Truth Initiative is partnering with the OneOhio Recovery Foundation to expand cannabis education across Ohio. The nonprofit will provide strategic advisory services, conduct formative and message-testing research, and lead rigorous evaluation for statewide campaigns aimed at youth, pregnant women and employers.
The collaboration responds to recent polling that shows cannabis use in Ohio rising while perceptions of risk decline. Key figures from the statewide survey: 41% of Ohioans report current cannabis use, up from 35% in 2024; 48% of those current users say they use daily; and 67% of respondents say cannabis has become more socially acceptable since legalization. Truth Initiative and OneOhio say those trends create a need for targeted public information backed by behavioral research and tested messages.
Truth Initiative will use its Schroeder Institute to run both qualitative and quantitative studies to guide message selection and to test creative approaches. The work includes formative research to identify audience segments, controlled message testing to measure shifts in risk perception and intent to use, and outcome evaluation to track campaign reach and behavioral changes over time. OneOhio’s media and implementation partners will execute the campaigns based on that evidence.
Kathy Crosby, CEO and president of Truth Initiative, framed the partnership in terms of measurable outcomes. She cited the organization’s previous campaigns: the truth® tobacco prevention effort helped reduce youth smoking from 23% in 2000 to below 2% today, and the organization’s tobacco cessation work, including the EX Program and the Outsmart Nicotine campaign, has received awards for effectiveness. Truth Initiative has won more than 50 Effie Awards (including two Grand Effies) and a Creative Arts Emmy for its opioid-prevention ads.
OneOhio Executive Director Alisha Nelson emphasized the connection between the polling data and the foundation’s role. She noted that rising use and falling risk perception for teens and pregnant women require clear, evidence-based messaging that explains documented health and safety risks and presents specific behavior options. OneOhio governs a 29-member board, and the foundation receives 55% of Ohio’s pharmaceutical settlement funds to support addiction prevention, treatment and recovery programs statewide.
The partnership will focus first on youth-targeted work. Truth Initiative will lead comprehensive formative research to identify which messages most reduce intent to use among adolescents and young adults. Campaign materials will be tested for clarity, credibility and measurable shifts in attitudes and reported intentions. Parallel work will target messaging for pregnant people to communicate risks associated with prenatal cannabis exposure, and for employers to address workplace safety and policies.
Truth Initiative’s Schroeder Institute will produce baseline measures and post-campaign evaluations. Specific metrics include changes in perceived risk among target groups, reach and frequency of exposure to campaign messages, and self-reported changes in use or intentions to use. The foundation plans to publish evaluation results so state officials and community organizations can judge campaign impact against these benchmarks.
The partnership reflects a shift in Ohio’s public discourse since adult-use legalization. With two-thirds of residents saying cannabis has become more socially acceptable, public health leaders point to the widening gap between social norms and awareness of documented risks. Research cited by Truth Initiative highlights concerns about adolescent brain development, increased daily use among some adults, and potential harms associated with use during pregnancy.
Truth Initiative also offers free digital curricula for students in grades 8–12 on cannabis and on prescription drug misuse. Those resources will complement OneOhio’s local prevention efforts and can be integrated into school and community programs. OneOhio’s website lists funded programs and provides guidance for local partners seeking support.
Officials from both organizations said they will track short- and medium-term outcomes and adjust messaging based on what the evidence shows. The stated goal is to reduce use rates among priority groups and increase accurate perception of risks where gaps now exist. The partnership combines Truth Initiative’s campaign development and evaluation experience with OneOhio’s statewide funding and distribution network to test whether data-driven public education can change reported behaviors and attitudes in Ohio.
For more information, Truth Initiative posts resources and research at truthinitiative.org. OneOhio Recovery Foundation details its programs and funding at oneohiofoundation.com.
