Community & Culture

Beyond the Buzz 2.0 contest seeks youth views on tobacco, cannabis, vaping & alcohol

The Interior Health (IH) Legal Substances team and the YOUTHWISE Advisory Group are excited to launch IH’s annual youth poster contest, Beyond the Buzz 2.0: Youth Voices on Substance Use for the chance to win a gift card worth $150 of the winners choice.

Unlike many other campaigns that focus exclusively on the health concerns of substance use, IH’s innovative contest has a different approach that aims at empowering youth to share their perspective on the issues. Ultimately, this project helps to develop peer-to-peer messaging for teens across the region, encouraging positive decision-making and strengthening prevention messaging from a teen’s perspective.

About the poster contest

The contest will be split into two age categories: Grades 6 to 8, and Grades 9 to 12. The contest themes will remain the same for both age groups.

The deadline for submissions is at 11:59 p.m. on Dec. 15, 2025.

A panel of teen judges from IH’s YOUTHWISE Advisory Council will select a winning poster for each theme within each age category. Winners will be announced the week of Jan. 18, 2026.

Each winner will receive a $150 gift card of their choice and have their artwork professionally printed and shared with their school district, distributed throughout the IH region and displayed on IH’s social media channels and website.

Find out more about the contest rules and how to participate

Themes

This year, the contest invites youth under the age of 19 and in Grades 6 to 12 to express their views on one of four key themes:

  1. Alcohol: Choices on Tap: Alcohol, Youth & Consequences 
  2. Tobacco: Tobacco impact: Commercial Tobacco’s Environmental and Community Impacts*
  3. Vape: Unmask the Vapour: Nicotine, Addiction & Hidden Dangers 
  4. Cannabis: Mind at Risk: Cannabis, Brain Development & Youth Well‑Being 

*Commercial tobacco is not reflective of traditional, ceremonial, sacred and medicinal uses of raw tobacco by Indigenous, and other cultures.

Participants are encouraged to highlight how the topics affect them, their friends, family, schools and communities. The contest also offers an opportunity for supportive adults to engage youth in meaningful conversations around substance use. 

IH values youth voices & perspectives

The IH Legal Substances team established the YOUTHWISE Advisory Group in June 2022 to provide a forum for teens’ perspectives on health, well-being, and substance use-related challenges. 

The group offers valuable insights to IH’s youth-focused initiatives and projects, helping the IH Legal Substances team and other partners tailor messaging in meaningful ways that resonate with youth audiences. 

Along with other important and ongoing work, the YOUTHWISE members are essential to the Beyond the Buzz poster contest’s success. 

Group members shared their personal experiences with IH.

“As an advisory member, I've gained a broader understanding of the extensive impacts of substances. Having personally struggled with substance use, I've learned a lot about the use, abuse and consequences of these substances. I've gained valuable knowledge that I'm eager to share.” 

-- YOUTHWISE Advisory Group member

“In YOUTHWISE, it is encouraging to hear the perspectives of teammates who have misused substances, and their road to recovering from their challenges.” 

-- YOUTHWISE Advisory Group member

“Poster contests like this are incredibly beneficial for youth. They can spark conversations with friends and family who may be struggling, offering a different perspective on substance use. When you're caught in the grip of substance dependency, seeing things from another angle can be incredibly helpful.” 

-- YOUTHWISE Advisory Group member

“One of my favourite parts of the YOUTHWISE group is being a judge for the annual poster contest. All participants submit amazing artwork, and it’s hard to pick a winner.” 

-- YOUTHWISE Advisory Group member

While recruitment for the 2025/26 YOUTHWISE team is now closed, we’re always open to expressions of interest for future opportunities. We invite curious teens aged 13 to 19 to learn more about the YOUTHWISE Advisory Group to connect with the IH Legal Substances team at LegalSubstances@interiorhealth.ca.

Learn more about YOUTHWISE 

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