As my previous blog post mentioned, I suffered from marijuana addiction during my teens. I wish someone had talked to me about the risks of using marijuana at such a young age. I can’t say for sure that I would have listened and unfortunately, most of the adults around me didn’t know how marijuana affected people long-term. If you think age restrictions will keep your teen from using marijuana, think again. Recreational marijuana legalization will only make the drug more accessible. The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) reports that teens’ relationship with their parents DOES impact their behaviors. NIDA also reports talking to your teens and staying engaged with their life can prevent them from using marijuana. I’ve compiled four tips from NIDA, AmericanAddictionCenters.org and Partnership for Drug-Free Kids for having a meaningful conversation with your teen about using marijuana.
- Don’t accuse, especially if you don’t know that your teen has done anything illegal. Give your teen the benefit of the doubt and they will be more willing to listen and open up to you.
- State the facts. Tell your teen about the serious mental and physical health risks. Don’t exaggerate or try to scare them. Just make it clear that using marijuana at such a young age can severely impact their intellectual and social development.
- Help them understand that marijuana isn’t safer than alcohol or other drugs just because it is a plant. Tell them that marijuana comes in varying strengths and effects. This will help them understand that even just experimenting comes with safety risks.
- If you want your teen to respect you and your advice, you have to respect them and their thoughts. It’s important that this you talk to your teen as opposed to lecturing them. Your teen will ultimately decide whether or not they will use marijuana.
Jessie Schirrick 