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ABOUT GREEN FLOWER MEDIA.

We believe cannabis is a life-changing plant that’s lugging around an outdated public persona.

That’s why our mission at Green Flower Media is to produce original content that changes the social stigma of cannabis forever. That way, everyone, everywhere, can choose to benefit from cannabis without judgment or restriction.

This collective shift begins by educating people about the legitimate benefits, facts, and science of cannabis so that old stereotypes and misinformation can finally be put to rest. It also happens by telling compelling true stories of the people who use and enjoy cannabis, whether that be to stimulate creative thoughts, relax into life, deal with illness, or build empires.

Whether you are an existing cannabis user looking for a place to call home on the internet, or you’re a new or returning cannabis user looking for clear, credible information about how to use this plant in a safe and responsible way, we’re glad you’ve found us.

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COMMUNITY THRIVE

Community Thrive works closely with communities in reducing risk factors and building protective factors in support of the development of young people. They do this because we all have a stake in developing the ‘next greatest generation’ so they can thrive. Community Thrive is also behind BeAskable.org, an interactive site that allows people to ask questions about substances and get real answers to tough questions.

It is led by Matthew Kuehlhorn, who is an experiential educator by trade and has worked in support of the development of young people for close to two decades. He is a level-two certified prevention specialist and founded Community Thrive to support the development of young people in communities that allow retail cannabis. He serves as the Vice President of Colorado’s Prevention Certification Board and he chairs One Voice Colorado, a coalition of Colorado community prevention organizations.

“ There are life problems that can extend to unhealthy behaviors and addiction. When we choose to look at life, and our communities, we can identify protective factors and risk factors—then choose to address them on an individual and

community basis for supporting the development of young people.”

- Matthew S. Kuehlhorn, CPSII, Consultant & Founder of Community Thrive.

www.CommunityThrive.org & www.BeAskable.org




A WORD OF CAUTION.he information provided in this report is meant to help you become an informed cannabis user, supporter, or guardian. With that in mind, it is important to always check the facts as it pertains to your state, region, or country as new laws concerning cannabis are being developed and / or changed on (almost) a daily basis.

You should also be aware that under both United States law and the law in most states (even states that have passed medical cannabis laws), cannabis possession and cultivation remain illegal and may result in serious criminal consequences. Furthermore, certain states are not very accepting of cannabis and may look down upon you for using cannabis when it comes to your children.

Green Flower Media members are encouraged to meet with a local attorney that is familiar with the cannabis laws where they live before possessing, cultivating, or consuming cannabis.

We ask that you exercise caution when deciding how to use this information in your personal cannabis journey. If you notice a fact has recently changed or is need of correction, please let us know. As always, we would love to hear from you!




Parents, It’s Time To Talk To Your Kids About Cannabis.

In many states, marijuana is legal. That means that it’s becoming more and more accessible to adults; this also means it’s a hot topic of conversation in many communities. Polls show a majority of Americans support legalization of cannabis at the federal level and we will most likely see continued legalization in states across the country.

Like it or not… cannabis is here to stay.

Today, cannabis leads headlines in multiple newspapers and news broadcasts—both in favor of legalization and against. For our young people, it can be pretty confusing to figure out the truth. They see the media sensationalism and they don’t necessarily have a venue to learn about facts, ask honest questions, and test assumptions about marijuana. Parents have to take responsibility for knowing the issues and, even more importantly, engaging in conversation with their kids.

And parents, let’s be honest: we experienced D.A.R.E., Nancy Reagan’s ‘Just Say No,’ or “this is your brain on drugs” campaign. So, it’s safe to say we might need more up-to-date education since a lot has changed since that time.

The question for parents becomes...




“Are we ready for the tough questions about cannabis

from our kids?”Do you know if marijuana is safer than alcohol? Is there any risk with using it as a young person or an adult? Why is it becoming legal now? And the most important question: “can I use it?”

