GOOD CONVERSATIONS
LEAD TO HEALTHY DECISIONS: CANNABIS TIPS FOR PARENTS IN COLORADO
Start talking today.
It’s not always possible to plan for a conversation about weed, and that’s okay. It’s easy to forget the power your words have on youth, so if you start a conversation and have to come back to it later, they’ll be listening. Find a time to start talking that works for both of you, leaving plenty of room for questions and answers.
Share your words.
Your words do make a difference when it comes to youth and cannabis. Youth who have an adult they can talk to are less likely to use cannabis, so follow these cannabis tips for parents and start the conversation now:
- Set rules. Make your rules about cannabis clear and stick to them. By letting your child know what will happen if they don’t follow the rules, they’ll be more inclined to make responsible decisions. Youth with clear family rules about alcohol and drug use are less likely to use cannabis than those without clear rules.
- Be a good listener. To know how to talk to young people about cannabis, you need to know how to listen. Make sure you’re not talking over or down to your child. When you allow youth to be heard, they’re more likely to hear what you have to say.
- Focus on the good. Encourage young people to make decisions that help them achieve their goals and explain how cannabis can get in the way of those goals.
- Learn more. Use Responsibility Grows Here as a resource! You can find many parental cannabis tips on this website to help you feel confident explaining the legal and health effects of underage cannabis use. Young people want to know the facts and be given the opportunity to make their own decisions.
- Remind youth that most of their peers choose not to use. One of the most powerful facts is that about 7 out of 8 high schoolers make the decision not to use cannabis. Not everyone is doing it.
- Tell them your opinions. Even if you use cannabis, tell youth how you feel about underage cannabis use. If you’re open about it, be clear about why you use cannabis and why you think they shouldn’t yet. Remember that your words have power — youth who know you’re against underage cannabis use are less likely to use it.
- Keep the conversation going. The first talk should not be the only talk. Their friends, interests, and activities are changing all the time, so it’s important to communicate often about how cannabis can impact your child’s life.
How teachers, coaches, and family members can start the conversation.
This isn’t just a “cannabis conversation,” it’s a conversation about what youth need to succeed and what can get in their way. Young people pay attention to what you say and the example you set. You don’t have to be a parent to have an influence; you just need to know how to talk to young people about cannabis. Get the conversation going with these tips:
- Breaking the rules has consequences. Emphasize the fact that breaking school rules can have consequences. They can be suspended, expelled, or kicked off a team. Outside of school, they can even be required to go to drug counseling or face legal prosecution. All of these consequences can impact their future goals.
- Role models should be responsible. Remind them that they are role models to their peers, younger students, and siblings.
- It has an effect on school and activities. Stress the fact that teens who use cannabis regularly may have trouble learning, memory issues, and lower math and reading scores. It can also affect their ability to learn new skills and affect athletic performance and coordination.
- Know what teens know about cannabis. Vaping and edibles make it easier to hide cannabis at school. Learn the different ways youth can use cannabis so you know what to look for.
- Find the right moment. When student discussions, news stories, or local events center around cannabis, use that as a time to start the conversation. Discuss cannabis use in the context of the student’s personal goals. When helping your student or athlete plan and prepare for the next game, the next test, or their future, talk about how their choices shape their opportunities and that underage cannabis use is not worth the risk.
KNOWING THE EFFECTS MEANS
YOU KNOW HOW IT CAN AFFECT THEM
The more you understand how cannabis can affect young people’s health, the more powerful your words will be.
Cannabis can impact their brains, which are still developing
Teens’ brains are in a constant state of development, and studies have shown that full brain development is not complete until age 25. Cannabis can have a negative effect on their brain’s development. For the best chance for youth to reach their full potential, help them to understand why they shouldn’t use cannabis underage.
Weed can make it harder to learn
Using cannabis regularly underage can impact a youth’s ability to learn and remember things. Youth who use cannabis regularly have also been shown to have lower math and reading scores. Weed’s effects on the brain can last for weeks after quitting.
It’s addictive
If youth start using cannabis at a young age, it can become harder to stop. Youth who start using cannabis, alcohol or other drugs — even occasionally — may be more likely to continue using later in life. Remember that your words can help define their future. Read the public health statements from CDPHE to learn more about the cognitive and mental health effects of cannabis.
Cannabis can affect physical and athletic performance
Cannabis smoke has many of the same chemicals as tobacco smoke, which is not healthy for the lungs. That means it can make it harder for a young person to breathe and participate in physical activities. Cannabis can impact a teen’s ability to learn new skills, even weeks after they last used marijuana. It can also affect coordination, meaning it can affect a youth’s ability to participate in everything from playing sports to playing music.
Vape products can contain nicotine, cannabis (THC or CBD), or other substances like flavoring agents or additional chemicals. While vaping products have grown in popularity, we have seen outbreaks of lung illnesses linked to vaping. The long-term health effects of vaping are unknown, and as information on the illness emerges, our best advice is to not vape at all. Visit the Vaping and Lung Illness page on the CDPHE website for Colorado-specific updates on the outbreak.
HELP BE RESPONSIBLE
FOR THEIR FUTURES
Underage cannabis use comes with consequences that can get in the way of a young person’s goals and plans—like attending college, getting a job, or joining an after-school club. Understanding how cannabis can impact their futures helps you have a more impactful conversation.
Youth don’t want to lose your trust.
It’s important to tell your kids how you feel about underage cannabis use and that there will be consequences if they do choose to use. Youth want to gain your trust because that can lead to more freedom, like driving privileges and staying out with friends. But if they break your trust, that can mean losing those freedoms, which is something no young person wants.
It can get them kicked off the team, the club, or other activities.
If youth are caught using cannabis, they could get in trouble with their school. That means they can be removed from sports teams and other activities, suspended, expelled, or referred to drug counseling. Parents, coaches, and teachers have a responsibility to talk to youth about underage cannabis use.
They can get in trouble with the law.
Under Colorado cannabis laws, if someone under the age of 21 gets caught with cannabis, they could get a Minor in Possession (MIP) charge. It’s important to let youth know that MIPs could also mean fines, driver’s license suspension, the loss of financial aid, and misdemeanor or felony charges. If they are caught using at their school, they could be reported to local law enforcement and could be arrested. It’s important to note that youth who are legally prescribed medical cannabis are protected from legal consequences.
It can cost them their job.
Regardless of age, many employers don’t allow their employees to use cannabis. This could mean losing a job and the freedoms that come along with making money. Make sure they understand the importance of building good references and not letting cannabis take away the things that can help.