Parents must decide how and when to talk with their kids about cannabis use amid a changing policy landscape and shifting social views. Several factors affect how to talk with children about cannabis, particularly where you live and what laws apply.
So, how should parents start the conversation? There’s no easy answer, but in Issue 02 of Sweet Jane Magazine, we share some basics for our readers. We provide tips from the experts, specifically looking at the best way to communicate about the plant with your kids, depending on their age.
“Most parents will know which methods will work best when they have discussions with their children, but you can do a combination of a few ways: books, shows, discussions. Remember, it’s just a plant,” says The Mommy Jane, aka Jessica Gonzalez. She provides a couple of books and other strategies that may help you ease into the conversation with your little ones.
For kids who have reached their teenage years, the dialogue about cannabis should be more open and frequent, especially in light of changing cannabis policy and the emerging cannabis industry.
With resources and tools, teens and young adults can gain knowledge and make their own health decisions objectively. To assist parents, Drug Free Kids Canada, a non-governmental charity, published a comprehensive Cannabis Talk Kit booklet. The first edition came out in 2017, but the organization updated the kit after Canada passed a bill to legalize cannabis in 2018.
“…using evidence-based information so parents and caregivers can engage their kids in a trusting, respectful dialogue about drugs. We want families to talk openly about delaying early experimentation with cannabis and support their kids to make healthy choices,” said Marc Paris, the executive director of Drug Free Kids Canada, in a press release about an education partnership with Aphria Inc., one of Canada’s largest cannabis companies.
Although the legal landscape for cannabis looks a bit different in the U.S., the Cannabis Talk Kit is still a helpful resource for parents. The kit states that starting a conversation with “When I was a kid…” doesn’t work well anymore because the landscape of cannabis has changed so much since then. The 24-page guide also looks at the important facts for adults to know before talking with kids, the risks involved in teen use of cannabis, and more.
In Issue 02, we will dig deeper into this issue, talking with an RN and cannabis nurse, the founder of a pot and parenting platform, and others about their recommendations for talking with your kids. You can get this story, and much more, in Issue 02 of Sweet Jane Magazine, which you can order through our website or purchase at any Barnes and Noble store in the country. The issue hits stands this December 10!
