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Canada has one of the world's highest rates of cannabis use among teens. This is concerning given the risks to adolescent development and mental health. Research on what youth think about cannabis and how that relates to their choice to use is critical to informing preventive education, practice implementation and policy to minimize harm. It is especially significant given changes in recreational legalization on the horizon, which may have an impact on further use in this vulnerable population.

This two-part webinar series covers the methods, findings and implications of a recent qualitative research study, "Canadian Youth Perceptions on Cannabis", conducted by the Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse (CCSA). It discusses the methodological challenges of conducting qualitative research with youth in the non-profit setting, and the implications of research findings on prevention, practice and policy.

In Part 1 of the series, CCSA presenters will focus on:

• The methods used in their recent study undertaken to better understand youth knowledge, misconceptions and influencing factors regarding cannabis,
• Challenges to consider when conducting qualitative research,
• Benefits of an integrated knowledge translation process (researcher-knowledge broker team), and
• Findings of the study.

Part 2 will concentrate on discussing implications of the research on prevention practice and policy, including a panel discussion of youth prevention practitioners as well as study limitations and future directions for research.

This webinar is organized by HC Link and co-hosted by Parent Action on Drugs and the Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse.