TRACE

The Teens Report on Adolescent Cannabis Experiences – TRACE – studies are recognized as the longest-running program of qualitative research on youth cannabis use in North America.

This research provides valuable insights into the experiences, perceptions, and behaviors of youth and generates new understandings about youth perspectives on substance use informing impactful strategies to minimize related harms.

TRACE has contributed to school- and community-based interventions, policy consultation, and scholarly outputs that center youth perspectives on substance use experiences and decision-making.

Cycles: The Film

Our TRACE team created the film Cycles based on the results of early TRACE studies. The film explores high school student decision-making about the use of cannabis.

An accompanying Facilitator’s Guide was created to support educators in using the film in their classrooms to promote dialogue and build open communication to reduce the harms of cannabis and other substance use.

Innovations in Harm Reduction

In October 2022, we co-hosted the Innovations in Harm Reduction for Youth Cannabis Use event showcasing new developments in harm reduction research and programs from across Canada.

Check out our report highlighting key innovations.

Innovations in Harm Reduction for Youth Cannabis Use Event

The video of the full event is available for viewing.

The fifth iteration of TRACE was the first in our series to be conducted post-cannabis legalization in Canada.

This research focuses in on gaps in cannabis education for youth and explores how health and social differences – or inequities – shape youth cannabis use.

The fifth iteration of TRACE was the first in our series to be conducted post-cannabis legalization in Canada.

This research focuses in on gaps in cannabis education for youth and explores how health and social differences – or inequities – shape youth cannabis use.

The fourth iteration of TRACE included perspectives of parent cannabis users about youth cannabis education and prevention in the context of legalization.

See below for our T4Parents Report and an environmental scan of cannabis education resources for parents.

The fourth iteration of TRACE included perspectives of parent cannabis users about youth cannabis education and prevention in the context of legalization.

See below for our T4Parents Report and an environmental scan of cannabis education resources for parents.

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    Youth and young adult cannabis research – Critical approaches to advancing the field

    This special section of the International Journal of Drug Policy brings together empirical and conceptual contributions to youth cannabis research through diverse methodological and critical social science approaches.

    International Journal of Drug Policy

    2025

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  • Weeding out the information: An ethnographic approach to exploring how young people make sense of the evidence on cannabis

    Contradictory evidence on cannabis adds to the climate of confusion regarding the health harms related to cannabis use. This is particularly true for young people as they encounter and make sense of opposing information on cannabis.

    Harm Reduction Journal

    2013

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    Cannabis Education Resources for Parents: An Environmental Scan and Critical Content Analysis in the Context of Legalization

    Cannabis was recently legalized for adult use in Canada and many American states. In this context, there is a pressing need for educational resources - aimed at youth and their parents/caregivers - to reduce potential harm.

    Drugs Education, Prevention and Policy

    2021

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