Health Communications that Create Clarity in the Cannabis Chaos

Between the recent federal moves to speed up the reclassification of cannabis to Schedule III and states legalizing recreational use, many in our communities are left confused about what’s healthy, legal, and safe.

When federal laws shift, it doesn’t just change policy; it changes how young people perceive the risk of cannabis use. As health communicators, our job is to bridge the gap between "what’s in the headlines" and "what actually keeps our community safe."

At Rescue Agency, we’ve worked with many different states to prevent underage cannabis use and help adults know what the laws are. We tackle this challenge by moving beyond the “just say no” days and instead create messages that actually motivate teens, parents, caregivers, and adults to make healthier choices.

1. Youth Prevention: Educating, Motivating, and Equipping Parents and Caregivers

Parents, caregivers, and adult role models are the most important protective factor to prevent youth drug and cannabis use, making them our biggest youth prevention ally. However, many parents don’t feel a sense of urgency to have "the talk,” thinking that their kid would never use drugs. Even if they recognize the urgency, many are held back by a lack of confidence in their own skills to answer tough questions.

Our Strategy: We motivate parents by explaining the science-backed mental health risks of youth use, like how THC can mess with developing brains and impact their memory or mood. We then equip them with talk guides and answer banks to handle curveball questions with confidence.

Case Study: The Maine Office of Cannabis Policy worked with us to create the flagship commercial "Awkward Is Okay.” With these communications, we validated parents’ feelings of discomfort while highlighting that these conversations are one of the most effective ways to prevent youth cannabis use.

• The Message: You don't have to be perfect; you just have to start the conversation.
• The Tools: We created talk guides and answer banks on the Let’s Talk Cannabis Maine parent website.
• Watch "Awkward Is OK"

Let’s Talk Cannabis is a ready-made media that public health departments can license and implement in as little as six weeks. If you need to get an evidence-based message into the market urgently, this is the best strategy. Instead of spending thousands of dollars on creative development, you can apply your funding to increase message dissemination.

Interested in learning more? Let’s talk! Send our Solution Partner Kat Thomas an email at KThomas@RescueAgency.com.

2. Adult Legal Education: Know the Laws

When laws or policies change, it can leave many folks confused about what is legal nationally and in their state. And potential federal reclassification could lead to the misconception that cannabis is now "nationally legal" or that restrictions have vanished. As laws change, adults need to know exactly where the lines are drawn to stay compliant.

Our Strategy: Clarify legal parameters around possession limits, public use, and driving while impaired. We focus on ensuring that adults have the foundational knowledge needed to make informed legal decisions.

Case Study: The Vermont Department of Health worked with us when recreational cannabis became legalized in their state to provide direct, science-based, legal information about the state's specific legal boundaries.

• The Message: Understanding legal limits—like possession amounts, federal land restrictions, safe storage, and more—is a part of being a responsible adult cannabis consumer.
• The Tools: On the Let’s Talk Cannabis Vermont website, we gave more helpful information to keep the conversation going, from safe storage practices to why some groups, like pregnant and breastfeeding women, are more at risk for adverse effects than others. We also included information about the importance of underage kids avoiding use until they’re of legal age.
• Watch "Know the Laws"

3. Responsible Use: Safety Beyond the Stigma

For adults who choose to consume, legalization creates a need for practical education on how to use safely. Without clear guidance, adults may struggle with issues like high potency or overconsumption of edibles.

Our Strategy: Provide actionable, judgment-free safety tips. We focus on helping adults understand "how much is too much" and how to handle unexpected reactions.

Case Study: Prevention First and the Illinois Department of Human Services worked with us to develop messaging as part of their campaign "Let’s Talk Cannabis Illinois." Our flagship commercial, “The Weed Baking Show,” offered a relatable and humorous format to deliver critical safety information without stigmatizing its use, ensuring maximum receptivity.

• The Message: In today’s landscape of high-potency weed, a little goes a long way. We educated consumers on starting low and going slow, especially with edibles, when the high can be delayed. More information is available on the website Let’s Talk Cannabis Illinois.
• The Impact: This flagship video garnered 3.7 million completions on digital channels, demonstrating that audiences are eager for actionable safety tips.
• Watch “The Weed Baking Show.”

Let’s talk about your next cannabis campaign! We’d love to hear from you. Send our Solutions Partner Kat Thomas an email at KThomas@RescueAgency.com.