“It is a self reported survey; a sample of high school students,” Kahn explained. “But, we’ve actually seen a pattern of slight reductions. That’s encouraging, but even with that that’s our two topics of concern. Those are probably the most frequently used substances for our kids.”

Kahn said the event is designed to educated both parents and students about the potential harmful effects of marijuana.

“We know that when kids have a clearer idea of the potential for harm or the potential for risk, they are more likely to weigh that in the decisions they make,” she noted. “And parents, in particular, are the best sources of that information for teens. We know that, although we can provide some great educational opportunities and programs to support these messages, it is the parent’s voice that speaks most directly around expectations and behavior.”

When asked about whether the event would address the upcoming Nov. 8 ballot question calling for legalization of recreational marijuana throughout the Commonwealth for individuals 21 years or older, Kahn stated, “It is not the intent of this presentation to be looking at the ballot question. I imagine, because it is a timely discussion, that this could come up from audience questions, but the reality is that there’s a lot of information out there and a lot of perspectives on the legalization question.”

She continued, “This is about our teens and what is good for them in terms of the risks and decisions that they make and how we can help them no matter what the environment looks like; whether recreational marijuana is legalized or not.”

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