Some of you may recognize the above photo from the early days of One Chance to Grow Up (formerly Smart Colorado). This 2014 billboard campaign created international awareness of the problems of unmarked marijuana edibles and THC in candy. This campaign helped create better policies protecting kids-not just in Colorado but throughout the country.
In the Denver Post article nearly a decade ago, Diane Carlson, Co-founder and One Chance’s policy director was quoted “It’s our responsibility as a community to provide children, teens, parents, teachers, medical professionals, employers and neighbors with the information necessary to protect Colorado citizens and, most importantly, our kids.” Our mission remains the same as we are now in our 12th year of protecting kids from THC through transparency, education, empowerment, and policy.
Community Connection
Thank you to those who attended the One Chance to Grow Up community breakfast on October 5th. We enjoyed meeting so many new partners, especially from North Denver. It was a great morning of shared information and discussion on the devastating effects of marijuana on Colorado kids and how to best protect kids with education and common sense safeguards!
If you or your organization are interested in becoming a collaborative partner with One Chance – please reach out HERE to learn more. Please find the slide deck and additional educational resources.
SAFER Banking Update
Last month, the U.S. Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs passed the SAFER Banking Act out of committee by a vote of 14-9. Regrettably, the bill is deficient when it comes to health and safety protections for kids.
A vote is expected this session as indicated by Senate Majority Schumer. This legislation is crafted to give cannabis businesses full access to the federal banking system and all the privileges with no accountability for transparency or public safety. Please reach out to your legislators HERE and ask them to think about America’s kids when considering the SAFER Banking legislation.
All of One Chance’s work so far has established that when lawmakers put the wants of the marijuana industry ahead of public health and safety, kids get hurt. We’ve seen this in Colorado and everywhere marijuana has been legalized. Accidental ingestions have gone up exponentially (follow One Chance on Facebook and LinkedIn to see this near-daily THC news across the country), and more and more kids are gaining access to a substance that harms their developing brains.
Safe Schools Summit
Each fall, the Office of School Safety provides Colorado schools and communities with the tools and resources to create safe and positive school environments for all Colorado students, pre-kindergarten through higher education. One Chance was asked to speak and share information on today’s marijuana and hemp products and how best to talk to our kids about THC. This important conference covered the holistic view of students with strategies for mental health, suicide prevention, gang violence, human trafficking, Safe2Tell, crisis services as well as trauma-informed practices.
Thank you to the Colorado School Safety Resource Center(CSSRC) for two incredible days of connection and sharing of resources with other kid champions.
Thank you for standing up for today’s youth with us – together, we can make a difference. If you believe in the One Chance to Grow Up mission, please donate today to support our work. You can find all our resources and more information about our work on our website.
Be sure to follow One Chance to Grow Up on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram, and check out our blog for updates and stories from our team and community.
Thanks for your support,
The One Chance Team
