Our state website hubs for all resources related to Nicotine Prevention & Cannabis Awareness.
Safe Storage of Nicotine, Cannabis & Other Substances
Why it matters: Safe storage helps prevent accidental poisoning, youth access, and misuse of nicotine, cannabis, medications, and other potentially harmful substances. Although some of these products may be legal for adults, they can be dangerous for children and adolescents if left unsecured.
The Alliance for Prevention and Wellness (APW) provides free safe storage lock bags to residents throughout South Central Connecticut while supplies last. Request yours below and take a simple step toward protecting your family and community.
Regional Cannabis & Nicotine Awareness Team (RCNAT)
The Regional Cannabis & Nicotine Awareness Team (RCNAT) is a collaborative network working to prevent youth nicotine and cannabis use while promoting education, awareness, and healthy communities throughout DMHAS Region 2.
Click here to join the RCNAT team, anyone is welcome to join.
Save the date: Our next RCNAT workgroup meeting is scheduled for Thursday, September 24th at 1PM via Microsoft Teams (virtually)
Questions? Email Kara Sepulveda-Fonseca at ksepulveda-fonseca@bhcare.org
To learn more about the Underage Nicotine Prevention Coordinators work, click here.
Announcement:
Youth Cannabis Prevention Grant Opportunity
We are pleased to announce this new funding opportunity for communities across the Region 2 of Connecticut, made possible through grant funds from the Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS). Funding will be administered by the RBHAO based on the availability of DMHAS-awarded resources.
This initiative invites community partners to implement innovative, evidence-based, and community-driven prevention strategies focused on cannabis education and prevention for youth and emerging adults under the age of 21. The goals of the grant are clear:
1) prevent and/or reduce cannabis use among youth, and
2) strengthen local capacity to address cannabis-related issues impacting individuals ages 12–20.
Eligibility: Up to two coalitions per region will be awarded $50,000 each (distributed over an 18-month period: January 1, 2027–June 30, 2028) to develop or enhance local cannabis prevention efforts. Local Prevention Councils (LPCs) and Community Prevention Coalitions are eligible to apply. Only one application per community is permitted, and LPCs will receive funding priority.
Applications are due by Friday, October 16, 2026.
Whether you're looking for help quitting nicotine or cannabis, resources for parents and caregivers, educational materials, or prevention tools, we've got you covered. Explore the sections below to find free resources for youth, families, educators, healthcare providers, and community members.
Click the + next to each section to learn more.
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Need Help Quitting? Cessation Resources
Whether you're ready to quit today or simply thinking about it, free support is available for youth and adults. Explore resources for nicotine and cannabis cessation below.
Commit to Quit - Ages 18+, 1-800-QUIT-NOW, Live support: coaching, nicotine replacement therapy offered
My Life My Quit - Ages 13-17, Text START MY QUIT to 36072, Live support: coaching operated by National Jewish Health
EX program - Ages 13-24, Text VAPEFREECT to 88709, Automated text support operated by Truth Initiative with access to customized quit plans and an online support community.
Kick-Nic - Teen Focused E-Cigarette Cessation Smartphone App developed by Yale, For more information text 'Quit Vape' to 203-361-4267.
T-Break Guide - A guide to help support you on a cannabis break
CannabisDependence.org - How to Quit Weed, How to Stop Smoking Weed Everyday & Quitting Marijuana — Free Support Hub, Need help now? SAMHSA: 1-800-662-4357 (free, confidential, 24/7)
Stanford Medicine, Healthy Futures Curriculum for youth using nicotine or cannabis
988 Lifeline - Take care of a friend, a loved one, or yourself. Call, Text, Chat 24/7/365. Conversations are free and confidential. You are not alone.
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DID YOU KNOW?
Most Connecticut teens don't vape or use cannabis.
87.8% do not currently use vape products*.
88.3% do not currently use cannabis.
Parents, caregivers, educators, and communities all play an important role in keeping it that way.
*Also known as e-cigarettes. See 2025 YRBS Data for additional information.
Below are some tools to help you stay informed with the facts regarding the risks of underage nicotine and cannabis use and best practices for approaching these topics in an honest and knowledgeable manner.
Learn the Facts: Helping you navigate conversations about nicotine and cannabis with confidence.
Nicotine Product Guide: E-Cigarettes & Vaping: Facts for Parents - HealthyChildren.org OR Tobacco and Nicotine Products: Old, New & Dangerous for Kids - HealthyChildren.org or something more in depth Tobacco, Nicotine, and E-Cigarettes Research Report: Introduction | NIDA
Cannabis Product Guide: Is Cannabis Harmful for Children & Teens? AAP Policy Explained - HealthyChildren.org or The Effects, Risks and Side Effects of Marijuana (Weed, Cannabis, THC) | SAMHSA or for something more in depth Cannabis (Marijuana) | National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
Parent Toolkit:
Catch My Breath - CATCH My Breath Parent & Community Resources - CATCH
Module by module. 5 total: CATCH My Breath Parent Toolkit - CATCH
or view all together: CATCH+My+Breath+Parent+Toolkit.pdf or Spanish CATCH+My+Breath+Parent+Toolkit+-+Spanish.pdf
WATCH Stanford REACH lab video on how to best talk to youth in your life about substance use.
TAKE A COURSE through the American Lung Association: self-paced online course on one on prevention, one on intervention for parents and caregivers.
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An environmental scan is the process of gathering, analyzing, and monitoring information about a specific environment. The Underage Nicotine Prevention Program has been conducting environmental scans at regional tobacco/nicotine retailers as these visits provide valuable insight into how retail practices, marketing, and product availability may influence community health and youth behavior.
If you would like to conduct your own retail scans, we have a survey monkey tool you can use to collect data and various resources you can pass along to retailers relaying best practices for preventing sales of nicotine/cannabis products to minors.
Resource List for Ordering State/Federal Materials & Other Information Hubs: Resource List
Environmental Scan Survey: Review the questions we included within our survey when conducting environmental scans and use the form to capture your own findings.
Click here to access the survey tool
To access your submitted data email: Ksepulveda-fonseca@bhcare.org
Review our report capturing our findings within the Valley Retail Environment in 2025
Encounter any concerns when conducting scans?
Click here to file a complaint/claim against individual providers. Select Drug Control Division as type of complaint/claim.
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Staying up to date with the current substance use trends can be tough as the nicotine/cannabis market continues to rapidly expand.
The good news is there are various evidence-based curriculums available free of charge that capture all the facts that should be relayed to youth for prevention & intervention efforts.
Stanford REACH Lab offers free educational curriculums, teaching guides, alternative to suspension programs, toolkits and infographics.
