SACKVILLE, N.B. – Mount Allison University is receiving support in its efforts to ensure new cannabis legislation is fully communicated on campus and to implement harms reduction initiatives.
Organigram Holdings Inc., the parent company of Organigram Inc. – a leading licensed producer of medical marijuana – and the New Brunswick Regional Development Corporation (RDC) will provide funding to the university to support the causes.
In preparation of the legalization of cannabis on Oct. 17, the university developed a working group comprised of students, including representatives from the Mount Allison Students Union, and staff.
“We believe that providing education to students regarding the use of cannabis, alcohol, and other substances through a harms reduction lens will provide them with more tools to make decisions regarding their use,” says Kim Meade, Mount Allison’s vice-president, International and Student Affairs. “We have enhanced and strengthened current policies and programs around alcohol and other substances to include cannabis, and will implement new initiatives and educational programming associated with cannabis use for the beginning of this academic year.”
The funding also enables the university to support harms reduction education programming through the addition of a harms reduction educator. The new staff member will work directly with students, the campus community, other post-secondary institutions, and provincial agencies.
“As a company, we are wholly committed to the goals of the legalization of an adult-use, recreational cannabis market,” says Greg Engel, CEO, Organigram. “Most important among these goals is the protection of our youth. We are proud to support Mount Allison’s efforts to ensure their students are educated about responsible cannabis use.”
The funding will also support and advance educational outreach campaigns targeted at key areas, including mental health, addictions, and harms reduction for both residence and off-campus students. Mount Allison will work to facilitate communication and share best practices and policies with other New Brunswick campuses, with a provincial workshop planned for early fall.
Emma Miller, president of the Mount Allison Students Union, says the union is working with the university to ensure cannabis education and harms reduction programs and supports will be available to all students, beginning with orientation activities for new and returning students in August.
For more information on Mount Allison’s programs and regulations around upcoming cannabis legalization on campus, visit https://www.mta.ca/codeofconduct/cannabis/
