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Talk To Your Kids About Marijuana


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I have done some Google searching, and wow lot's of reefer madness. My grandson and granddaughter are going through Dare, and I would like to recant the lies that the cops are telling .. some bad information

like this..

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There are more than 200 names for marijuana, including pot, grass, reefer, and weed. No matter what you call it, marijuana is dangerous, "far more dangerous than most users realize," according to the American Council for Drug Education.

 

Users may try to pressure your kids into using marijuana. Your kids may already be experimenting with it. But experimentation can become frequent use and abuse. Share these marijuana facts with your kids. Remind them of these facts again and again.

 

* Today's marijuana is 300 more times more potent than the marijuana of the past. (NIDA Research Report)

 

* Marijuana is a gateway drug that often leads to the use of other drugs. About 60% of kids under age 15 who use marijuana go on to use cocaine. (American Council for Drug Education)

 

* When you buy marijuana you don't know what you're getting. Harmful substances - crack cocaine, PCP and formaldehyde - may be mixed in with marijuana. (NIDA)

 

* Daily users may have trouble paying attention, tracking a subject, and processing information. These effects linger for hours after marijuana use. (www.MayoClinic.com)

 

* Marijuana slows your reaction time, impairs your judgment, and makes it harder to respond to road signals and sounds. Driving under the influence of marijuana is downright dangerous. (NIDA for Teens: Marijuana)

 

* All cigarettes are dangerous, but marijuana cigarettes are more so because they don't have filters and contain 50-70% more cancer causing substances. Users put themselves at risk for mouth, larynx, and lung cancer. (www.MayoClinic.com)

 

* Marijuana makes your heart beat 50% faster than normal, which can be scary. Long-term users risk high blood pressure, decreased blood flow to the heart, and inability to exercise. (www.MayoClinic.com)

 

* Teens under the influence of marijuana may engage in casual sex, risking pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases, or STDs. (American Council for Drug Education)

 

* Heavy marijuana use can put your hormones out of whack. If you're male it may take your body longer to mature and you may have reduced sperm production. If you're female you may have irregular monthly cycles and reduced ovulation. (American Council for Drug Education)

 

* Marijuana use leads to mental health problems such as paranoia, anxiety, and schizophrenia. You don't know what's real any more. (www.MayoClinic.com)

 

* Heavy marijuana users may suffer "protracted" (long-term) brain damage and become a "pot head." Researchers don't know if this damage is permanent. (NIDA Notes)

 

Marijuana is an illegal and addictive substance. Talk to your kids about the dangers of marijuana use today, tomorrow, and in the months to come. State your message clearly and firmly: Stay away from pot .....

My link

 

 

 

 

Now I agree that kids should not use cannabis until they are adults , a no brainier on that ,but come on, why would anyone scare them like that ?

Just tell them the truth, kids are smarter then that, and know when we B.S them .. Some better information can go a long way, and trust in that he or she is getting good info from me.

Maybe like this...

 

Talk to your kids about Pot

 

JUST SAY "WAIT UNTIL YOU GROW UP."

Tips for talking to your children about marijuana.

 

Many adult cannabis consumers are put in an awkward position with regard to their children. When they were younger, many hid their use from their parents. Now they are hiding it from their kids. Some people feel that it's easier just to keep their use separate from their children, in order to avoid dealing with the subject until the children are older. Others are quite open and honest about it, hoping to "normalize" their use, and teach responsible use by example -- like people who would have a drink of alcohol in front of their children. Regardless of which path you take in this matter, it's important to be involved in your kids' lives and to keep the lines of communication open with them.

 

Parents and other adults are role models to their children. If you are open about your use, be conscious of the values, ethics and behavior you are teaching your children. Show them what responsible use means. Don't use cannabis as an excuse for not upholding your personal responsibilities or for acting carelessly. One thing that must be taught to your children is that this activity is currently illegal and the social and legal consequences can be quite severe for the entire family. They need to know that cannabis choice is a private, family matter that should not be discussed outside the home, as some people don't like it and want to punish people who use it, just like some people hate others for being of a different race. It's not right, but there are people who are intolerant and mean. Tell them that you think the laws against cannabis are wrong, and it should be legally controlled, like alcohol. If they see you actively working to reform the laws, they will learn that cannabis laws need to be fixed, and its consumers should be held to the same social and legal standards as alcohol or tobacco users.