Our children need us to have answers to these questions. Their world looks a lot different than when we were their age. And as research shows, our kids listen to us. They look to us for guidance. So, it’s important that these conversations begin early on and continue throughout the lifespan.

For parents who use cannabis, how does the conversation about your use look in your home? Are you sneaking around in the garage to use or are you openly using in front of your kids? This report will shed some light on your choices.

And for parents who choose not to use cannabis: know that at least 1 in 10 adults do, even where it remains illegal. So, you also have to know how to prepare your kids for the conversation with friends whose parents may be using it regularly.

This report covers all these topics and answers all these questions. It will provide you tips on how to talk with your kids about cannabis, what questions to be ready for (with answers), and tools on how we can bring this conversation up.

So let’s dive in and help you understand the best way to talk to your kids about cannabis.




Know These 3 Things Before You Talk To Your Kids.

1. Family values and clear rules matter.

Research shows that parents cannot be trumped. Parents have incredible power to share their personal and family values with their kids (and this remains for kids of all ages).

This mean you must be clear on which values you want to teach your kids and then create clear family rules around them.

Kids who have clear family rules are more apt to follow them and to respect them. If you have clear rules around not using substances, your kids will use less substances. Vague rules mean that your kids will test and explore their boundaries.

To figure this out, take out a pen and paper and brainstorm these two categories. If you want bonus points, do this exercise with your kids. Collaboration creates buy-in!

Family Values: write out three to six family values together.

List what you and your family truly value. Again, engage everyone in your family to make this list. The goal here is to identify three to (no more than) six values that your family does, and would like to, embody.

For example, a family value of mine is to have fun. In our family, we have fun.

Each value can add to the sentence that begins: “In our family we…” This phrasing is important as it establishes a sense of belonging for each member of your family.

Family Rules: write out up to ten family rules together.

Setting clear family rules goes a long way in protecting our kids and in guiding their choices. Rules should be clear, visible on a daily basis, and questioned as a family (every so often). Again, having everyone participate in developing family rules will increase buy-in and the likelihood they will be followed.




For example, perhaps a rule might be: “In our family, we do not use cannabis until we are twenty-one.”

Identify the rules as clearly as possible and don’t create more than ten. Along with identifying the rules, define why they were chosen. Share with your kids why a certain rule exists and have them share with you why they want certain rules, etc. Then, take it one step further and identify some potential consequences to breaking the rules. What would happen as a natural consequence?

Being transparent with the creation and outcomes of breaking the family rules establishes trust, buy-in, and a deeper understanding about what it means to be a united family.

There will be many kids who break the family rules. They may choose to use cannabis, knowing full well that it is not in line with family values or family rules. Kids who choose to use in families that clearly communicate values and rules are more likely to consume these substances is less harmful ways.

Final note: do take time to celebrate when children do follow the rules. Recognize it with appreciation. The intent is to let your children know you are engaged and truly appreciate them when they follow the rules. Positive reinforcements go a long way in supporting healthy choices.





2. Their brains are still developing during adolescence. Adolescence is a time of amazing change. Our children’s brains are developing rapidly and significantly. The simple truth is: teens are wired to take risks.

Teens can be attracted to using cannabis, and other substances, as they bring quick rewards. Teens seek experiences that feel good, bring social benefits, and provide a sense of risk.

We know that substance use during adolescence can also have long-term negative consequences. Nine out of ten adults who have substance-abuse issues began using substances when they were teens. Now, that doesn’t mean that everyone who uses cannabis as a teen will abuse it or move to harder drugs (there is very little evidence to support that idea). It simply means that teens who become addicted now are more likely to also become addicted later in life.

That’s why it makes sense to help teens steer away from cannabis, and other substance use, while their brains are

developing (which happens until our mid-twenties).

We can do this through maintaining open communication, setting clear family rules, and promoting a ‘just wait’ message.

‘Just wait’ for our kids may mean a few months or a few years. Any amount of time we can talk our kids into waiting offers more time for brain development to occur. Just waiting can reduce the risks of using substances.





