Montana Alliance of Prevention (MAP)
Who We Are...
We are a statewide coalition of partners with shared risk and protective factors who formed to have a collective and unified voice for substance abuse prevention and mental health supports.
What We Do...
We advocate for policies related to prevention in support of healthy outcomes with a unified voice to build, enhance, and expand the state and local collaborative capacity. Our efforts are focused on adolescent marijuana use prevention.
Why We Formed...
We wanted to break down silos and advocate for policies and funding that support the entire continuum of care.
Prevention is Crucial!
While treatment for substance use disorders is effective, prevention of substance use disorders before they occur is best.
Early Prevention is Key
Research has shown that for each year that substance use is delayed during adolescence while the brain develops, the risk of substance misuse and addiction decreases (1, 2).
Youth Marijuana Use in Montana
Results from the 2020 and 2022 Montana Prevention Needs Assessment show a drastic 18% increase in past 30-day marijuana use among 8th-12th graders in Montana.
MAP's Legislative Priorities
MAP has several legislative priorities including HEART funding, marijuana policy, HB872/general funding, engaging youth, and maintaining flexibility as issues emerge and evolve.
Click the top button for a brief outline of MAP’s priorities. Click the bottom button for a detailed explanation of each priority.
Prevention is Science
Substance use prevention is a data-driven science. Prevention Specialists follow what has been shown to work best, using SAMHSA’s Strategic Prevention Framework.
Guide to Policy
This Policy Guidebook provided by the Prevention Technology Transfer Center (PTTC) provides a framework for advancing evidence-based policy strategies in local communities. The development, implementation, and enforcement of local policies can benefit communities by making alcohol, tobacco and other drugs less accessible, less affordable to youth, and reduce initiation.
“The war on drugs has resulted in large-scale unjust incarceration and other harmful social impacts. At the same time, legalizing cannabis without robust regulation and promoting the growth of an unfettered for-profit industry threatens our developing youth and public health, and risks further exacerbating social, economic, and health disparities.” Click here to learn more about how you can prevent or mitigate harm:
MAP Policy Advocacy Resources
Get Involved!
Stay up to date on current bills in Montana! Click the “Bill Tracker” button to the left. At the top of the website under “Key bill progress“, click “Marijuana” to view bills related to marijuana.
Interested in participating in the legislature? Click the “How to participate” button at the top of the page to view information on watching the legislature, reading bills and tracking their progress, commenting on bills, how to testify in person, how to testify remotely, and how to contact your lawmaker.
Are you interested in getting involved and making a change? Click the Advocacy Toolkit to learn more.
News on Marijuana
Resources
Youth Cannabis Prevention Toolkit for Native American Parents:
“This toolkit is designed to provide Native American parents/guardians with valuable resources and information to prevent cannabis use among youth. By utilizing the PTTC Network and Gray Matters campaign as primary resources, this toolkit aims to empower parents/guardians in promoting healthy choices and supporting their children’s well-being. Additional relevant resources are also included to enhance the effectiveness of prevention efforts.”
Drug interactions:
Adverse reactions may occur when combining any two or more substances, and marijuana is no exception. Use the Drug Interactions Checker to see potential interactions marijuana may have with other drugs, prescription medications, herbs, or food.
Simply enter “marijuana” to see potential interactions with THC (the commonly used psychoactive component of the cannabis plant). Additionally, try entering “cannabidiol” to see potential interactions with CBD (another component of the cannabis plant, commonly marketed as a remedy for many ailments).
Department of Revenue:
Check out the Montana Department of Revenue Cannabis Control Division’s frequently asked questions page for information on cannabis control, sales and licensing, local and county cannabis regulations, cannabis tax, and cannabis withholding.
Printables:
These posters are easy to download, print, and hand out to different establishments including dispensaries and doctor offices. The use of posters is an easy and impactful method to educate people on the risks associated with marijuana use.
Johnny’s Ambassadors has a plethora of posters available on their website. Their posters include information on mental and physical health outcomes associated with marijuana use, cannabis regulation, and more.
Johnny’s Ambassadors website also includes an abundance of printable sheets that can be used in education setting ranging from middle school to college. These printables are available in both English and Spanish.
For more information:
Please contact [email protected] or fill out the contact form below:
THANK YOU!
References
Grant BF, Dawson, DA. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. (1997). Age at Onset of Alcohol Use and Its Association with DSM-IV Alcohol Abuse and Dependence: Results from the National Longitudinal Alcohol Epidemiologic Survey. Journal of Substance Abuse, Vol. 9, pp. 103-110.
Grant BF, Dawson, DA. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. (1998). Age at Onset of Drug Use and Its Association with DSM-IV Drug Abuse and Dependence: Results from the National Longitudinal Alcohol Epidemiologic Survey. Journal of Substance Abuse, Vol. 10, pp. 163-173.