All about Alcohol and More
Dear Dr. Kidorf,
Recently, I was talking to my friend about the recent law making marijuana legal for 21-year-olds. She said, “So what? It’s not worse than alcohol. If we don’t outlaw alcohol, why should we outlaw marijuana?” To me, this is a ridiculous statement. As a parent of middle- and high-school-age children, I am very concerned about what this means for my children and the children of the community. As if alcohol were not bad enough, what’s to stop teens from using it? What’s to stop them from driving “drunk”? What about peer pressure, addiction, and the long-term consequences for their mental and brain health? It could even happen that small kids will consume marijuana unknowingly in the form of brownies, candy, or even pizza! The horrific possibilities just blow my mind. I even worry about my married children and their kids, who are dealing with marijuana smoke from someone else in their building.
I don’t even know how to start to process this change. I never thought that I would have to have this conversation with my kids. In summary, what should we parents be thinking about regarding this law and how should we talk to our children about it?