Weed is Legal! Now What?

WEED IS LEGAL! NOW WHAT?

B Y L I N D A M I L L A R @ D R U G - F R E E K I D S C A N A D A

What does that mean for me as a parent? What does it mean for my kids?

This period in our child’s life often raises concerns for us as parents. We may go into overdrive, trying to balance smart conversations with our general concerns without turning them into boring lectures that disengage everyone in the household. When the dog falls asleep during a family discussion, it is not a great sign!

As parents, we want the best for our kids. We want them to navigate their way through their growing years to become independent, healthy, adults who have learned the importance of making smart and informed decisions.

The latest challenge for us as parents is that the federal government has made recreational cannabis use legal to adults this fall.

There are some federal restrictions in place to protect kids and keep the roads safe – but they vary from province to province; each province has its own set of rules regarding age, location of distribution and use etc.

As our kids reach adolescence, we see them morph from the fun-loving, innocent child that asks a million questions, into a unique and engaging individual with strong friendships, strong opinions and strong beliefs about what is right and wrong - frequently influenced by their peer group.

(To see the rules in your province, click through to Health Canada’s page outlining Cannabis laws and regulations in the provinces and territories.)

WHAT DOES LEGAL RECREATIONAL CANNABIS MEAN FOR ME AS A PARENT?

Although cannabis still remains illegal for our teens until the age of 18 or 19 (depending on what province you live in), it is important for us to recognize that things have changed from the ‘pot’ that some people consumed in the 20th century.

Today, superior technology and genetic cross breeding has enabled cannabis producers to create higher potency cannabis containing higher levels of THC (delta-9- tetrahydrocannabinol),

the mind-altering chemical that provides the ‘high’ for cannabis users. In fact, according to Jonathan Page, (An adjunct professor in the botany department at the University of British Columbia.) “Growing highpotency cannabis is a standard thing now,” (MacLean’s Magazine, Sep 25, 2018)

We need to be aware of this new cannabis landscape and the implications of recreational use may have for our teens and tweens.

I KNOW I SHOULD TALK WITH MY KIDS – BUT WHERE DO I START – AND WHEN?

START NOW; TALK WITH YOUR KIDS – EARLY AND OFTEN.

For some of us, talking with our kids about “touchy” subjects can be a challenge - talking with them about drugs can be even harder. And just what do you say now that recreational cannabis is legal – like alcohol? How do you mitigate your kid’s perception that it must be okay now that it’s legal?

The Drug Free Kids Canada Cannabis Talk Kit can help you get that important cannabis conversation started with your child.

Ultimately, there is no perfect “script” for talking with your pre-teen or teen about cannabis, but it is important – because consuming cannabis at an early age can have consequences.

You DO make a difference! Certainly you know your children better than anyone else. You are their first and most influential teacher. Keeping the lines of communication open and speaking with them frequently and frankly can make a big difference in preventing your teen's drug use. That’s why we need to keep talking with and listening to our teens. They have so much to learn, and now that cannabis is legal, so do we!