3. Cannabis might be safer than alcohol, but it doesn’t mean it’s good for a developing brain. The mantra of the pro-legalization effort has been ‘marijuana is safer than alcohol.’ And while there is definitely some truth to this, it doesn’t mean that it’s 100% safe (especially with kids). In other words, cannabis is only safer depending on how and why people use it.

If someone abuses cannabis, it is not necessarily safer than alcohol.

Furthermore, science is still learning a lot about cannabis and there is a lot of conflicting information out there. For example, some reports show that cannabis use is linked to abnormalities in the gray matter of adolescents (American Psychological Association 2014, The Brown University Child & Adolescent Psychopharmacology Update); and yet, The Journal of Neuroscience found that cannabis use does not seem to be related to differences in our gray matter. So who do you believe? At this moment in time, it’s still not 100% clear.

Additionally, the context must be taken into consideration. We’ve seen reports about cannabis being associated with higher dropout rates in school. But does that mean that cannabis directly causes the higher dropout rates? Probably not, as the studies cannot take into account the complexity of life. Make sense?

That said, here are a few points from top quality journals to help guide discussions with your kids that do seem to have a common consensus.

• Daily use is in developing brains is linked to lower levels of motivation. (Lane et al. 2005, Addictive Behaviors)

• Regular cannabis users can develop a dependence syndrome, the risks of which are in about 1 and 10 of all cannabis users and 1 in 6 for those who start in adolescence. (Hall 2015, Addiction)




• Regular cannabis smokers have a higher risk of developing chronic bronchitis. (Hall 2015, Addiction)

• Driving while intoxicated doubles the risk of a car crash; this risk increases substantially if also alcohol-related. (Hall 2015, Addiction)

• Cannabis does not produce fatal overdoses. (Hall 2015, Addiction)

Research on cannabis will continue to be a mixed bag of sorts, as many stakeholders are producing research that can back up legalization efforts or support prohibition policies. For us, as parents, we must be diligent in critically thinking about the research that is being reported in the news. Good research is available, though it is not always the headlining reports.

Answers To Their Questions.Now, with our values and family rules in hand, we can begin to tackle the tough questions. Please do know that we don’t expect you to believe a word we say. Consider the answers below as you might when offered a jacket. Try it on. If it doesn’t fit, take it off and leave it. This is simply meant to act as a helpful guide.

And if you have a stumper that is not listed here, please visit BeAskable.org.




“Dad/Mom, do you smoke weed?”

Most parents are afraid to talk to their kids about their own personal use. Our question back to you is:

“Who do you want teaching your kids about how to use drugs and alcohol?”

For many parents, this is not a comfortable question; yet, we would say that YOU will always be the best guide and teacher. Because research shows that if you don’t talk to them about it, their friends will. That’s probably NOT who you want teaching your kids about drugs or alcohol.

Think of the message it sends if you are sneaking around the home using cannabis when your kids are not looking. Or are you blazing at the dinner table in front of your kids? What are the best practices?

Whether we use or choose not to use, there are important conversations to have because it is becoming more and more visible. Our kids will see other people using marijuana, whether it’s at our homes or in public. And it is best to ‘front load’ information for our kids so they are prepared and not caught off guard.

The message here is simple: don’t avoid the conversation. It’s time for you to be open, honest, and direct with your kids about your personal cannabis use.




If You Do Use Cannabis.Using your family values and guidelines, talk with your kids openly about your use. Let them know what the real names are for what you use.

“This is a cannabis flower. This is a concentrate, edible, etc.”

Show them your plants if you grow them at home and educate them on ‘why’ you choose to use.

The WHY is incredibly important.And along with the ‘why,’ share your very clear family rules. For example, you might say:

“Cannabis is for adults. I use cannabis because it helps me relax and it improves my sleep. When you are an adult (you can place an age here if you wish), you can choose to use cannabis. Right now, I don’t want you to use it because your brain is developing

and I want you to learn how to take on life’s challenges without substance use. In our family, we choose not to use substances like cannabis until you’re an

adult because we follow the law.”

