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This article describes some of the risks and challenges faced by Aboriginal youth living in Canadian cities. It evaluates four current drug prevention/education programs for this group and other at-risk youth. The lessons learned from these strategies lead to a proposal for a reflective education approach directed toward opening meaningful dialogue about drugs and alcohol with urbanAboriginal youths in group settings. The objectives of the approach are to create an open dialogue with youths, enhance problemsolving skills, minimize harm, and initiate a process of reflection about the role of drugs in the lives of young people. The goal is for the proposed approach to be implemented in various group contexts, including classrooms, workshops, talking circles, treatment centers and sports clubs. The article also explores the practice and policy dimensions of prevention-focused social work with Aboriginal youth.

Background: Perceptions of cannabis-related risk are changing, and many are viewing cannabis as harmless despite the biopsychosocial risks. Perceptions of risk have an impact on behavior as individuals who are less likely to view cannabis as risky are more likely to use it problematically. Purpose: This study examined how mental health professionals who use cannabis perceive the risks related to use. Methods: Interpretative phenomenological analysis was utilized to understand how participants made sense of the harm related to personal and client use. Interviews were conducted with a sample of social workers, nurses, and psychotherapists who work with cannabis-consuming clients. Results: Participants reported cannabis use is related to anxiety, relational challenges, impaired driving, psychosis, cognitive impairment, educational/employment dysfunction, and addiction in some users. Conclusion: Assessing risk perceptions among cannabis users can reveal subtle psychosocial problems the user may be experiencing. Mental health workers may benefit from further education regarding cannabis-related physical health harm.