Development and Implementation of Education Promoting Cannabis and Firearm Safety

Tara Copper, MD
Lindsay Clukies, MD
Susan Wiltrakis, MD
David Liss, MD
Emily Wynia, MD
Donna Hunt O'Brien, MA
Lindsey Shah, MSW
Nancy Ayala, BA Psych
Abby Edwards, MPH
Allison Kemner, MPH

Firearm injuries are the leading cause of death among U.S. children, while unintentional pediatric cannabis exposures continue to rise amid an evolving legal landscape. Knowledge gaps persist among caregivers regarding injury risks associated with firearm and cannabis exposure. Parents as Teachers (PAT), an international parenting support organization, offers a unique opportunity to disseminate child safety education through trusted educator-family relationships. We sought to develop, disseminate, and evaluate educational tools on cannabis and firearm safety through an academic-community partnership with Parents as Teachers National Center.

Evidence-informed educational content focused on age-specific safety needs was developed by experts in Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Medical Toxicology, and Injury Prevention at a tertiary care academic medical center. Five PAT educator resources and nine caregiver resources were created for distribution to an estimated 170,000 families and 205,000 children, through approximately 1.6 million home visits. Content was translated into 10 languages to reflect the diverse population served by Parents as Teachers. Educator tools were integrated into core curriculum beginning June 2024. Between January and June 2025, we surveyed PAT educators and a cohort of families in St. Louis, who are participants in the Show Me Strong Families service arm of PAT National Center. Surveys conducted during routine home visits assessed changes in knowledge, confidence, and intended cannabis and firearm safety behaviors using Likert-scale responses.

Eighty-nine parents and 24 parent educators completed surveys. Over 90% of parents and all educators reported learning new information about cannabis safety, including product types, the effects on children, and secure storage. Most (90%) parents reported increased confidence in safely storing cannabis and intent to discuss safety with caregivers. Parent educators found the curriculum relevant, easy to use, and helpful for counseling and motivating families. Regarding firearm safety, 92% of parents and all educators reported learning that firearm injuries are the leading cause of death among U.S. children. A majority of parents found the topic relevant, and that the resources enhanced education from their parent educator. All parent educators reported increased confidence discussing secure firearm storage and addressing barriers to secure storage. After education, all parent educators and 84% of parents correctly identified best practices for secure firearm storage. Ninety-three percent of parents expressed intent to discuss firearm safety with others.

Partnership with Parents as Teachers led to the successful development and dissemination of cannabis and firearm safety education for families and parent educators. These resources improved knowledge, confidence, and intended secure storage behavior, demonstrating the potential of trusted community-based organizations to deliver scalable injury prevention education.

1. Understand how community partnerships can support large-scale injury prevention education.
2. Recognize that families are receptive to firearm and cannabis safety education from trusted parent educators.
3. Describe how education improved confidence and intention to promote safe firearm and cannabis storage practices.

From Wishes to Washington: Crafting Your Advocacy Message

Amelia Bray-Aschenbrenner, MD
Sofia Chaudhary, MD, MPH
Lindsay Clukies, MD

As injuries remain the leading cause of death of people 1-44 years of age, injury prevention advocates must have the tools to discuss evidence-based public health strategies with policymakers to reduce the burden of injuries, particularly among children and adolescents. This 90-minute interactive workshop will provide participants with practical skills for engaging in nonjudgmental, nonpartisan advocacy conversations with non-medical policy makers focused on shared goals and meaningful engagement.

The session will begin with a 30-minute didactic overview of effective advocacy communication strategies. Participants will learn how to clearly and concisely articulate positions on child injury and public health issues, develop memorable advocacy “why” statements, translate clinical and community experiences into compelling advocacy messages, and frame conversations in ways that resonate with diverse audiences. The session will also address strategies for engaging policymakers across differing viewpoints, building and sustaining professional relationships with legislative offices, and navigating emotionally and politically sensitive discussions. Real-world examples from injury prevention and child health advocacy will be incorporated throughout.

The remainder of the workshop will focus on hands-on experiential skill-building activities. Participants will be given 15-minutes to individually craft their “why” statement. They will be given 30-minutes to practice delivering their message in facilitated small groups. Attendees will receive feedback on how to make their messaging clear, compelling, concise, and audience-focused. For the remaining 15-minutes, small groups will choose 1-2 attendees to lead mock meetings with policymakers, portrayed by workshop facilitators, to practice applying the conversational and relationship-building techniques discussed during the lecture portion. Other group members will observe and provide feedback. By the end of the session, participants will leave with tangible tools and greater confidence to engage in injury prevention and child advocacy at the local, state, and national levels.

- Craft and confidently deliver a memorable personal advocacy “why” statement
- Develop effective communication strategies for engaging with legislators and policymakers
- Practice navigating challenging or emotionally charged policy conversations
- Apply newly acquired advocacy skills through interactive small-group breakout sessions