BROOKLINE – Health Commissioner Sigalle Reiss announces that the Brookline Department of Public Health & Human Services is conducting an exploratory assessment of the landscape and impact of marijuana in the Town of Brookline.
The research team will investigate the impacts of marijuana use across Brookline. They will explore the risks and protective factors for marijuana use, particularly among youth; Brookline-specific issues; and approaches to address health disparities and racial equity.
Results of the assessment will be used by the Brookline Substance Awareness and Violence Prevention Program and partners for future strategic initiatives to address marijuana use among youth and other community members.
The Health Department has contracted an external agency, Health Resources in Action, Inc. (HRiA), to conduct the assessment. HRiA is a Boston-based non-profit public health organization that provides research, evaluation, strategic planning, and program support services around the country.The Department also has established a Steering Committee comprising town residents and stakeholders to advise the research process.
The Department began this project in response to a referral to the Advisory Council on Public Health (ACPH) to establish a community-based study examining the public health impacts of marijuana
A final report, which is expected to be released this summer, will provide recommendations for educational and prevention efforts and systems and policy change approaches based on a review of best practices in other communities. The report findings and recommendations will be used by the Health Department and other key stakeholders to improve public health services related to marijuana use.
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