A Parents Map for Pot Talk With Teens

Talking with your kids about drugs is something that you probably dread yet you know it has to be done. What better drug to start with than marijuana – a popular drug that’s under intense debate right now in the United States.

Marijuana is a subject that even President Barack Obama has been questioned about, particularly since he admitted to using it as a young man. In the January 27, 2014 issue of The New Yorker magazine, the president said that he didn’t think it was as dangerous as alcohol, but he discouraged his daughters from using it.

Legalities of Marijuana

Currently, 20 states have legalized marijuana for medicinal use where only Colorado and Washington have passed it for recreational use. While states are changing their views, federal criminal laws regarding marijuana have not changed. If you are arrested and are holding a quantity of weed, professionals at www.devorelawoffice.com advise, “it is likely that drug charges will be filed. In some cases these charges are misdemeanors, but in many cases drug crimes are charged as felonies.” A person caught for the first time with over 1 kilogram of marijuana faces up to a year in federal prison. The larger the amount of marijuana held, the longer the federal prison time. If your kid gets into any legal trouble, it is best to hire Avocat criminel Gatineau to help you solve any problems that might come along.

Mini-History of Marijuana

Cannabis sativa is the scientific name for the herb plant, also commonly known as hemp. According to Reference(dot)com, the plant was cultivated in ancient China and made its way to Europe before the dawn of Christianity. Wikipedia notes that in 1619 King James I ordered the American colonists to grown 100 plants for export, and the demand then flourished.

The stem fibers can be made into rope, the seeds can be used to feed birds, and the seed oil has many industrial uses. The seeds can also be used to produce hemp milk which is said to taste creamy and nutty. The leaves can be soaked to make a calming tea, and the leaves dried to use for smoking.

Marijuana Paraphernalia

Marijuana can be eaten, but most teenagers choose to smoke it like a cigarette. To do this, they use a “rolling paper” which is a small, thin white paper in which the loose drug is placed and rolled into a cigarette (or “joint”) that’s ready to smoke.

The end of the burning joint, called a “roach,” is hard to hold, so a smoker uses a clip, called a “roach clip,” to protect the hand from getting burned.

Smokers also use a “bowl.” The paraphernalia is called a “bowl” because a metal bowl, in which the smoker packs the marijuana, is connected to the end of a stem pipe.

There are other types of paraphernalia but these are commonly used by teenagers.

Many Names of Mary Jane

There are many different slang terms for marijuana; the most common are “joint, “weed” and “pot.” Other names include:

1. Rasta
2. Ganga
3. Reefer
4. Herbage
5. Dry High
6. Aunt Mary
7. Joy Smoke
8. Loco weed
9. Purple Haze
10. Laughing grass

Medical, Recreational, or Just No

Before you speak with your teenager, decide what you believe about marijuana. Is it good for medicinal use, but not recreational use? Would you agree to its use if your child had a life-threatening illness and physicians told you this would relieve the associated chronic pain?

If you don’t want your teen to use marijuana, discuss how marijuana can lead to risky behaviors and in the long-term, affects a person’s brain and healthy body function.

Once you have made a decision, state your reasons clearly as to why you do or do not want your child to use it.

How to Approach Your Kids about Marijuana

It’s ideal to bring up the subject of marijuana if your child has questions about the green plant, if someone is bullying your child into using it, or your child’s friend was suspended from school for smoking pot. If they are talking about it, ask non-invasive, open ended questions to initiate the talk. To keep an open relationship, allow your teen to participate in the conversation. Ensure you allow open back and forth dialogue, not just a one-way speech about your demands.

The topic of marijuana is not going to go away any time soon. This is why having discussions with your teenager sooner rather than later is important. It may be uncomfortable, but it’s worth it if it helps guide your child to create their own stance based off of family values.

[About the author: Teresa Stewart sees similarities of the prohibition era in the US weed debate. She researched criminal drug crimes online at www.devorelawoffice.com to gain info for this article and writes to encourage families to understand and take a stance now to avoid conflict later. Photo Credit: PabloEvans]