Know that if you use cannabis openly in front of your child, they will see the use as normal. This can be beneficial or detrimental—depending on how you communicate. In other words, there is no clear answer to the question from users that asks, “Is it better to sneak off and use or to use in front of my kids?”

Children of users are more likely to use—whatever the given substance is. However, this is not always the case.

Be very clear with your consistent communications and share the rules often. Again, know that 40-50% of adolescents will still choose to use cannabis and other substances even after their parents share their ‘why’ for using and communicate clear rules and values. These kids will generally use in less harmful ways than if they did not have clear and concise communication from parents.




Matthew’s StoryMy dad was a drinker. He drank beers at home most nights and would imbibe early on weekend days, whether he was building a deck or watching a ball game. I watched this as a kid and never asked ‘why’ he chose to drink.

All I knew was, as I got older, to drink was to be a man. And I wanted to be a man, so I drank. I learned how to drink by watching my dad and inferring from his experiences. I truly had no idea how much he was drinking or how drinking was influencing his perception. I made that part up.

I drank heavily during my second year of college; very heavily, to where I now realize I am lucky to be alive. I drank and drove. I blacked out. And this was normal; I would do this almost weekly.

I have my own reasons for these actions and I have learned they are rooted in insecurities. “Yet, the fact that I perceived my dad’s drinking to be part of what a man did without knowing more of the story left space for my mind to fill in the answer.” All kids will do this to some extent. They need to know why we do things or they will make it up.

If you feel you drink alcohol, or use cannabis, in a comfortable, responsible, and healthy way, you want to be clear with your children about your thinking in regards to your use. This will enable them to make better decisions about using cannabis or another substance for themselves, when or should they choose.




“Marijuana is just a plant, how can it be harmful?”

Marijuana is a plant with psychoactive substances. These psychoactive substances can be identified as drugs since they alter our perception of life. The main player is THC, one of many cannabinoids found in the marijuana plant.

Cannabis can really benefit some people. People use this plant to seek relief from pain, depression, and anxiety. It can also help with illnesses like MS, glaucoma, and some seizure disorders. And the medical applications are just beginning for this plant!

Yet, it is not for everyone and it does not always help everyone. Like anything in life, moderation is the key. And when it is overdone, it can impact our ability to relate to other people or contribute to the world.

“Kids are going to challenge the potential harms that can come with marijuana because of the media sensationalism and the fact that they are going to challenge your ideas anyway.”

As parents, we can listen first. When we listen, we are seeking the underlying reasons for their challenges. Usually, there are pieces we can hear in a person’s argument that guide us into the real conversation. The intent here is not to listen for holes in their argument to attack; instead, we are listening for what they really want to talk about. This argument can be about testing family norms or community norms. Only an attentive parent can use these arguments for further conversation into a real issue.

The bottom line is this:

“A developing brain should not be altered with psychoactive substances and ingesting marijuana can affect a brain’s blood flow adversely—as can

caffeine, alcohol, lack of sleep, etc.”

If you are going to take this argument head on, know that you will probably be met with resistance—even if your science is better! Learn what you need to learn from credible sources. Ask BeAskable.org questions and realize that most of these arguments are about something more than whether or not marijuana is harmful. We just have to listen closely and suspend judgment.




“You smoked when you were a kid. Why can’t I?”

“When I was a kid, we knew very little about how our brain develops. Today, we know our brains are developing until our mid-twenties! That means when we use substances (weed, caffeine, alcohol, pills, etc.), we can affect how our brains form for our lifetimes! If I knew then what I know now, I would have waited. And I want you to wait until you are at least X years old (fill in your appropriate age that coincides with your values).”

Kids will hate it (especially once they reach a certain age) when you tell them it’s because they are not old enough. Teens want to be adults. They are seeking this approval in many ways and drug and alcohol use is one of these ways. In our society, we lack clear rites of passages—especially for boys. By placing an age that you want them to wait until, you can give them something on the horizon. If you back this age up with a reason why and talk about the celebration that happens at this time, you can bolster the incentives for waiting.

