GREENFIELD — At the beginning teaching her 10th-grade biology class on addiction, Laura Stamas asked her students a couple of questions about their current perception around addiction and whether they thought of it as a disease.
The answers were mixed from her Four Rivers Charter Public School students, but as Stamas has taught more of the curriculum to her class, student views have started to become more informed.
“They’ve been learning about addiction, and reframing addiction as a disease and the public health issue in Franklin County,” Stamas said.
Students will be able to learn more about addiction at an upcoming event, open to the public at the school.
Dr. Ruth Potee, an addiction expert and Northfield resident, will lead a conversation on addiction in the teenage brain, Thursday from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at Four Rivers Charter Public School.
Although Potee is often known in the region for her knowledge on the opioid epidemic, she said the talk will focus more on addiction at-large and speak about marijuana use as well.
One goal is for teenagers to understand that delaying their first use of drugs and alcohol can be helpful in not becoming addicted, Potee said. Instead, waiting until after teenage years to possibly use alcohol or drugs can help eliminate the genetic factor and the role it will play in leading to an addiction.
“When people hear that they realize they have some control on a disease that may have been controlling their families for generations,” Potee said.
She said part of her talk will be geared toward informing teens about potential risks with young marijuana use, but will applaud them for their continuing decline in smoking cigarettes.
Potee is giving talks around the state nearly every Thursday, but this is a rare time when she is doing it within Franklin County.
Stamas’ 10th-graders will introduce Potee for the talk that will be best for high school-age teenagers and their parents.
The event is free, but all proceeds will to go toward the Opioid Task Force of Franklin County and The RECOVER Project.
“I really like when the students can meet people and see people in their county who are doing this work and get them also familiar with non-profits,” Stamas said. “It’s a great age to build awareness around the resources that are in our county and the issues around addiction in our area.”
The topic has also been timely for some of her students, she said, noting that students are aware of the ongoing opioid epidemic in the region.
“It’s an issue that some students have been thinking about in their own lives and it feels really relevant to them,” Stamas said, and because they’re learning about it in biology instead of health class, she said it seems the material is landing better with students.
“I definitely really like connecting what we’re studying in biology to relevant and real world issues,” Stamas said. “I feel like it increases the participation and buy-in from the students.”