“The more you know” was a catch phrase from a commercial from quite a few years ago, and it is more true than ever on the topic of substance use. Cannabis is here; it is not going away. Sure, it is getting easier to buy or get ahold of, but this plant is not the same plant of the peace and love generation.

On April 20 from 6 to 7 p.m., and yes the date is intentional, the Guidance Center on Harding Avenue invites the public to the first event of their Substance Use Awareness Series. In addition to learning about updated cannabis facts, a panel will discuss their experiences working with individuals affected by substance abuse, and hear from those in recovery.

All ages are welcome to attend this outdoor learning and fun experience. During the discussion, age-appropriate children’s activities will be provided. Brownies and other refreshments will be available, as well as a raffle.

The Guidance Center is a place for anyone who wants help with addiction. Counselors Michael Gallina and Daniel Potter are onhand to assess and treat this disease. The purpose of the upcoming series is to empower the community, strengthen the family unit, provide education, and inspire hope in all that have been affected by substance use and addiction.

The goal is to challenge the stigma of addiction, and to reduce the thought that addicts have in some way failed or cannot succeed at recovery. Families are highly encouraged to attend these events and learn how to support their loved ones through this process because it is a difficult process for all to go through.

Gallina and Potter agree that it takes time to recover, for the brain to heal. Many suffering from substance use disorders feel shame and are in incredible pain — physically and emotionally — but they are still human. Addiction is not a personal weakness.

There are many ways to treat a person who comes in for help, Gallina said,“(there is) no one right approach, find the recipe that works for (them) to recover,” and Potter added, “(that it is) not just one problem. The Guidance Center supports the whole person.” They also explained that many users don’t start out with an intention to become an addict, and some don’t realize how bad it has gotten until something forces them into treatment. “Part of the program offered is finding out what drew the user to the drug in the first place and healing that hurt,” said Gallina. The department of substance use at the Guidance Center started a few years ago, in 2017. Gallina noted the focus has been on the underlying issues of addiction, both substances and behavioral. He said, “Some use it to cope or self-medicate, many have gone through traumas and use it to moderate or eliminate unwanted feelings.”

Potter stated, “habits are easy to form, until they get in the way of life.”

As to cannabis, both Gallina and Potter want the community to know that some of the product on the street right now is not what you think it is. “Some of it is laced. Users who would never touch anything equivalent to heroin are testing positive for trace amounts of fentanyl,” said Gallina.

Just down Main Street in town, a dispensary that has been there several years provides relief from varying ailments to those with a prescription for medical grade weed. The state of Pennsylvania has been tossing the idea around whether to decriminalize or make it available recreationally for quite some time – with still no resolution.

And, across the state line, in New York, which legalized recreational use in 2021, the shops at the junction with I-86 legally sell marijuana.

So what can parents and family members do to prevent cannabis use from the start? First, attend events like this one and learn all you can about the topic. And, talk openly and honestly with the whole family. Children should know what the expectations are and why. Let them talk and ask questions. Answer their questions honestly and if you don’t know the answer, get back to them when you do. Continue the conversation over the year. This is not a one-and-done chat, and no they don’t already know all about drugs. And, finally, check in on their mental health as often as possible. The last couple of years has taken a toll on everyone, the kids included.

The next installment of the series will be June 22, All About Methamphetamine and Cocaine, followed by one on August 24, All About Opioids. Prescription drugs, alcohol, and designer drugs are planned for later in the series.

For more information about the Substance Use Awareness Campaign, contact the Guidance Center at (814) 362-6535.