The 2024 Connection Session, Clearing the Haze: Navigating Vaping and Marijuana Use Among Youth, will take place Thursday, October 3, both online and in-person at the Eastern Michigan University Student Center (900 Oakwood St. Ypsilanti, Michigan 48197). Sessions will occur in a hybrid environment for the first half of the day (10 a.m.–12:30 p.m. EDT) and in-person only for the second half (12:30–6 p.m. EDT).

Registration is now closed and onsite registration will not be available. For all the latest updates on speakers, topics, and ways you can get involved, sign up for our newsletter!

Registration Costs:

• Regular Registration In-Person $85

• Regular Registration Virtual $30

• Student Registration In-Person $70

• Student Registration Virtual $25

Schedule of Events: (subject to change)

Hybrid Morning Sessions:

• Welcome and Introduction - Historical timeline of marijuana and vaping laws; Terrill Bravender, MD, MPH, Pediatric Adolescent Clinic, Division Director of Adolescent Medicine, University of Michigan C. S. Mott Children's Hospital
• The effects of vaping and marijuana use on youth and brain development; Hilary Ann Marusak, PhD, Wayne State University  
• Tensions of medical consequences of marijuana use and legal implications; Pat Wells, MD, The Corner Health Center; Paula Goldman, MD, Adolescent Medicine, Addiction Medicine, and Family Medicine Physician, University of Michigan Health Services

In-Person Afternoon Sessions:

• Cannabis use and trends among emerging adults; Meghan Martz, PhD, University of Michigan Addiction Center
• Panel Discussion: Educational disparities and cannabis use among school-aged youth and alternatives to suspension; Nikolai Vitti, EdD, Superintendent of Detroit Public Schools; Shannon Novara, Washtenaw Intermediate School District; Peri Stone-Palmquist, LMSW, MPP, Executive Director, Student Advocacy Center of Michigan; Andria Eisman, PhD, MPH, Wayne State University
• Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) Training; Umeika Stephens, DNP, PMHNP-BC, FNP-BC, Wayne State University 
• Youth Panel Discussion: How to engage in conversation with adolescents about vaping and marijuana; Corner Health Youth Council: Hasini Anand; Nuwara Usman; Lakshya Jaiganesh; Ezinne Egenti
• Role-play activity with youth participants and discussion 

Educational Planner:

• Terrill Bravender, MD, MPH

Educational Co-Planners:

• Cornelius Jamison, MD, MSPH
• Dana Thomas, MPH
• Marlanna Landeros, MSW
• Aubrey Huff
• Lauren Vasquez, MS, CHES
• MavaMarie Cooper, MPH
• Tahrima Khanom, MSW
• Emily Rowland, RN, MSc, PhD Candidate
• Elizabeth Kuzma, DNP, FNP-BC
• Iman Saleem, MPH
• Scott Mooney

Activity Coordinators:

• Riss Giammalva
• Ashley Vines

This course is approved by NASW-Michigan, approval #091624-08. A maximum of 6 Social Work CE hours have been approved for this hybrid course.

This course is approved by the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, Inc. for a total of 6 entry-level continuing education contact hours (CECH) in health education, under NCHEC Provider Number 101853 and Program Number 37728. 

Based on attendance, the Michigan Board of Nursing will accept continuing education credits for your participation in the event through the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) organization, which approved up to 6.25 credits through the Office of CME and Lifelong Learning. Please refer to the LARA Nursing FAQs (#10) for details.