Rhode Island Campaign Warns Against “High-Risk” Cannabis Use

The Rhode Island Health Department has launched a $130,000 public awareness
campaign called “Rhode Island Responsible” to highlight the risks of
cannabis consumption for certain individuals, according to an Ocean State
Media report.

Health officials said the new campaign will specifically aim to discourage
cannabis consumption by youth, pregnant women, and drivers.

Health department data suggests that about 20% of Rhode Island adults are
current cannabis consumers, the report said — that’s slightly above the
national average of 16%, and more than double the state’s 2017 rate of
consumption.

Rhode Island Health Director Dr. Jerome Larkin said that cannabis
consumption by Rhode Island high schoolers has declined since 2011;
however, nearly a third of the state’s high school students today say they
have experimented with cannabis.

“The campaign that we’re running is designed to help people across the
state better understand the health risks of cannabis, and it also includes
a tool kit with some fact sheets and social media resources. They’re
available in English, Spanish and Portuguese. We really just want people to
be responsible.” — Larkin, via Ocean State Media

Joseph Wendelken, spokesperson for the Health Department, said funding
allocated for the campaign “included work with a vendor on project
planning, background research, formative research, materials development,
focus groups, and a media strategy and implementation plan;” and that, “As
part of the formative research, we completed 500 digital surveys with
people who use cannabis in addition to in-depth interviews with subject
matter experts.”