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Cannabis Awareness and Education Council (CAEC)

CAEC is a youth-led group that shares real facts about cannabis and brain health, empowering young people to make informed choices and protect their futures.

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What is CAEC?

The Cannabis Awareness and Education Council (CAEC) is a youth-led group that helps young people learn the facts about cannabis and speak up about how it affects their lives, communities, and futures. We don’t use scare tactics; we keep it real and focus on education, awareness, and advocacy.

CAEC is all about giving young people real information about cannabis, marijuana, and brain health — not scare tactics, not lectures — just the facts. The goal is to help you think critically, make your own choices, and protect your future.

This isn’t about telling youth what to do — it’s about helping youth understand how their brain works, why it matters, and what marijuana actually does to the developing mind. Youth have the power to choose what’s best for them — and CAEC is here to make sure youth have all the tools to do that.

Who is it for?

CAEC is for young people across Minnesota, especially those most impacted by cannabis use, policy, and criminalization. We also work with adult allies, educators, health experts, and policy leaders who believe youth should be at the center of these conversations.


How to Get Involved

Want to help lead the conversation? Here’s how:

  • Join a listening session or community event
  • Email Darian to join the CAEC youth leaders group
  • Follow our campaigns and help spread awareness
  • Partner with us to become a peer educator or to co-host education and advocacy events

Reach out to Darian@igniteafterschool.org to get started.

CAEC’s Core Work

  • Youth Peer Education: We create honest, non-judgmental content about cannabis. We also offer curriculum to educate youth and youth workers
  • Policy Engagement: We advocate for cannabis tax revenue to be reinvested into youth programs and prevention, not punishment.
  • Community Dialogue: We hold listening sessions across the state to gather real stories and solutions.
  • Health Collaboration: We work with public health partners like Allina Health to co-create trustworthy, youth-friendly education tools.

Key Successes

  • Passed legislation adding two young people to the Office of Cannabis Management Advisory Council, ensuring youth have a direct voice in shaping cannabis regulation and oversight.
  • Influenced state legislation related to Community Renewal Grants (CanRenew) by advocating that a portion of funds be dedicated to high-quality, community-rooted out-of-school youth leadership programs. While the full bill did not pass, language from CAEC’s recommendations was incorporated—acknowledging the need for youth to have a role in deciding which projects receive funding.
  • Published a statewide recommendation report grounded in the voices of over 200 young people across Minnesota.
  • Partnered with Allina Health and other organizations to co-create youth-friendly cannabis education materials that avoid fear tactics and center real-life experiences.
  • Led workshops and listening sessions across the state, elevating youth voices in conversations about public health, education, and policy.

Full Recommendation Report

Read our full report, “Youth Voices on Cannabis: Recommendations for Education, Prevention, and Policy” here:

CAEC is funded by a grant from Can ReNEW program.  This grant is not an endorsement of CAEC materials or programs.