Voices Magazine-Vol4-Issue

13 January – April 2021 | VOICES Bi-Monthly Magazine of the University of Technology, Jamaica T he National Council on Drug Abuse (NCDA), in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Wellness and the University of Technology, Jamaica, on March 9, 2021, during a comprehensive ganja literacy forum, launched the “Good Ganja Sense” public education media campaign, which seeks to improve ganja literacy and “engage interests and stakeholders around agreed national aspirations and acceptable behaviours.” The media literacy campaign is being executed by project consultants, UTech, Jamaica’s CAT Productions - the media production unit within the Faculty of Education and Liberal Studies. Mr. Michael Tucker, Executive Director, NCDA noted that he was pleased to launch the multi-agency campaign which would “provide evidence- based public education on ganja to the Jamaica population.” He noted that studies undertaken by the Council, particularly among Jamaican youth, have highlighted the need for ongoing public education to correct myths and misconceptions surrounding ganja, especially within the changing legal context resulting from the decriminalization of the substance in 2015. Mr. Tucker lauded the University’s “comprehensive and practical approach” to execution of the media campaign, highlighting that it was an excellent example of “putting knowledge to action.” Professor Colin Gyles, Acting President, UTech, Jamaica, in welcoming the collaboration indicated that the University’s administration shared the concern of the prevalence of the misuse of ganja, and the resulting negative health and social consequences, as identified by the NCDA and the Ministry of Health and Wellness. “We have sought to educate, and discourage our students from the recreational use of ganja, either generally or on the premises of the University,” Professor Gyles noted. He shared that at the same time “UTech, Jamaica has been at the forefront of national institutions carrying out scientific research on the medicinal use of the substance, consistent with the national law and with the granting of a license to the University to undertake such research.” The Acting President also expressed confidence in the project team led by Dr. Rohan Lewis, Associate Professor, Faculty of Education and Liberal Studies, indicating that behavior change and positive outcomes were expected from the one-year project. Project Overview These campaigns, which focused on changes to the law governing use of ganja, were multi-ministry and -agency driven, with the primary objective of delaying initiation into the use of the substance. The evaluation of these NCDA Launches “Good Ganja Sense” Media Campaign in Collaboration with UTech, Jamaica Mr. Michael Tucker (left), Executive Director, National Council on Drug Abuse (NCDA)and Professor Colin Gyles, Acting President, University of Technology, Jamaica (UTech, Jamaica) display a copy of a contract for a consultancy project titled ‘Good Ganja Sense’ to be executed by the University through its Communication Arts and Technology Unit in the Faculty of Education and Liberal Studies. The contract was formally signed on February 19, 2021 at the UTech, Jamaica Papine Campus.