about us

Weed Out the Risk (WOTR) is an interactive based, educational program which informs youth and young adults of the risks associated with driving high or being a passenger in a vehicle with someone who is driving under the influence of cannabis.

Why We do What We Do

  • Every day, up to four Canadians are killed due to alcohol-related and/or drug-related related crashes.
  • 1 in 4 teens drive within two hours of using cannabis and 41% of youth feel it is fine to get in a car with someone who is high.
  • 45% of Canadians who have died in a vehicle crash with drugs in their system have tested positive for weed. That is way too many preventable deaths on Canadian roads.

Our Goals

  1. Participants know the risks of driving high
  2. Participants know the risks of getting into the car with a high driver
  3. Participants gain the skills to comfortably stop someone from driving impaired

Impact

WOTR makes a measurable impact on student awareness of how cannabis can affect them, a person’s ability to safely operate a motor vehicle and the consequences of driving high
  • Over 160,000 youth participated in the program across Canada
  • We have established a network of over 500 trained facilitators who are delivering the WOTR program in their community.
  • Over 800 schools and 100 partner agencies across Canada have showcased the program.
Impact
  • 89% of participants say they are more aware of the effects of cannabis on  body, brain function, judgment and reaction time.
  • 90% of youth are aware of the potential social, legal and financial consequences of using cannabis and operating a vehicle when they have completed the WOTR workshop.
  • 90% Youth  said they had increased awareness about the consequences of cannabis impaired driving
  • 84% of participants said they would recommend Weed Out the Risk to other young people

This national program is available in both French and English, and endorsed by MADD Canada, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), YMCA Canada, Cannabis Council of Canada, Young Drivers of Canada, educators, and most importantly, by  over 160,000 youth who have participated in the program.

Launched in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area in 2014, the pilot phase resulted in Weed Out the Risk being delivered to over 17,000 youth. Building on the pilot’s success and partnerships, Weed Out the Risk was approved for multi-year funding from Health Canada to both update and scale the program nationally.

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About Springboard Services

https://www.springboardservices.ca/

Springboard builds stronger communities by helping and vulnerable youth and adults through critical transitions in their lives with a focus on community justice, employment and developmental disability services. Springboard developed Weed Out the Risk (WOTR) as a tool to better inform youth of the risks associated with driving.

Learn more about Springboard

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