Young People in Cannabis Reform & Harm Reduction

In March 2024, I was fortunate enough to receive a scholarship to represent young people from Australia at the UNODC (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime) CND (Commission on Narcotic Drugs) 67th session, located in Vienna, Austria. In short: the UNODC CND is where international drug treaties and scheduling decisions are reviewed and influenced with government delegates and civil society from around the world participating. It's also attended by advocates who host a vast range of side events focused on international drug policy, prevention, harm reduction and human rights.

On the final day of CND, I was invited to speak at a side event titled “The truth about young people and cannabis: fostering intersectional perspectives to youth-centric approaches in cannabis regulation/legalisation" Which was organised by MUCD (México Unido Contra la Delincuencia) and co sponsored by: SSDP (Students for Sensible Drug Policy) (Australia, Canada, US, INT), Drug Policy Alliance and Fields of Green for All.

Below is the transcript from the speech I presented, which proposed how young people could be involved in decision-making processes surrounding cannabis legalisation, as well as stating the importance of cannabis harm reduction resources created by young people who consume cannabis, by young people who use cannabis.

“Currently, where I’m from in Melbourne, Australia, cannabis is illegal, with it only being legal for medical uses for those over the age of 18. Unfortunately, even though the police are recommended to hand out cautions and diversions, Young people are constantly being disproportionately targeted by the police due to vague laws, especially for young people from marginalised communities and backgrounds. This is something I have personally witnessed firsthand too many times and experienced myself. Even though, for the most part, these young people may not end up in prison for cannabis possession, their lives are directly affected by the contact that they have with the criminal justice system, affecting their ability to achieve their goals and restricting them from living a fulfilling life. 

In Victoria, the narrative is changing, many Victorians are now supporting cannabis legalisation, with political parties whose main goal is to work on the legalisation of cannabis. But what is missing is the meaningful participation of young people in policy and decision-making processes.

Young people with a lived and living experience of cannabis consumption are the experts in their own care and what is needed for themselves and their communities. It is important for these young people to be meaningfully and actively involved in policy-making decisions within government, which could look like the creation of A youth lived and living experience working group that directly influences any policies that will affect young people. This group will ideally have representatives from other marginalised communities and affected populations, academic experts and researchers, with young people chairing and steering the working group with resources and mentorship for them to be supported through the processes.

If cannabis is to be legalised, it won't be legal for those under 18, but that's not going to stop young people from consuming it. While progressive prevention programs to delay use and uptake, and increase protective factors sometimes have their place, we know they won't catch everyone, and that's OK. So, for those who will continue to experiment, we need to empower them to take ownership over their own well-being. 

Cannabis harm reduction is crucial, and creating education and resources by young people with a lived and living experience, as well as communities most marginalised, in a way that will meet these young people where they're at, is crucial to their wellbeing and safety. 

I vividly remember in high school having drug education where they taught us about the dangers of the drug alcohol, but unlike illicit substances such as cannabis, they gave us useful methods to prevent harms when taking alcohol, despite it not being for sale to minors, as they knew we would consume it anyway. If schools and the broader community implemented similar approaches crafted by young people who consume cannabis, myself and many of my peers would not have endured the preventable harms and stigmas we experienced due to a lack of education and knowledge. 

We need  measures put in place to support young people to be safe and well, preventing unnecessary and easily avoided harms and contact with the criminal justice system 

Nothing about us as young people who use drugs, without us as young people who use drugs”

Not long after I returned to Australia, I began creating "Let’s Budvocate" to provide cannabis harm reduction resources by young people who use cannabis in a way which is as easily accessible for anyone. 

If you have any tips you think should be added to our “Buducation” resources, please reach out through “Get involved”, as we highly encourage as much community input as possible.