The Stanislaus County Office of Education Prevention Programs Department, in partnership with the Stanislaus County Health Services Agency and Sutter Health Memorial Medical Center, will host the 17th Annual PHAST Tobacco Slam Training on Tuesday, October 4, 2022, 9:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. in the Martin Petersen Event Center, 720 12th Street Modesto 95354.

The keynote speaker this year is Ray Lozano, a certified Prevention Specialist, and Alcohol & Drug Counselor. Ray’s keynote presentation the "High Price - Marijuana & The Youth Brain," will specifically focus on the physical, mental, and emotional impact of youth use of marijuana on developing brains. The keynote will address the effects on the brain related to the illegal use of marijuana by minors (not the legal use of adults over the age of 21). Attendees will learn the direct effect of marijuana on the adolescent brain, why marijuana/THC users find it so difficult to remember things, why there is a slowed reaction time, and why marijuana/THC becomes addictive.

More than 200 students and advisors from 22 high schools in Stanislaus County will have the opportunity to attend various workshops throughout the day to learn about the following: the dangers of vaping as it relates to both nicotine and marijuana use, changing policy from idea to action, developing thought-provoking anti-tobacco Public Service Announcements (PSAs), anti-tobacco campaign development, and discovering their leadership potential. 

The high schools attending include Adelante, Central Valley, Ceres, Davis, Del Puerto, Denair, Denair Charter, Enochs, Gregori, Hughson, Johansen, Modesto, Orestimba, Open Valley, Patterson, Riverbank, Roselawn, Sentinel, SMA @ Teel, Turlock, Valley College, and Waterford.

Collaborative partners for the conference are Stanislaus County Health Services Agency, Sutter Health Memorial Medical Center, California Youth Advocacy Network (CYAN), UC Merced Nicotine & Cannabis Policy Center, Equity California’s Out Against Big Tobacco, California Youth Decoy Program, and the Stanislaus County Office of Education’s Education Technology Center.

For more information, contact Charmaine Monte at (209) 238-1368 or cmonte [ahtsym] stancoe [dhotsym] org.