If you use cannabis, your kids will consider this use as being part of adulthood— unless you speak to them about this often. Telling them often, about why you use what you use, can actually be a protective factor if you also share your expectations for your kids.




“Is marijuana safer than Alcohol?”“It can be. And it really depends on how you use it and why you use it.”

Generally, there is less risk associated with cannabis use than with alcohol use. And yet, individually, this is such a personal question that as parents we have to stay focused.

I do think, as a parent, I would rather my kids choose to use cannabis than to binge drink. However, the time of use, quantity, and type of product all plays into the ‘safe or unsafe’ question.

The reason for using also plays into the ‘safe or unsafe’ question. Are people using cannabis to escape life? To feel a glimmer of hope through depression? Or are they using it to explore their consciousness and life’s perspectives? To have fun? The reasons can drive how they use it and this can drive the ‘safe’ question.

Because of my experience as an outdoor educator, I default to saying nothing is truly safe. There is risk with using cannabis and there is risk using alcohol. Our personal and family values will play into answering this question; the reasons ‘why’ we use it also influences this question.




“I’ve researched marijuana and it’s proven not to have any risks.”

“Great research, great presentation. I appreciated how you validated each source of information. You may be right: marijuana is not as risky as alcohol for you to use now.

And as we talked about, I want you to wait. In our family, we don’t break the laws. And if you choose to use under 21, you are choosing to break the law. We don’t do that.”

This question comes up with older teens usually. A seventeen-year-old, computer-savvy kid has access to information that presidents only decades ago wished they had. It is entirely possible that a savvy teen can research cannabis and outline, in detail, a risk-benefit analysis. With an expert presentation of the ‘facts,’ it sets up a potentially awkward dynamic for us as parents. And this is exacerbated if we are users ourselves.

In this scenario, we have to remember two things. One, you can find anything you want online and usually it is backed by a fairly credible source. Two, your family rules and values trump science.

Research is certainly available to back up the health benefits and the health risks when using cannabis. While many say there is a lack of studies, this is only partly true. Cannabis has been in our culture for decades, centuries actually; and before this, for thousands of years. Studies have been completed and long-term use has been tracked by many people. Yet, the debate will continue for many more decades. The bottom line here is to help your kids:

• Realize who pays for the studies • Define the terms of ‘heavy and consistent’ use and additional research terms • Refine their researching skills as much as possible

To combat a smart and savvy researcher, who may want to prove a specific point, you can give them the win on what they come up with. That’s right: it is fruitless to debate after some good thought and research has been put into their argument. When this time comes, we pull our trump card of family values and rules.

If we do have clear values and rules established, then we refer to them going forth.

Obviously, the above answer is playing on a value of abiding by the rules. This may be a fit for you and it may not. Though the example is usable in multiple scenarios.




Marijuana is a drug because it contains THC and psychoactive properties. It can alter our perception of life. Because of this, it can have negative and positive qualities to using it.

For a teen, whose brain is developing, I always encourage them to ‘just wait.’ In fact, my aim is to have them wait as long as possible—six years, six months, six days; whatever I can get will make a difference due to their brain development.

Research shows that the longer young people wait to use substances, the less likely they will fall into addictive behaviors.




“What do I do if my friends ask me to smoke weed?”

Know this is likely to happen. And this question emphasizes why it is important to begin the discussion with your kids early—before they are offered weed from their peers.

A father recently shared this story with me.

“I was so pleased that you came to speak with us, as my oldest son was turning twelve a few later.” I knew we needed to have the conversation about cannabis and other drugs and I was not sure how to proceed. After your presentation, I felt prepared to start the conversation.

I took my son for a drive and simply asked him, “What do you know about cannabis?” He told me he had talked about it with some peers, though he hadn’t really seen it. Using the open-ended questioning you suggested, I continued to ask questions of him while we drove for over an hour. I learned he really does want to do well in school and to be competitive on his mountain bike. I also learned that most of his friends now do not use cannabis or any other substance.