 

If you don't consume cannabis -- at least not in front of the children -- it is still important to talk to them about marijuana. You may want to wait for the subject to arise, but be prepared when it does. If you think they are using marijuana, you should bring it up right away, not as an attack but as a topic of mutual concern. Otherwise, bring the subject up whenever you find it appropriate; but since many kids go through DARE or a similar propaganda class at age 10 or 11, you should not wait too much longer than that age, and you should definitely bring up the subject by age 16. Be factual and direct. Don't get into things that are above the heads of your child and their age group. If they are being subjected to the DARE program, take the opportunity to review their class materials with them, correct the lies, and have an honest discussion with them.

 

Be up front, but keep it simple. Be cautious in discussing your own history, because it can backfire on you (example: "How would you know if you've never tried it" or "Well, you did it, so why shouldn't I?"). Don't try to squeeze this talk into a tight time slot; allow enough time to thoroughly discuss the issues that come up in the discussion.

 

 

As a starting point, listen to your child.

Begin by asking your child what s/he has heard about marijuana. This will initiate discussion as well as opportunities to establish common ground between you and your child. Listen to what your child has to say; children have useful things to tell us.

 

Explain that many adult activities are inappropriate for children.

 

Explain to your child that there are many adult activities that are unsuitable for children. Cite examples (e.g., driving a car, entering contracts, getting married, sex, drinking, etc.) Explain that using marijuana is one of these "adults-only" activities, and should be avoided until they are old enough to make responsible, adult decisions.

 

Emphasize that marijuana is not a toy.

 

Explain that marijuana is a drug, like alcohol or cigarettes, with powerful effects. As such, it is for adults only and should be treated with respect. Point out that the smoke irritates the bronchial tubes. Explain that the effects of all drugs can interfere with the physical and hormonal changes young people experience as they enter adolescence. If they are already having some problems, marijuana is not going to help them and may make their problems worse. It is wrong to use marijuana before or while at school, because it can interfere with their ability to concentrate. And if they enjoy it too much, pot can become an expensive and time-consuming habit. Emphasize that smoking marijuana can lead to problems at school, at home, or with the police -- problems they need to avoid for their own sake.

 

 

Make a distinction between responsible use and being a "pothead."

People smoke cannabis in different use patterns, sometimes on an occasional basis, perhaps monthly or on weekends. People can even smoke cannabis on a daily basis and still be responsible users. The difference is that responsible users integrate their cannabis use with their other activities as a way to relax or enhance their lives. A pothead's life revolves around their use of marijuana use and they don't get much else done. Those are the people who, a few years down the road, think about all the time they've wasted and try to blame it on a plant that they smoked. Mature people live full lives with few regrets, and accept responsibility for their own decisions and actions without having to pass off blame to inanimate objects. Warn them about the "pothead" syndrome and make it clear that you are not going to accept laziness or excuses -- you expect them to live full and productive lives, whether they want to use cannabis or not. If they cannot do that, they should leave cannabis alone.

 

Emphasize that cannabis is not like other illegal drugs.

 

Cannabis is non-toxic and addiction is very, very rare if it occurs at all. It has little or no negative health effects except for the irritation from its smoke. That is not true of other drugs, so emphasize that pills and powders are inherently different than plants. That is the simplest line to draw. If you think your child is at risk or already involved with hard drugs, that is a different discussion altogether. But, they need to know that all "drugs" are not the same -- they have different effects and risks.

 

Be honest and don't overplay your hand.

 

Be factual when explaining to your child why they should avoid marijuana. Your first priority should be to maintain their trust. Demonizing marijuana is not likely to convince your child to abstain from using it, but it may damage your credibility in their eyes. Exaggerating its effects only glamorizes pot in the eyes of a rebellious youth. Explain to your children how much you care about their health and safety, and that using marijuana jeopardizes both. Tell them that smoking marijuana is very much against the law, and that using it could lead to serious legal problems. Tell them you think the law is wrong, that there should be an age limit for personal use of cannabis and that, as a business, it should be taxed and regulated like beer or wine.

 

Young people will ultimately make their own decisions about whether or not to use marijuana; this choice is a normal part of becoming an adult. They are subjected to prejudice and misinformation along the way, but they also talk to each other and see what's going on around them with marijuana and other drugs. Try to delay their initial use of cannabis as a matter of caution, and to encourage moderation should they adopt cannabis as part of their adult lifestyle. You want them to make reasonable choices when the time comes. Therefore, it is critical that parents arm themselves and their children with accurate information, guidance, and open communication about not only drugs, but all of life's difficult choices, to better insure their children's health and safety.

