With the prevalence of college students smoking, it is important for students to be aware of the risks that come with taking a puff.
Students were able to gain insight on the highs and lows of cannabis during an informative session held in Neff Hall.
Hosted by resident advisers Nicholas Lastrina, Kisha Francois and Nicholas Bulat, the session featured discussions on the risks of consuming or smoking marijuana, coping strategies and available campus resources.
“I hope that they gained a toolbox full of resources from my event,” biology major Nicholas Lastrina, a senior, said, “so that with the decision to hit a pen or to inhale something, they are fully informed and aware of what they are doing and its consequences.”
Lastrina organized and led the event using a slideshow to raise awareness about the effects of cannabis and promote healthy lifestyle choices.
According to Statista, between 2021 and 2023, approximately 25.5% of college and university students who utilized mental health services reported using marijuana within the past two weeks.
While one of the thrills of marijuana includes a short-term feeling of euphoria, it comes with a long list of downsides.
The negative effects include an increased risk of mental health disorders, cognitive impairments, poor respiratory quality, addiction and a decline in academic performance.
As an RA, Lastrina has experienced many cases firsthand with residents being involved with cannabis. For this reason, Lastrina said that he knows that a simple “no” is not effective.
“It gives students the resources to make informed decisions without telling them not to do it,” Lastrina said.
Through open dialogue and interactive trivia games, students were able to soak up information about the impact of cannabis on health, mental well-being and academic performance. Subsquently, attendees were equipped with the knowledge to make well-informed decisions.
After winning the trivia game, nursing major Chelsey Capasso, a sophomore, said that she attended the event for educational purposes.
“I learned about the effects of marijuana and different ways to quit,” Capasso said.
Cannabis comes in multiple forms, including edibles, dabbing, vaping and cannabis cigarettes, known as joints.
“Vaping and smoking cannabis are very common on campus, so we felt it was useful info to give to the residents,” healthcare studies major Kisha Francois, a senior, said.
Not only did the informative session allow attendees to gain in-depth information about cannabis, but it also helped to foster a stronger campus community committed to combating drug misuse.
Earth science major Nicholas Bulat, a senior, said that the event helped bring residents and RAs together.
“It is a good opportunity to inform the residents to make better decisions and overall have us engage as a community,” Bulat said.
Capasso also said he encourages more students to attend similar informative events.
“It’s a good way to get involved with people from your building and learn new things,” Capasso said.
Lastrina said that he hopes that attendees take into account the information that the session provided.
“My hope is for the next generation to be more informed about cannabis to help prevent drug misuse,” Lastrina said.
H/T: thesouthernnews.org
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