Health Unit to host workshops on youth substance use

Lambton Public Health is announcing a pair of workshops aimed at providing parents and caregivers with strategies to have meaningful conversations about substance use with youth. Taking place on Tuesday, Sept. 24 in Sarnia and Thursday, Sept.

Journal staff

Published: August 20th, 2024

Health Unit to host workshops on youth substance use

Lambton Public Health is announcing a pair of workshops aimed at providing parents and caregivers with strategies to have meaningful conversations about substance use with youth.

Taking place on Tuesday, Sept. 24 in Sarnia and Thursday, Sept. 26 in Forest, these “Talk Early, Talk Often” workshops, featuring Steve Keller of Drug Free Kids Canada, will offer attendees a deep dive into how young people are using cannabis, alcohol, and nicotine as coping mechanisms.

The sessions will cover the subsequent effects of these substances on their mental health and brain development, while also arming parents and caregivers with tools to effectively discuss substance use with youth.

"Lambton Public Health is committed to working with our partners to reduce the demand for, and related harms of, these substances," said Donna Schmidtmeyer, Health Promotion Supervisor with Lambton Public Health.

“We are grateful to have Steve Keller joining us for these sessions. His extensive experience and engaging approach will provide attendees with valuable insights and tools to better support youth.”

Various community organizations that offer programming to support youth will also be in attendance with booths and resources available to attendees.

Event Details

• Sarnia Library Theatre

Date: Tuesday, September 24

Time: Doors open at 5:30 p.m. for networking and light refreshments. Presentation begins at 6 p.m.

• Forest Legion

Date: Thursday, September 26

Time: Doors open at 5:30 p.m. for networking and light refreshments. Presentation begins at 6 p.m.

The workshops are free to attend and interested individuals are required to register ahead of time. For more information and to register for either the Sarnia or Forest sessions please visit LambtonPublicHealth.ca.

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