ROCKINGHAM — The Town of Rockingham, Greater Falls Connections, and Falls Area Community Television (FACT-TV) are co-sponsoring two events to inform and engage community members on the retail sale of cannabis opt-in vote (Act 164), scheduled for Town Meeting Day.
The first event, on Wednesday, Feb. 9, “Cannabis Conversations,” invites parents and other caring adults to have open, honest, and judgment-free conversations about youth and cannabis use.
WNESU Student Assistance Professional Heather Waryas will present on the teen brain. Discussion topics will include how to talk to kids, youth mental health, trauma, and preventing youth substance use. Information regarding local regulations and best practices for youth prevention will also be shared.
Topics for the forum on Wednesday, Feb. 16 are zoning and advertising, local control, potential economic costs and benefits, and impacts on youth.
Susan Westa from the Windham Regional Commission and local cannabis entrepreneur Deb Fox are among the panelists. State Sen. Jeanette White (D-Windham) will offer a legislative update, while Greater Falls Connections will focus on youth prevention, and there will be a speaker with expertise in youth mental health.
Mike Smith and Marty Gallagher from FACT-TV's The Feed will moderate the event and invite questions from the community. You may email your questions to fact@fact8.com prior to the event.
Both events will take place from 6:30 to 8 p.m. The Feb. 9 cannabis conversation will be virtual; the Feb. 16 voter information forum will be hybrid, on Zoom and in-person at the Bellows Falls Opera House Lower Theater. For those attending in-person, masking and social distancing will be encouraged, per CDC Guidelines.
A video recording of the voter forum will be posted on (1)FACT-TV's website. Zoom links will be available on the (2)Facebook pages of FACT-TV and (3)Greater Falls Connections on the day of each event.