Talking to Children about Marijuana

 

Photo from MJ Dispensaries of Southern California

 A few days ago, the Associated Press released a story on how families in Washington and Colorado are having a difficult time explaining marijuana to their children, especially with more liberal laws which naturally bring about a great prevalence of medical marijuana dispensaries in their states.  It was a fairly captivating and even-handed article on the dilemma that some of these parent feel they have.  This prompted the NORML to come out with a response, insisting that it doesn't have to be a complicated matter to talk about pot with your children:

Education gives children the tools and understanding to help them cope with the challenges they have already experienced, and will continue to face further down the road.  Creating a government regulated system for marijuana legalization, which will include everything from age limits to promotional and advertising restrictions (and obviously impaired driving regulations), will actually help parents address this issue with their kids.  Several studies have already shown that states with regulated marijuana programs have not seen an increase in teen use.  Some have even seen a decrease in pot use among their youth population.

The prohibition of marijuana sends the message “marijuana is morally wrong” and implies that there is no such thing as a responsible marijuana consumer.  This ignorant policy improperly allows the government to interfere in the parent’s job of teaching their kids about moderation and responsibility.  Scare tactics and rhetoric are disingenuous and do not help children understand the realities of the world we live in.

I understand why parents may nervous about having the marijuana talk with their child, especially given our country's long history of looking down upon cannabis and it's users.  But as the facts about marijuana become more understood, and the laws for marijuana become more lenient, these conversations should not only become easier, the tone and direction of the conversation should look different than it has in the past.  I personally think the best way to approach such a conversation can be found by the Cannabis Consumers Campaign website article entitled "Talk to Your Kids About Pot: JUST SAY 'WAIT UNTIL YOU GROW UP.'"   Here is an exert:

Many adult cannabis consumers are put in an awkward position with regard to their children. When they were younger, many hid their use from their parents. Now they are hiding it from their kids. Some people feel that it's easier just to keep their use separate from their children, in order to avoid dealing with the subject until the children are older. Others are quite open and honest about it, hoping to "normalize" their use, and teach responsible use by example -- like people who would have a drink of alcohol in front of their children. Regardless of which path you take in this matter, it's important to be involved in your kids' lives and to keep the lines of communication open with them.

Parents and other adults are role models to their children. If you are open about your use, be conscious of the values, ethics and behavior you are teaching your children. Show them what responsible use means. Don't use cannabis as an excuse for not upholding your personal responsibilities or for acting carelessly. One thing that must be taught to your children is that this activity is currently illegal and the social and legal consequences can be quite severe for the entire family. They need to know that cannabis choice is a private, family matter that should not be discussed outside the home, as some people don't like it and want to punish people who use it, just like some people hate others for being of a different race. It's not right, but there are people who are intolerant and mean. Tell them that you think the laws against cannabis are wrong, and it should be legally controlled, like alcohol. If they see you actively working to reform the laws, they will learn that cannabis laws need to be fixed, and its consumers should be held to the same social and legal standards as alcohol or tobacco users.

If you don't consume cannabis -- at least not in front of the children -- it is still important to talk to them about marijuana. You may want to wait for the subject to arise, but be prepared when it does. If you think they are using marijuana, you should bring it up right away, not as an attack but as a topic of mutual concern. Otherwise, bring the subject up whenever you find it appropriate; but since many kids go through DARE or a similar propaganda class at age 10 or 11, you should not wait too much longer than that age, and you should definitely bring up the subject by age 16. Be factual and direct. Don't get into things that are above the heads of your child and their age group. If they are being subjected to the DARE program, take the opportunity to review their class materials with them, correct the lies, and have an honest discussion with them.

Be up front, but keep it simple. Be cautious in discussing your own history, because it can backfire on you (example: "How would you know if you've never tried it" or "Well, you did it, so why shouldn't I?"). Don't try to squeeze this talk into a tight time slot; allow enough time to thoroughly discuss the issues that come up in the discussion.

The article is worth a read, especially for parents who feel they do face a "pot talk dilemma".  And while I haven't talked to my wife about it yet, I would like to think we will have a similar cannabis conversation with our children when the time comes.

On a side note about pot, this clip of Congressman Jared Polis questioning DEA Administrator Michele Leonhart is making the rounds on the web.  Ms. Leonhart could not answer whether heroin and meth were dangerous or more addictive than pot, which defies common sense.