Pictured above: Dr. Joanna Henderson is interviewed by CBC’s The National about talking to children about cannabis.
Dr. Joanna Henderson, Director of CAMH’s Margaret and Wallace McCain Centre for Child, Youth & Family Mental Health, spoke to CBC’s The National recently about how parents can talk to their children and teens about cannabis. She urges parents to learn more about the issue if they want the conversation to be meaningful.
One of the pitfalls is that parents often go into the conversation wanting to tell their teen all of the bad things that will happen from cannabis. “You’re going to get psychosis,” they might say. “It’s going to give you anxiety.”
Teens will be more into the conversation if their parents have an open mind. It has to be a dialogue – and parents can prepare for that conversation with a little learning.
Learning
Parents may not know the facts. Many parents, for instance, don’t know about cannabis edibles, or may not know they come in chocolate bars and gummies.
Learning the facts for themselves is a great first step. CAMH’s Cannabis: What Parents/Guardians and Caregivers Need to Know guide can help parents build the background to communicate effectively.
When parents have the facts, they’re able to ask their teens things like: “Did you know edible cannabis can take longer to take effect, and that can be a real problem because people might take more thinking they’re not getting the effect they expected? That can lead to an overdose.”
Listening
The conversation is most productive when parents set out to speak with their teenager – not at – in a reciprocal dialogue. Having influence in the long term sometimes means stepping back in the short term.
Ask them what they know about cannabis and how it connects into their life or their world. Teens likely have more info than parents do at this point, and the conversation will be far more productive if information is exchanged equally.
Cannabis use is part of the youth social context now – there is no need to wait for Oct. 17 for these conversations. Create space for your teen to tell you about their world and their opinions. You might be surprised by what you hear.