It would be interesting to see what would happen if more money from pot sales went to educate our children on substance use and what it does to our bodies. Perhaps, if they were more aware of the science of what mixing does to our bodies, like taking Xanax with Cocaine for instance, or learning more about latent psychosis like schizophrenia, perhaps they would be more careful.
If you tell a kid that doing drugs is bad for you and scare them then the moment they inhale that first toke and feel better than they have ever felt, they will think you are a liar.
There are many obstacles to face when raising teens no matter where you live, and it may take time we don’t have to move beyond the tip of the iceberg when parenting in this town and this state but thanks to Joel Karr and our getting on the same page as a family we have progressed by leaps and bounds and have seen our son grow and begin to recognize the value of taking some responsibility for his life.
The first question we get asked when telling our story is, “Do you smoke pot”? And the answer is yes, at times, to help me to break out of my box and see the world with a different perspective, or to help me relax a bit when it comes to worrying, especially since I know that worrying will only lead them in the direction that I am worrying they will head in. As somebody who has always been a “Train Wreck” after drinking, alcohol is no longer my drug of choice as I prefer to awaken full of vim and vigor and exuberantly face the day. And yes, I have been known to visit a pot shop to get better educated on the devices and types of pot are out on the street; wax, dabs, oil vaporizers, $365 bud vaporizers and get all the varieties of pot blown in my face so I can decipher the different smells of the varying products, my answer usually is, “Is that relevant since I am a legal adult?”
The pushback? People get angry when they think I am saying to stop the legalization of marijuana and they send messages saying I should chill out and let teens be teens but I can’t chill and not take opportunities to point out what could happen with them if they spin out of control, “walk by the jail and even though it looks nice, they are still in a cage.”
With all of the attention to educating myself on how to parent a teen boy, there is the down and dirty catch; being mindful, present and attentive parents doth not mean that life coasts by and kids naturally become tidy, helpful, respectful, conscientious, polite and good at keeping their teenaged wild impulses at bay. Au contraire my friends, but put in the time and work now or you will most definitely regret it later!
My true definition of parenting is; to be giving of oneself completely to one’s child in a tolerant, intellectual and understanding manner, to consistently fill oneself with educational materials on each year of one’s child’s life for just when one thinks one has it, said child will change, to be fully present and mindful, to trust one’s intuition, to NEVER have a solid night’s sleep and to be prepared to either meditate or medicate.
On the colorado.gov website it says that for the best chance of youth to reach their full potential they should not use marijuana:
Youth who use marijuana regularly are more likely to have a hard time learning, little executive functioning, problems remembering anything, and lower math and reading scores.
It is harder to stop using marijuana if started at a young age.Youth who use marijuana – even occasionally – are more likely to use alcohol, tobacco and other drugs in the future.
Lately there have been quite a few articles coming out showing that marijuana does not impair the health of teens but they do not touch upon the fact that frequent marijuana use can have a significant negative effect on the brains of teenagers and young adults, including cognitive decline, poor attention and memory, and decreased IQ, according to psychologists discussing public health implications of marijuana legalization.
It is illegal for youth under the age of 21 to purchase, possess or use retail marijuana.
Since marijuana is not legal in all states, youth with marijuana charges may not get financial aid to help pay for college.
Youth may get a minor in possession charge. This can mean fines, public service, substance abuse education, loss of a driver’s license and misdemeanor or felony charges.
I often wonder what it would be like for Brevitt, if we played role reversal and Wade and I got stoned for a week straight.
Jillian's Real Life 