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Worries about legal weed

B.C. mom Scarlett Ballantyne wonders if Ottawa's plans to legalize marijuana will make her 14- and 16-year-old daughters more inclined to try it. But she's not waiting to find out.

Ballantyne says her family has been discussing the dangers of drug use since the girls were 13 — a pre-emptive strike as pot shops and marijuana headlines have been popping up everywhere they turn.

She's proud to say they are athletic, self-confident kids, but she also gets the impression that their generation sees marijuana as "not that big of a deal."

"As parents, it's just (about) stressing to them that it is a big deal," she says from her home in White Rock.

"There's a reason why it hasn't been legal, and whatever my personal feelings about it are, they are still underage. They're too young to smoke tobacco, they're too young to smoke marijuana, they're too young to drink alcohol. And there's a reason for those rules."

Many questions remain about what restrictions Ottawa might impose when it introduces legislation next year to legalize recreational use.

In the meantime, experts say parents should be prepared for any questions their kids might have — but don't wait until you find a stash in their room.

It's never too early to start the conversation, says Cindy Andrew of the Centre for Addictions Research of BC at the University of Victoria.

The key is to remain approachable.

Andrew, who helps schools devise drug education programs, says the hard-nosed '80s approach of a sizzling fried egg and the slogan "this is your brain on drugs" just doesn't fly.

"The sort of moralistic, judgmental, scare-based tactic kind of approach really doesn't have a place in today's world," says Andrew.

"This isn't about just railing on your kids and pointing fingers and lecturing, which we know does not work. It's about opening up conversation and ongoing communication. It's not about 'the talk.' It's about connecting with your kids, it's about starting the conversations well before you discover a joint in their pocket."

Researchers generally agree that adolescents should be strongly discouraged from using marijuana. The Canadian Paediatric Society notes brains develop well into our 20s and that cannabis can affect both the structure and functionality of young brains. They also warn that heavy users are at risk of mental health issues later in life.



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