In this conversation, I was able to interject what I wanted for him. I placed this in his own values of course. As in, “I want you to be competitive in cycling, too, and I think it’s awesome you want to do well in school. You know, there is a good chance someone will offer you some weed in the near future. It happens and I don’t want you to use it. What do you think you might say and do if someone offered you weed?”

He told me he would say no and simply decline. It seemed to not be a huge deal—just something that was right for him.

A few weeks later, it happened. My son and I talked about it again. He told me how it was offered to him on the ski lift and he simply declined. The manner he did it in maintained his respect among his peers and we continued to talk about his choices.

I was so glad I had the foresight to have the conversation with him before he was offered cannabis for the first time.”




As parents, we can do a lot to support our kids and their decisions. Like the example, engaging our kids in role-playing scenarios before they occur in real life can help boost confidence and anchor responses. The last thing we want is to have our kids in situations that catch them completely off guard. This is where the poorest decisions are made.

Role-play with your kids and during the roleplay, you can help guide them as your values dictate. You can help them come up with various reasons why they would decline and you can practice these scenarios with them.

Finally, give your kids ‘outs.’ Kind of like the ‘get out of jail free’ card. Tell them they can use you as the ‘bad guy’ or that they can call you anytime for any reason to come get them. For fun, you can create a secret code that they can text to you subtly, which notifies you to call them with a reason they need to come home.

Ultimately, it will be your kid’s choice to use or not to use. If you have conversations before they experience an offer, you will have greater influence in how they choose.




“So can I use cannabis or not?” “Just wait. Wait as long as you can—whether the wait is 6 days, 6 weeks, 6 months, or 6 years. During adolescence, the brain is developing so quickly that any amount of time you wait can bring benefits.

If you are asking this question, you may choose to use cannabis one day in your life. So, here are some things I want you to know.

The longer you wait to use, the less chance you have of experiencing long-term consequences. Some adults have substance abuse problems and the majority of those adults chose to begin using when they were teens.

If you use edibles, start low and go slow. When we ingest them, they have to go through our digestive system before we feel their effects. This takes a long time—sometimes two hours; and it also remains in our system for a long time. So, you may not feel anything and during this time some people choose to eat more, which sets up a high-dose effect later on. This can be very uncomfortable. Start slow, with 10 milligrams or less, and simply wait. Watch what happens for at least two hours.

Know what you are using. Ask where is it coming from and in what form? Dabs and concentrates have higher levels of THC than most flowers. Some flowers have molds and pesticides on them.

Finally, know that I am here for you. You can call me anytime and from anywhere. I want you to wait to use cannabis until you are an adult. And if you choose to use, I hope we can continue talking. I won’t judge you. I just want what is best for you.”




What if your kid chooses to use cannabis anyways?

Your actions and reactions should be guided by your values, the age of your kid, and other life factors.

If your kid is using cannabis and being sneaky about it, you should confront your kid as soon as possible in a non-judgmental manner. Take a car ride or set up an evening dinner together. The intent here is to listen for ‘why’ they are choosing to use and ‘how’ they are using.

Ask open-ended questions to promote their story.

• Why do you choose to use? • Who uses cannabis with you? • How often do you use it? • How do you consume it? Edibles, dabs, flowers, etc.?

Then, we can begin to ask questions that drive into potential behavior change—assuming we want to guide our kids into waiting to use.

• How does your cannabis use help you? How does it hurt you? • How might it keep you from (insert their passion here)?

These types of questions fall in the realm of motivational interviewing. Motivational interviewing can influence behavior change. Know that behavior change comes from within. While it is possible to ‘force’ behavior change on a person (for example, using drug tests and punishments), these attempts generally fall short of producing any desired long-term effects.

In finding out how your kids use cannabis, why they use it, what benefits they get from using it, and what costs they see from using it, you begin to gain valuable insight into what your kid is searching for at this time. This offers us the ability to guide them more effectively.




