Parents - are you talking to your children about marijuana? If so, keep talking. If not, what is stopping you from talking with your children about marijuana? Marijuana is the most commonly used illicit drug among adolescents. Research is showing that marijuana could affect your child’s developing brain. Also, surveys show fewer adolescents and young adults now believe marijuana can cause harm. From the 2021 Dane County Youth Assessment: “perceptions that alcohol and marijuana are safe remains high” among high school students.

The information on the brain was the eye-opening piece for myself when I first started reading about the effects that marijuana could have on their developing brain. Here is what is known so far: The impact of marijuana use on the brain depends on many factors, including the amount of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in marijuana (in other words, the concentration or strength), how often it is used, age of first use and whether other substances such as tobacco and alcohol are used at the same time. Research is also showing that early and heavy marijuana use is linked to increased risk of psychiatric disorders including psychosis, depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, and other substance use disorders. More research needs to take place to understand the effects that marijuana is having on our children’s brains.

One myth that youth believe is that everyone is smoking marijuana which, according to the Dane County Youth Assessment 2021, is incorrect. Here is the data from this assessment:

Marijuana use: 14.1% of high school youth and 2.5% of middle school youth report using marijuana in the past 12 months, down from 2018 (HS 21.1% and MS 3.3%). 3.0% of high school youth report they used marijuana every day compared to 5.3% in 2018, 6.7% in 2015 and 8.2% in 2012. 63.0% of high school youth using marijuana have used it in a vaping device.

One of the important things to notice is that 63.0% of high school youth who are using marijuana are using a vaping device. When using a vaping device, youth are receiving much higher doses of THC from 40 to 80% higher, than when smoking the marijuana plant THC level is 25%. The substance that youth are vaping is similar in appearance to honey or butter.

Another important statistic from the Dane County Youth Assessment 2021 is that 56.8% of high school youth know that their parents believe that it is “very wrong” for them to smoke marijuana.

Parents start having conversation about alcohol and marijuana with your children early on starting around age 5-8, because some children start using at age 10. It is not too late if you have not started having these conversations with your children. Let them know what the data is showing that not everyone is smoking marijuana. As parents we can inform, educate, be aware of what our children are doing, have consequences set up, show them by example what fun one can have without using. Share with them healthy ways in which to deal with stress and anxiety. Build those connections with your child. If your child is having difficulties, support them by listening, being supportive, getting them additional support with a therapist when needed.