In the article Legal Weed--What your kids need to know, the author Geraint Osborne discusses the key points that parents or guardians should use to enhance their kids’ knowledge on marijuana now that it has been legalized in Canada. The author makes strong points on the many tools that parents can use to protect their children and teens to ensure that they are not caught on the wrong side of the drug (Osborne, 2018). While cannabis is among the most abused drugs in the world, ensuring that kids learn how to use it and the major factors surrounding it given that it has the potential of affecting their lives in the future.
Summary
According to the article, it is important to start a family discussion regarding the use of weed as early as possible given that knowledge and education are the best defense when it comes to any kind of drug use. The author also insists that parents should educate themselves about drugs by finding evidence-based information as opposed to relying on their personal experiences or media scare stories (Osborne, 2018). Kids also need to be told about addiction and brain damage issue for them to understand that cannabis is not harmless and therefore they would be better off in case they chose abstinence. In addition to discussing the harms associated with cannabis use, parents should also engage in an honest discussion without relying on stigmatizing users or outdated stereotypes (Osborne, 2018).
The article also indicates that parents should also reach their children on responsible cannabis use by following several key principles such as avoid mixing with other drugs, use in moderation, avoiding usage in contexts that can endanger others’ lives such as driving while under the influence, ensuring that one use the drug in a safe environment and ensuring that the use of the drug does not interfere with responsibilities (Osborne, 2018). The author finishes the points by indicating that it is better to say ‘know’ as opposed to saying ‘no!’ since prohibition does not work in preventing the use of drugs but rather lead to the creation of black markets, corruption, gang wars and other dangerous products.
Other important info
Education about drugs must start at home and at the earliest possible stage and should be no different than discussing nicotine and alcohol. Given that we live in a society saturated with drugs, it is easy for children to be exposed to any kind of drug and therefore it is important to know the potential harms as well as the potential benefits of drugs and to distinguish between the two clearly. Parents can demystify weed by experiencing why and how people use it and can demonstrate that all drugs can be used responsibly by most people in different social contexts (Osborne, 2018). In case weed is used properly, it can help in concentration and relaxation thus helping people to enjoy doing different activities including socializing, having sex, eating, watching movies, and listening to music. There are times when people use cannabis to enhance spiritual experiences or making mundane tasks more fun. Educating the youths about cannabis and how to use it responsibly will be more effective than trying to stop them to stop using it.
Personal response
I believe that the article cut across the key points surrounding what children should know about weed given its legalization status in Canada. In addition, the article provides links to reliable and informative online sources available to Canadian pares such as Drug-Free Kids Canada, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, and the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction. Through these sources, one can extend research on the subject matter as opposed to making an uninformed conclusion on the topic which can be sensitive to the lives of the children. Following the legalization of cannabis in Canada, it is clear that its status as a choice for the rebellious reduced which explains why the use of the drug by youths in Colorado has not gone up following the legalization of the drug (Osborne, 2018). It is true that many health concerns associated with cannabis results from heavy chronic use and therefore moderation is key. In case parents reinforce the significance of responsible use, children are less likely to suffer from the harms related to the drug.
References
Osborne, G. (2018). Legal weed: What your kids need to know. Toronto.com. Retrieved from https://www.toronto.com/opinion-story/8970755-legal-weed-what-your-kids-need-to-know/
