How To Talk To Kids About Marijuana And Why You Need To Do It Now

Teaching Kids about Marijuana - What to do and not do from CannabisNet on Vimeo.

The other day, in our family chat room, we were discussing weight loss. One of my 3 sisters had just recently lost 75 pounds, thanks to her obsession with spinning classes. 2 of my other sisters who live in Vancouver, don’t have the same luck – but they also haven’t exactly been working as hard.

One of them, G, was asking about what kind of alcohol she should drink instead, so as to avoid piling on excess weight from booze. Although wine is her drink of choice, I suggested that she try vodka.

G dismissed the idea straight away and said that she really just preferred to drink wine. To which I replied, “Ok then, so why don’t you just smoke pot? You’re in Vancouver. You have access to great quality cannabis. AND it’s good for you.”

After a few minutes of silence in the chat room, G responds to me with a link. I opened it and it was an anti-marijuana website discussing the “side effects” of marijuana: increased heart rate, red eyes, stroke, heart attack… I had to stop right there (after I rolled my eyes so hard it reached the back of my head).

Bless her, but she doesn’t know anything – and she refuses to open her mind about it.

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I resumed to the chat room going on and on about endocannabinoids and how they work. But to my detriment, my siblings wouldn’t budget. Such as the hurdles I face growing up in a super conservative family!

Then I got thinking about G’s kids: 5 children. 5 reasons why she moved to Vancouver so that they could all have a better life in a better country. I adored my nephews and nieces, but it made my toes curl just thinking about the lies she must be telling them about CANNABIS!

It saddens me to think that the younger generation might still be brainwashed by parents who don’t know any better. But thankfully there are those that do understand the benefits of legalization for our kids.

If I had my way, I’d talk to my nephews and nieces about cannabis. Part of the battle for legalization isn’t just access for adults, but also to educate those who are most vulnerable – the kids. Educating them will help them understand why we use it and why it can be beneficial, so that they can continue to be responsible users of cannabis as they grow up.

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For those confused parents out there, check out our guide about how to broach the subject with the young’uns:

Even if you don’t smoke cannabis, it’s still your job to talk to kids about it. With the upcoming elections and with more places in the world granting citizens access to medical marijuana, you won’t be able to hide it from children or wait until they are in their teens. They’ll see the billboards, dispensaries, and television ads and you won’t be able to hide it from them especially if you live in a state where medical cannabis is legal.

Be prepared with information and stick to the facts. Don’t wax poetic about how it’s the best, man. Kids won’t get it – explain the science and biology behind it (if you don’t know the science behind why cannabis works as a medicine, now is your time to get educated). At the end of the day, marijuana is a plant. It’s not produced in a lab nor is it made out of chemicals. When your children express curiosity, answer their questions as logically and honestly as you can. Again, sticking to the facts and the science behind it is ultimately the key.

Be firm about why your kids can’t use cannabis until they’re 21. Explain that it’s still illegal under federal law. But more importantly, studies show that marijuana can have a negative impact on developing brains. Tell them that it’s best to wait until they’re an adult to try it recreationally. It’s hard enough for them as it is to manage homework, social activities, and extracurriculars as it is; adding marijuana to the picture so early may make it difficult for them to manage responsibilities.

Your kid may have already gone through a DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) session at school. The program is anti-marijuana, as well as other drugs. If they ask why there are people against it, explain the politics and businesses behind it; how big companies benefit from the prohibition.

For parents as users, it’s crucial for you to set good examples to your children. Show them that you can be a responsible parent even if you use cannabis recreationally. The perception of your kids about cannabis, as well as how they use it in the future, will have a lot to do with their initial experiences with it at home.

There’s no need to use complicated terms when speaking to your kid about marijuana, especially if they aren’t teens yet. The most important thing for you to do is display a sense of openness, communicate that the topic is not taboo, and that you are free for questions and discussions anytime.