To: Board of Supervisors
From: Anna Roth, Health Services Director
Report Title: Cannabis School-Based Education Program Report
☐Recommendation of the County Administrator ☐ Recommendation of Board Committee
RECOMMENDATIONS:
ACCEPT the annual report from Contra Costa Health (CCH) with updates on the implementation of the cannabis school-based education program for Fiscal Year 23/24 by the Contra Costa Office of Education Tobacco Use and Prevention Education Program (TUPE).
CONSIDER directing continued funding for TUPE cannabis school-based education program efforts and extend the contract period through June 30, 2026 for a total payment limit of $191,821 per fiscal year and no less than $330,000 for two years of program funding.
CONSIDER directing CCH to continue to support TUPE’s cannabis school-based education program to ensure successful implementation and designate Alcohol and Other Drug Services (AODS) as the department responsible for contract development.
FISCAL IMPACT:
This action will result in Fiscal Year (FY) 24/25 and FY 25/26 appropriation and revenue adjustments of up to $191,821 per year in Cannabis Tax Revenue funds. There is no impact to the County General Fund.
BACKGROUND:
Following the voter approved Proposition 64 (Prop 64), which legalized adult recreational use of marijuana, there have been several actions taken by the Board of Supervisors intended to regulate commercial activity of cannabis in the unincorporated areas of the County. Such efforts are in place to protect youth from exposure to and use of an emerging line of tobacco and cannabis products that are harmful to youth. Post legalization of cannabis for recreational use, there has been a dramatic increase in the use of tobacco/cannabis vaping products by youth. Some of the actions taken by the Board included the adoption of the Cannabis Land Use Ordinance to regulate commercial cannabis activities and personal cannabis cultivation in the unincorporated areas of the county along with the Cannabis Health Ordinance.
On February 23, 2023, the Family and Human Services (FHS) Committee accepted the annual reports on the Policy Options for Protecting Youth from Tobacco Influences in the Retail Environment and the Secondhand Smoke Protections ordinances, including program and funding recommendations for cannabis education; and directing staff to forward the reports to the Board of Supervisors for their information as recommended by the Health Department and Public Health Officer. At the February 23, 2023 FHS meeting, CCH staff presented four cannabis education, outreach, and support programs. FHS approved the reports and department recommendations, moving forward to the full Board for further discussion. Additionally, CCH staff were encouraged to identify funding sources for recommended programs.
On June 27, 2023, after additional analysis, CCH staff determined that only one program should move forward, and this program was presented to the Board of Supervisors. CCH staff recommended the expansion of existing youth cannabis prevention and education programs in schools. The department requested that the Board consider allocating Fiscal Year 23/24 cannabis tax revenues that had not been allocated through the recommended budget. Approval of the tax revenues provided funding to support a contract between the Contra Costa County Office of Education and the County through Behavioral Health Division’s Alcohol and Other Drugs Services (AODS) to expand existing intervention efforts at the school-based level offered through the Contra Costa County Office of Education Tobacco Use Prevention and Education (TUPE) Program. At the time of the report the Family and Human Services (FHS) Committee, the total dollar amount of cannabis revenue since the business licenses had been issued was approximately $191,821 for FY 2022-2023, and these monies were approved to fund a youth cannabis education in the schools through TUPE.
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
If this action is not approved, the report will not be received and the recommendations will not be implemented, resulting in reduced efforts to provide essential information and education addressing the negative health impacts associated with the use of both tobacco and cannabis.