Just like the birds and the bees talk, our conversations with kids about cannabis can have lasting impacts. And, with the recent push towards legalisation making cannabis use more accepted than ever, it’s important to discuss the topic openly and honestly with the youngsters in our lives.
Being open and transparent
Approach conversations about cannabis with transparency – after all, setting up an honest dialogue will encourage your kids to feel safe bringing up the topic in the future. As legal pathways for cannabis open up, explaining how and why cannabis is being used as medicine can help to demystify the plant, and break down any misconceptions or fears children might have.
Of course, it’s just as important to be open about the potential downsides of cannabis, particularly if you’re talking to teenagers. Information is power, so its important to mention the potentially disruptive effects cannabis consumption could have on the development of teenager’s prefrontal cortex.
By helping your kids to understand both the pros and the cons, you are equipping them to make safe and smart decisions until (and after) they reach the legal age.
Being a good role model with your cannabis use
The kids in our lives trust us to lead by example, and by taking on this role wholeheartedly we can make sure to impart more responsible habits and behaviours. If you are a cannabis using parent, be conscious of your own behaviour and how it might rub off on little ones. Are you adhering to legal guidelines, consuming in moderation, and practicing safe storage to keep cannabis out of children’s reach? While you should feel free to enjoy cannabis’ benefits whether medicinal or recreational, it’s important to remember just how impressionable kids tend to be – even when they seem oblivious.
Taking the weed conversation one step at a time
Cannabis is a big and sometimes complex topic, so it’s important not to overwhelm your kids with information overload. Start with the basics, like explaining what cannabis is, its medicinal uses, and the legal age for consumption. As the conversation progresses, you can gradually introduce more complex topics, such as the potential risks, responsible use, and the variety of cannabis products available. Taking the conversation one step at a time will help your children to digest what you’re sharing, and in the long run, they’ll be able to make better sense of cannabis.
How to open up the cannabis dialogue
Not sure where to start with a big cannabis talk? We’ve compiled a few tips to make it a little less stressful.
- Don’t give a lecture, make it a two-way conversation.
- Be an active listener, and allow your kids to ask questions.
- Make sure you’ve done your homework so you can answer any questions they do have.
- Teach kids that cannabis is a medicine.
- Remain engaged, and avoid judgment – remember you want this to be a safe space for your kids to learn and share.
- Don’t make it a one off –cannabis should be an ongoing conversation in your household, particularly as your kids transition into their teenage years.
The research has shown us that having open discussions about cannabis with our children can have long-term benefits, helping kids to feel more comfortable discussing their own concerns, questions and experiences. By creating an open dialogue, we can foster a stronger parent-child relationship, ultimately influencing better decision-making and more responsible behaviour when it comes to our children’s future cannabis use.
Information about studies provided by Bloomly on this website is for education purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional health advice. Nothing contained in this site, or any external site linked to by Bloomly, is intended to be used as medical advice and it is not intended to be used to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease, nor should it be used for therapeutic purposes or as a substitute for your own health professional’s advice. Bloomly does not accept any liability for any injury, loss or damage incurred by use of or reliance on the information provided on this website, or any external site linked to by Bloomly. Further, Bloomly accepts no responsibility for material contained in a website that is linked to this site. It is the responsibility of the user to make their own decisions about the accuracy, currency, reliability, and correctness of information contained in linked external websites.