 

Get to the bottom line.

 

You don't want them using cannabis, keeping it around, or getting into any trouble with it. Remember: more powerful than any lecture is your active participation, interest, and supervision in your child's life.

 

When will they be old enough?

 

The safest thing to tell them is to wait until the legal age of adulthood, which may be 18 or 21 depending on the State you live in. At that age they are responsible for their own choices and behavior. Of course, you will still be there for them, but at least you will not be held legally liable for their behavior. They should know the legal consequences before they act. They have to be able to show appropriate maturity and responsibility before they can reasonably use it, so if they ever find themselves using cannabis as an excuse to act irresponsibly, that means they're not ready for it yet.

 

What about underage use?

 

Point out to them that while cannabis is a physically safer alternative to tobacco or alcohol, the legal penalties against it are quite severe. They could lose the privilege of joining in extracurricular activities, lose their driver's license or educational benefits, have more difficulties getting into the college of their choice, and get a criminal record. Discretion is essential, and if they ever have a problem, they should come to you with it and not be afraid that you will reject them or do them harm. Encourage them to stay out of trouble, but if trouble occurs, you are there to help them through when they really need you.

 

But don't do it, and you're not kidding.

 

Growing and selling cannabis are not the same as consuming it.

 

The most severe legal penalties are for these activities or for conspiracy to do so. It's God's creation and a beautiful plant. For some people, it's quite easy to grow, and there is a lot of temptation to sell marijuana in order to pay for their own supply. Avoid doing either of these, especially since undercover police will often try to persuade otherwise innocent people to break the law in order to entrap them. There is a big difference in the law between personal possession and sales, cultivation, or distribution.

 

* Additional information.

 

These web sites offer additional advice on how to speak to your child about marijuana:

 

http://www.mamas.org

 

http://www.safety1st.org

 

These suggestions presented by the Family Council on Drug Awareness

 

PO Box 1716, El Cerrito CA 94530 USA http://www.fcda.org

 

Some better Information, Imo

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Better hope MMP recipients children don't stand up in class in front of DARE and start talking about how DARE is wrong and cannabis is medicine. Its another catch 22. Can't tell em the whole truth cause kids don't know about keeping mouths shut but can't let DARE educate our kids improperly.

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Thanks OD, sounds like you have a handle on things , I wish I did . I'm just overwhelmed with all the bad information ,that kids are going to get from peers . My grand -kids know that my wife and I are medical

Cannabis patients, but that's about it. our children knew about cannabis and our use , and there was never a problem with D.A.R.E . Our daughter is on our side , and would like for us to help them explain

this with the grandchildren ... SO I'm going to try and get more information, and get armed for the battle with the dim- wits of D.A.R.E, and all b.s they spew out.

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Better hope MMP recipients children don't stand up in class in front of DARE and start talking about how DARE is wrong and cannabis is medicine. Its another catch 22. Can't tell em the whole truth cause kids don't know about keeping mouths shut but can't let DARE educate our kids improperly.

 

My son did just that, countered the cop with truth and was kicked-out of the class, and told ( DO NOT COME BACK) can't handle the truth huh, D.A.R.E cops. Like I said Kids are not dummy's..

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OdawaDanny said,

" I think we need a group to be setup on behalf of Medical Marijuana Parents"

 

Maybe a group could talk to School administrators, and get a feeling for what they would think about getting the message out that we are not criminals . On the other hand,

I do think we have to be the ones that are to inform our own kids .. We do count on Schools too much and they should not have to be our childminders as well .

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I started my conversation with my children (all teenagers at the time) centered around the fact that our great state of Michigan allows it's citizens to take action on a fundamental right of the constitution of the United States of America - the 10th amendment .

 

We as a people enacted our MICHIGAN MEDICAL MARIHUANA ACT initiated Law 1 of 2008! A 10th amendment right pure and true.

 

For me, justification for my role under this act, is that the 10th amendment is the foundation for all the other details and reasons including the medicinal value it brings to our household. We live in a State that gave me a choice. If I don't like it, I have the freedom to move myself with my family out of Michigan.

 

The same goes for people that don't have a law like ours who live in another state. If they want a law like ours, take action in the 10th amendment! If the people of that state vote it down, they have the freedom to move out of their state and establish residence in Michigan!

