From “harmless” to high-risk: A community series on teen cannabis use

January 22, 2026, by Katie Cornwell, Executive Director, Seward Prevention Coalition

This article is Part 1 of a four-part mini-series on youth cannabis use in our community. Our goal is to cut through misinformation, explain what we know about how today’s high-potency THC products can affect teens, and highlight practical safeguards families and communities can use to help young people delay use and stay healthy.

Part 1: What today’s products and messaging mean for youth

If you haven’t thought much about marijuana since your own teenage years, you’re not alone. Many adults still picture cannabis as a plant that someone smokes, with a strong smell and obvious signs. But that mental picture is outdated. Today’s cannabis landscape looks less like a baggie and more like a product aisle: vapes and cartridges, gummies and drinks, concentrates, dab pens, lotions, “wellness” tinctures, and hemp-derived THC candies that can be bought in places families don’t expect.

This isn’t a moral panic and it isn’t about shaming people who use cannabis as adults. It’s a reality update. Cannabis has changed, and that matters because teens are still developing the brain systems that help them plan, manage impulses, handle stress, and make safe decisions. If we want fewer kids using, we have to understand the world they’re navigating.

The identity confusion: medicine and recreation in the same sentence

Cannabis is unique right now because it’s often discussed as both a medical tool and a recreational product. However, this identity confusion is not new to controlled substances. It is a marketing strategy pioneered by Commercial Alcohol and Big Tobacco. At one point in time, both were billed as medical tools and “recommended by doctors.” Though we have overcome the false narrative that tobacco is medicinal, we still see mixed messaging around the health benefits of wine (alcohol). The marijuana industry is using the same playbook. This “dual identity” creates a powerful (and confusing) message for young people:

If it’s sold as medicine, it must be safe.
If it’s legal, it must be harmless.
If adults use it for stress, sleep, or anxiety, it must be helpful.

Teens aren’t being irrational when they pick up these assumptions. They’re connecting the dots they see around them. The problem is that those dots do not always form a truthful picture, especially for adolescents.

The result is a drop in perceived harm, and that matters because perceived risk strongly shapes teen decisions. When cannabis feels “normal,” “safe,” or “not a big deal,” experimentation becomes more likely and teen use tends to rise. We have seen this increase in our Seward teens. Regular cannabis use among teens before legalization was below 15%, now it is over 30% (2024 Planet Youth Survey).

From plant to products: cannabis doesn’t “look like cannabis” anymore

For many parents, cannabis prevention still sounds like, “Don’t smoke weed.” But many teens aren’t “smoking weed” in the way adults imagine. THC can show up in an array of forms, including edible and drinkable products, vape cartridges, concentrates (“dabs”), and other items that can feel more like a snack or a gadget than a drug.

That shift matters because it lowers the visibility of use. A gummy doesn’t smell. A vape can be used quickly and discreetly. A cartridge may be hidden in a backpack pocket. Some devices look like everyday objects, and teens can use them in places where smoking would never be possible.

This isn’t just about clever concealment. It’s about friction. When using something is easy, quick, portable, and low-odor, it becomes easier to use more often. And frequency is one of the biggest drivers of harm for youth. More frequent use increases the chance that THC interferes with healthy brain development, coping skills, learning, and mental health, and it raises the risk of dependence, especially in adolescence.

Why vaping is a game-changer for youth use

We’ve watched vaping reshape nicotine use among youth, and cannabis has followed the same path. Vaping is appealing to teens for predictable reasons:

it’s discreet and doesn’t carry the same smell as smoking
devices are customizable and easy to share
products are marketed with sweet, candy-like flavors and names
it feels modern, not “druggy”
it can be used quickly and repeatedly

From a prevention lens, vaping doesn’t just change the delivery method, it can change the pattern of use. A teen who might not smoke a joint can still use THC through a vape. And because vaping can be done in short bursts, it can slide into the cracks of the day: before school, at lunch, after practice, in the bathroom, on the walk home.

This is one reason communities across the country have been alarmed by increases in youth vaping of both nicotine and THC: the devices fit into teen life with almost no resistance.

The message machine: why misinformation spreads so fast

Kids are surrounded by messages about cannabis, whether we like it or not. Those messages come from everywhere:

social media and influencers
peers and near peers
movies, music, and pop culture
the cannabis industry and related marketing
community norms and adult conversations
family stories, jokes, and casual comments

One reason misinformation sticks is that it’s emotionally appealing. “It helps with anxiety.” “It’s natural.” “It’s safer than alcohol.” “It helps me sleep.” These are simple, comforting claims, and they spread quickly because they’re easy to repeat and hard to disprove in a 10-second clip.

But prevention isn’t won by arguing with teens in a comment section. It’s won by building clarity and consistency in the real world: at home, in schools, and across community expectations.

Why communities need safeguards, not just “better choices”

A common frustration parents feel is: “How do I compete with all of that?” The honest answer is you shouldn’t have to do it alone. Youth prevention works best when it’s shared.

Communities implement safeguards for the same reason we have seatbelts, age limits, and food safety rules: not because we think people are bad, but because we understand humans respond to their environment. When a product is widely visible, easy to access, marketed as low-risk, and socially normalized, youth use becomes more likely.

Safeguards aren’t about punishment. They’re about guardrails. They can include:

strong enforcement of age restrictions and access points
reducing youth exposure to marketing and youth-appealing products
clear public messaging that cannabis is an adult product
education that corrects myths without shaming teens
supportive pathways for families who need help early

What to hold onto as a community

Here’s the core message of Part 1 boiled down:

Cannabis is not the same product or cultural force it used to be.

Its forms have multiplied, its messaging is muddier, and its easiest delivery systems fit seamlessly into teen life.

That doesn’t mean we panic. It means we get smart, get aligned, and get practical.

In Part 2, we’ll zoom in on why adolescence is a uniquely sensitive period, what THC can do to the developing teen brain, and why delayed use is one of the strongest protective moves a community can make for youth health and learning.

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This article is part of a bi-monthly column by the Seward Prevention Coalition, highlighting community partnerships and prevention efforts that help Seward’s youth and families thrive.

Learn more at http://www.sewardpreventioncoalition.org or email info@spcalaska.org.

The Seward City Council will participate in a joint work session with the Planning and Zoning Commission this Monday, January 26, on the different regulations for marijuana establishments in Seward. Work sessions allow time to explore complex topics in greater detail and build shared understanding before any future action is considered. Work sessions are open to the public and can be viewed on YouTube.