SAFE GC Coalition: New York Launches Cannabis Honestly Campaign

The "Cannabis Honestly" initiative is a public education campaign launched by the New York State Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) to help young people and trusted adults make informed decisions about cannabis. The program provides fact-based resources to dispel myths surrounding marijuana use, particularly among adolescents to provide information about cannabis and answer common questions about its use.

State officials developed the campaign after nearly a year of listening sessions and feedback from roughly 450 teens and adults across New York. Researchers found that a large portion of teenagers were confused about basic regulations (like the legal consumption age of 21) and struggled to differentiate between licensed, legal products and the illicit market.

The launch comes as New York's adult-use cannabis industry continues to generate significant revenue for municipalities that allow legal sales. According to state figures, local governments on Long Island that permit cannabis dispensaries — all currently located in Suffolk County — collected approximately $13 million in cannabis sales tax revenue from products sold between April 2023 and April 2025.

State officials say the Cannabis Honestly campaign is designed to provide science-based information about cannabis, including potential risks, safer-use practices and resources for those seeking help.

Key Features of the Campaign:

• Target Audience: Parents, caregivers, educators, healthcare providers, coaches, and young people themselves.
• Interactive Tools: The campaign features an interactive, personalized "conversation starter" tool to help adults ease into non-judgmental discussions with teens about peer pressure, mental health, and cannabis exposure.
• Resource Materials: Includes downloadable fact sheets, videos, and a "Community Engagement Toolkit" available in both English and Spanish.

The free educational materials and conversation guides can be accessed directly on the New York State Office of Cannabis Management website or the dedicated Cannabis Honestly portal at https://cannabis.ny.gov//

SAFE is the only alcohol and substance use prevention agency in Glen Cove whose mission is to eliminate alcohol and substance use in Glen Cove. Its Coalition is concerned about cannabis use- especially in youth as their brains are developing. The Coalition is conducting a prevention awareness campaign entitled “Keeping Glen Cove SAFE; Underage Marijuana Use,” to educate and update the community regarding marijuana use and its negative consequences. To learn more please about the Coalition please follow us on www.facebook.com/safeglencovecoalition or visit SAFE’s website to learn more about Cannabis/Marijuana use at www.safeglencove.org.

In 2025, the Community Committee of the SAFE Glen Cove Coalition drafted and proposed new legislation to ban smoking marijuana in public places. The proposal was successfully voted on by council members making the City of Glen Cove the first in Nassau County.