 

The thing I need to point out is this too: If the people move in the 10th amendment against our law, it could be voted out of existence.

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I have two girls 11 and 14. When 420 can around there was a lot of comments about kids getting high. I use that to open up the fact on medical compared to steet weed. I will just continue to talk to them about why people who are sick can use and how it helps them. We are parents and we shape our kids minds. It is up to use to teach them the truth.

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we make it clear that we (patients) use Marihuana as medicine, and have authorization from the state (card)

 

We had our kids watch this, its modern, educational, accurate and unbiased, and doesnt promote "getting high". please watch it for yourself and assess if it is appropriate for your age groups.

 

hope it helps :)

 

 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aRYZyqqQNkw&feature=player_embedded

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I started my conversation with my children (all teenagers at the time) centered around the fact that our great state of Michigan allows it's citizens to take action on a fundamental right of the constitution of the United States of America - the 10th amendment .

 

We as a people enacted our MICHIGAN MEDICAL MARIHUANA ACT initiated Law 1 of 2008! A 10th amendment right pure and true.

 

For me, justification for my role under this act, is that the 10th amendment is the foundation for all the other details and reasons including the medicinal value it brings to our household. We live in a State that gave me a choice. If I don't like it, I have the freedom to move myself with my family out of Michigan.

 

The same goes for people that don't have a law like ours who live in another state. If they want a law like ours, take action in the 10th amendment! If the people of that state vote it down, they have the freedom to move out of their state and establish residence in Michigan!

 

The thing I need to point out is this too: If the people move in the 10th amendment against our law, it could be voted out of existence.

 

BR, haven't been at the G.T.C.C in a long time, are you ? I need to go some time again,maybe catch up with some of the folks.. Any way back on topic ! I have one that's in grade six and one in seventh. And I

would have to brush up on my history, and the tenth amendment , wow that is hard for a guy that Am.history was my favorite class. I think it went like this, Amendment 10 ( Powers of the States and the people)

The powers not delegated to the US. Government by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people. Do they teach American history in public School any more? well of course they would have to .

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I have two girls 11 and 14. When 420 can around there was a lot of comments about kids getting high. I use that to open up the fact on medical compared to steet weed. I will just continue to talk to them about why people who are sick can use and how it helps them. We are parents and we shape our kids minds. It is up to use to teach them the truth.

 

 

I like the way you think!

Parents- Be an example to your children and your grandchildren. Examine your habits, your hangouts, your actions. Is there anything about you that you don't want your children to become? Then stop doing these things now! When you conduct yourself in a respectable way, people will respect you most of all.

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<<<<< Other half!!...And they can't figure out why kids do what they do!!..."BE Honest"..Kids will do what they do!!..Remember as we were all kids once!!...Best to give both Pro's. And Con's..Were choices can take them!!..EH....Respect get's good choices!!.."The Truth"...Gain's Respect!!..Best of Luck!!..Peace!.. :thumbsu: ....Teach Them Be A Leader Not A Fowler!!..:)=

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<<<<< Other half!!...And they can't figure out why kids do what they do!!..."BE Honest"..Kids will do what they do!!..Remember as we were all kids once!!...Best to give both Pro's. And Con's..Were choices can take them!!..EH....Respect get's good choices!!.."The Truth"...Gain's Respect!!..Best of Luck!!..Peace!.. :thumbsu: ....Teach Them Be A Leader Not A Fowler!!..:)=

 

The powers that be, seem to want to keep repeating the lies and propaganda that have given them that very power they are wielding against us. It is time for us, to take back control of the message; with truth and compassion. it's really all a matter of opinion". That's what they're trying to make us believe. And if we try to speak of rights or wrongs, we're accused of being narrow and judgmental. It's not just about defining and discussing these foundational principles of right and wrong. It's about doing them- being an example! And it doesn't start with the other guy; it begins with you and me.

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Just a update, Grandchildren are here for the weekend. Trout festival in Kalkaska,good times. We had a long talk, Gram and Gramps, mom and dad . Well I was surprised at how much these two already know, might have taught us a thing or two LOL. The sixth grader said that the Officer had brought up the mmj subject, and that very sick people with cancer are aloud to use it, In Michigan, WOW!! Did he really say that? said I, And my angel replied yes. made our job much easier explaining it to them, whew ! I do appreciate all the advice from all who replied , y'all are some great people! THANK YOU!

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