How Do We Recognize When Use Is Problem?

This is an area that we can help answer for our kids through consistent conversations. When is use overdone? What is our definition of responsible cannabis use?

For each one us, our answers will differ. This is because of our community norms, family values, and life experiences. Yet, some behaviors are a bit obvious. For example, has your kid started failing in school? Or missed work obligations? Are they not engaging with you and their family like they did in the past?

Some of these behavior changes can be attributed to biological changes or environmental changes (i.e. school transition from middle to high school). The conversation is what is truly important to teaching our kids what we think is overuse. And there are many teachable moments for us to be able to use in this education.

Use these questions in your conversation with your kids.

• Do you know any kids, or adults, who use substances too much and it creates harm in their life? • What is it about their use that makes you say that? • How does their use relate to the family values we discussed?

Parents who take the time to teach their kids about overusing cannabis, and what this may look like, have kids who (if they choose to use) will use in a more responsible manner. This can reduce the risk to using cannabis for younger adults.




Does Your Child Have A Cannabis Or Drug Problem?

If your kid is over-using cannabis or other drugs, you need to ask yourself a few questions to determine if they have an ‘abuse’ issue. If you feel they do not have control over their relationship with cannabis, it’s your responsibility to get them help.

If you feel they do not have an ‘abuse’ issue, or perhaps you think they do and they don’t agree, your goal is help them reduce the harm of using. This is not to condone underage use, but it does respect their choices as individuals and helps to reduce potential harm from the use. Reducing harms can include helping to ensure they don’t drive after using cannabis. While we may not be able to get them to stop their use completely, we can guide into some different choices that can reduce the harms from using.

Ask these questions to help determine if your kid needs professional services to curb dependence or abuse. This is part of the Cannabis Use Disorder Test; to view the complete test, as well as its research and additional details, visit http://cade.bacchusnetwork.org.

• How often do you use cannabis? • How often during the past six months did you find you were unable to stop using cannabis once you started? • How often in the past six months did you fail to do what was normally expected from you because of using cannabis? • How often in the past six months have you devoted a great deal of your time getting, using, or recovering from cannabis? • Have you ever thought about cutting down, or stopping, your use of cannabis? • How important is it to make changes to your use of cannabis? • How confident do you feel about making changes to your use of cannabis?

Should you need additional help, reach out to your local Community Mental Health Center and/or visit Stanton Peele’s Life Process System online at http://lifeprocessprogram.com.

Please know, most people do outgrow, or mature out of, their addictive behaviors and substance-use disorders. Context plays a role in behavior much more than the actual drug itself. A substance-use disorder for an 18-year-old does not guarantee that they will be suffering from addiction for the rest of their life.




How to bring up the conversation with your kids for the first time.

Alright, let’s review. We learned the importance of maintaining open and consistent communication and clear family rules. We learned that adolescent brains are developing. And we answered some common questions parents may face.

This section talks about how we can bring up the conversation to be proactive. Research will point to the importance of beginning to talk with kids about drugs and alcohol around nine years old. The theory is that when we frontload information, get into conversation before kids experience and see substances, we will help to place foundational beliefs.

I always suggest talking even earlier. And if we can include all risks in the conversation, then drugs and alcohol simply fall into place. “The earlier, the better. It is an age-appropriate conversation to be certain.”

How do we bring up the conversation?

Use teachable momentsTeachable moments use daily experiences that arise naturally. They might include using the news headlines to talk about marijuana. These are very prevalent today.

We can also use our kid’s experiences to teach consequences and problem-solving. Both these skills will go a long way in supporting the development of our young people.

Use talking piecesTalking pieces are useful because when kids want to talk with us, they rarely come up and ask for our time directly. Kids do not necessarily ask us: “Hey mom/dad, I really want to talk about drugs. Do you have a few minutes?”

It would be easier if they did sometimes, though it’s not how it works.

