Underage Cannabis Use at Home
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For years, popular television shows and movies have portrayed American youth as frequent users of marijuana—so much so that it’s sometimes considered a rite of passage among young people. Many parents feel it’s inevitable that their children will experiment, and wonder if a permissive approach might be a safer, more realistic strategy than completely banning it. But letting kids use cannabis at home doesn't teach them to use it responsibly—and it doesn't keep them safer. Here's what you need to know about underage cannabis use at home.
The Pitfalls of Permitting Underage Cannabis Use at Home
In reality, the rate of cannabis use among young people is not as great as we’ve been led to believe. Even more importantly, there’s simply very little that children can gain from being allowed to use cannabis—especially when any potential benefits are compared to the potential risks. To explore these risks, let’s take a look at some of the most common reasons parents have for considering the permissive approach route.
“It’s inevitable that my child will use cannabis—at least at home, they’ll be safer.”
For parents, the health and safety of their children is everything, so this reasoning can feel especially powerful. And in certain situations, there may be some truth to the idea that teens are safer using cannabis at home. After all, this eliminates the possibility of them driving under the influence, and reduces their chance of getting into legal trouble or making decisions they’ll later regret.
But allowing your child to use cannabis under parental supervision only trades one set of risks for another. First, permitting underage cannabis use at home is illegal and violates Connecticut's social host laws. Further, people who begin using cannabis at an early age are more likely to become addicted to it, and to misuse other substances such as cocaine and opioids. They also risk significant disruptions to their brain development (which continues until about age 25), and unfortunately, these are irreversible.
“I’ve heard that some people may feel sick when they use cannabis, so I’d like to be able to keep an eye on my child.”
Cannabis can cause a wide range of short-term effects, including various uncomfortable symptoms such as nausea, drowsiness, and an increased heart rate. Heavy users might also experience cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome, a condition that causes recurrent vomiting. For parents who have already taken care of their children through countless colds and tummy aches, these symptoms probably sound like no big deal. However, there’s also a chance that your child could experience psychological symptoms that are extremely difficult to handle.
Studies have found that the younger a person’s age, the greater the risk cannabis poses to their mental health. Most alarming, there’s a dose-dependent relationship between THC and the onset of psychosis—and the cannabis available today contains drastically more THC than ever before. So when it comes to taking care of your child, keeping them away from cannabis altogether is your best bet.
“Cannabis that is tested for quality is safer than what my child might find elsewhere.”
In Connecticut, cannabis sold at dispensaries must be lab tested for potency and the presence of mold and contaminants. This ensures that legally purchased cannabis is safer than what you might buy on the street. However, this testing and labelling does not guarantee that the user will avoid negative side effects. Just as with legally purchased alcohol, quality-tested cannabis still poses both immediate dangers and long-term risks to one’s health and safety—and these are amplified in underage users.
“Using cannabis occasionally won’t hurt my child. It’s even legal in Connecticut now.”
Don’t forget that the legal status of cannabis applies only to adults. Many substances legal for adult use (including medicinally and other) cannot be used by children, simply because there’s not enough data to verify that it’s safe. However, in the case of cannabis, researchers know exactly how it can impact the body, right down to reduced volume in specific regions of the brain. The science is clear: for children’s health and safety, they should not use cannabis at all until at least age 21.
The Bottom Line
Parental approval of cannabis is linked with increased use among youth and teens. In turn, starting to use cannabis regularly at a young age increases the risk of becoming dependent. So by permitting your child to use cannabis use at home, you could be setting them up for a lifetime of struggles with addiction and related problems. Though it may be well-intentioned, there are many pitfalls to a permissive approach, and these can significantly impact not only your child, but your entire family as well.
Setting Rules On Cannabis Use
If you’ve decided not to allow cannabis use at home, you’re making a wise choice—and luckily, it doesn’t need to be a complicated one. For children under age 21, you only need to set one rule about using cannabis: don’t do it. Don’t do it at home, and don’t do it anywhere else, either.
Just because this rule is simple, however, doesn’t mean you should enforce it with a “because I said so” approach. (Teens will be especially unlikely to accept that reasoning!) Rather, most kids respond best when provided with straightforward, fact-based reasons why you don’t want them using cannabis: it’s harmful to their physical and mental health, can cause them to make dangerous decisions, and carries social and legal risks as well.
During your discussion, avoid vilifying cannabis as “bad” or putting down those who do use it. Instead, focus on the bottom line: just like alcohol, cannabis is not safe or legal for those under age 21 to use.