Toolkit: How to talk to children about cannabis

When it comes to talking to kids about cannabis, many parents don’t know where to start. From what is age appropriate to what language to use, the stress of opening the conversation can lead many to put off the conversation altogether.

Open communication is important and cannabis is no different. Just as dialogue about sexual health leads to better outcomes, many parents say openly talking about cannabis with their children helps reduce stigma and attraction.

Moms who work with weed know the value of open communication

Known Group founder Jess Moran says she started talking to her kids about weed from a young age because she works in the industry and advocates for medicinal cannabis. Her daughter takes medicinal cannabis (CBD) to help with her acute insomnia as part of her autism and mental health issues.

“I honestly got into it, and it seems like it’s been a part of their lives since they were little,” she says. “I mostly work from home and run a cannabis agency, so they heard me talking about cannabis quite a lot from a young age.”

She says that because of her daughter’s journey, all of her children first learned about the plant as a medicine, and as they got older (11 and 12) they came to understand medicinal versus recreational use, as well as the difference between the regulated and unregulated market.

“My son in 1st grade even raised his hand in health class when they talked about treatments and how medicinal cannabis can help patients,” she says.

“Once I ate a candy bar [that I] didn’t want to share. He asked, “Oh, because there’s cannabis in it?” It didn’t, but I said ‘yes’ and kept it to myself!”

Devon Scoble

For Gill Polard, her work in the industry naturally led to talking about cannabis with her children.

“My kids grew up with us talking about it a lot at home. I don’t think it’s very interesting or exciting for them. It’s just the plant Mom keeps talking about.”

She says her children are familiar with the plant as she grows it in her garden. They understand that there are many different ways adults can consume cannabis and that it’s not just about getting high.

“They see me making balms or tinctures out of it to use therapeutically, so they understand. I generally treat it like any other thing in the house that they can’t already have: alcohol, certain medications, candles lit in their rooms. We’re very open about it being something they can use when they’re older, but not until they’re older.”

Polard says it’s important to talk to kids about cannabis because knowledge is power and the best way to reduce harm is through education.

“I hope that when the time comes, once I’ve armed them with information, they’ll be able to make better decisions.”

The Get Sensible Youth Toolkit is a great resource for parents who want to talk to their kids about cannabis. It helps support nonjudgmental conversations and is available as a free download.

Drug-Free Kids Canada’s Cannabis Talk Kit is another excellent resource for parents who want to have non-judgmental, evidence-based discussions. They also have resources for talking about other drugs, including alcohol.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration has a helpful booklet for talking to your child about cannabis. It provides advice on how to talk to your children about an “exit plan” when they are offered cannabis.

The Government of Canada also has a resource for teenagers to educate them about the risk of cannabis use for a developing brain, as well as different cannabis terminology and slang.

The Canadian Center on Substance Use and Addiction’s Guide to Talking Pot With Youth provides a series of exercises to engage youth in meaningful discussions and conversations about cannabis. The updated edition also includes answers to frequently asked questions about cannabis.

Secure your weed and create a safe place for kids to ask questions

For Devon Scoble, safety was the number one motivator for opening the conversation about cannabis.

“I started the cannabis conversation with my son when he was about four years old,” she says. “I was working in the cannabis industry at the time, so that was one reason. But I also have edibles in the house, so security was different.”

She says her son knows what cannabis packaging and the cannabis symbol look like, where she keeps her safely stored edibles and beverages, and that these products are not safe for him or the family dog.

“These safeguards have served us well,” she says, “the side effect of which is that I ate a candy bar once and didn’t want to share it. He asked, “Oh, because it has cannabis in it?” It didn’t, but I said ‘yes’ and kept it to myself!”

Now, at the age of nine, Scoble talks to her son about the different ways people use the cannabis plant and their risks and benefits.

“He knows that products containing THC can be risky for children while their brains are still developing. His colleagues haven’t started it yet, but he knows he can come to me when the time comes to talk seriously about cannabis.”

According to Scoble, another major reason for talking about cannabis with her son was the amount of misinformation available.

She encourages all parents to talk about cannabis with their children, especially parents who do not want them to use it.

“If my passion for the subject has done anything, it’s taken away my child’s interest. Bring it up all the time, and your kids will start treating it as just another boring adult thing.”

Moran agrees, adding, “I’d rather give my kids the right information, like I would with any other sensitive topic like alcohol or sex. I would rather be the one providing the accurate and correct information than an untrustworthy source at school or on the internet.”

Moran says parents should start talking about cannabis with their children at a certain age – when they feel ready, as every child is different. She says the reality is, particularly on social media and the internet, they find out anyway and are faced with consumer choices. Therefore, it is best to educate and destigmatize them at the “right” age.

Caitlin McCormack

Caitlin McCormack is a Toronto-based author. Her work has appeared on MSN, Lift & Co., HuffPost, What to Expect and Mashable, among others. When she’s not writing, she’s busy chasing after her two sons, trying out new recipes, and working on her century-old fixer-upper.

Check out Caitlin McCormack’s articles

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