More typically, they will hover and check for our availability. They want us to read their minds. They might come into the kitchen and ask us what we are doing.




Depending on our answer and tone, they will decide if we are available or not. More often than not, they will perceive us to be unavailable and they will wander off—taking their questions and assumptions with them.

Talking pieces place the power in their hands without the confrontation. Using an item, like a scarf or table decoration. “You can establish an item like a scarf or table decoration as the talking piece.” Your kid can grab it anytime they want to talk about something. All they have to do is grab the scarf and take it to their room—or wherever they wish to talk. When you notice this as a parent, it is then up to you to initiate the conversation.

This takes the pressure off of you to be a mind reader and it takes the pressure off your child to initiate an adult conversation.

Get LostA favorite tool of parents is to simply use windshield time to talk. Get lost in your car together and conversation will flow.

In the vehicle, there is no confrontation. If both you and your child are sitting in front, you are both looking in the same direction and conversations can flow equally.

In this setting, use some open-ended questions to start the conversation.

“What does the weekend social scene look like?”

“Did you see that cannabis ad in the paper? What do you think about that?”

“What do you think you were meant to do in your life?”

“What do you daydream about?”

“Do you know any kids, or adults, who use substances too much, harmfully, or addictively?“

“What is it about their use that makes you say that?“

“How does their use relate to the family values we discussed?”




Final Thoughts.Consider the fact that parenting is the most challenging position in the world (and it seems to be getting more difficult).

We can help our kids engage in constructive risk taking because: a) adolescents are wired to take risks and b) we want them to learn how to fail. It is these experiences that will guide our kids into developing their self-confidence and resiliency skills. And let’s face it, adulthood is risky business; we need confidence and resiliency. Many of us fail over and over again. It’s how we learn.

We get back into the game because we have learned how to fail. It’s the same as when we learned how to walk. We fell down. Our parents helped us back up. Again and again until we went out on our own—to fall and get ourselves back up.

My message to my kids about drugs and alcohol is ‘let’s talk about this.’ They have some ideas and so do I. And, ultimately, as a parent, it is my opportunity and responsibility to help them understand and explore their world.

Parenting can be viewed as a game of ‘harm reduction.’ With any potential risk, the goal is to reduce harm. This is why we wear helmets while biking or skiing. We want our kids to engage in certain healthy risk-taking activities because they are wired to take risks anyway. At the same time, we want to reduce potential harms.

This is true with drug and alcohol use. There are harms we can reduce, such as teaching the use of one drug at a time. Combining drugs, especially if one is alcohol, increases the risks exponentially.

Our kids are likely to use substances at some point in their life. If they break a family rule, or a law, it is our job to support them as they live through their consequences; and to help them learn as much as possible. That’s the ultimate gift of failure: learning.

If you need more assistance in preventing your kids from using substances, or helping to reduce the harms of your kids who is already using substances, please visit BeAskable.org, where resources await. With videos and podcasts, it is a place to ask your own questions and get answers with the best science available.

And for more information how to enjoy the modern cannabis lifestyle, visit www.GreenFlowerMedia.com




Tell Your Friends To Download This Report.

Plus find more entertaining and educational content to help you live the modern cannabis lifestyle.

Only at www.GreenFlowerMedia.com

Thanks for reading and we’ll talk to you soon.




FINAL THOUGHTS.ow that you know your cannabis rights, we encourage you to start some interesting dialogues with your friends. Be the smartest person in the room! Cannabis is a hot topic right now, so go forth and fuel those dialogues with solid facts and interesting information. And remember: we’d love to hear from you. If you have opinions, comments, or ideas based on this Green Flower Report, share them with us right now. And remember: we’d love to hear from you. If you have opinions, comments, or ideas based on this Green Flower Report, share them with us right now.

Plus, you can find more Green Flower Reports to read and enjoy!You can also find us on all the social networks.

Thanks for reading and we’ll talk to you soon.

www.GreenFlowerMedia.com/reports/legal-cannabis-rights



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