Down the Rabbit hole

At Gobi we have tried to stay away from the debate on several issues related to cannabis. We use the term cannabis as opposed to marijuana because cannabis contains THC which is the chemical in the plant that gets you high.  Our program has focused on helping teens and families communicate and for teens to make better decisions.  We have felt that including the negative effects of cannabis in the program only gets teens upset as there is a world of information available online that supports the argument that cannabis isn’t harmful.

Years ago, to be honest, cannabis was relatively harmless.  In the 1970s to the 1990s the average THC level was only 3% – 7%.  Today the plant has been genetically modified and in the weed format is around 20% - 25% but in vapes is now nearing 100%.  So, it is “natural” in the way heroin and cocaine are natural.  It has not been directly linked to deaths, but we are now seeing statistics that regular use may be especially hazardous for teen’s mental health.

Parents have asked us about how to express to their teens the negative effects of using.  We recently became aware of a video that we would like to share.  We encourage you and your family to watch this together. Tell your teen that everyone should have a clear understanding of the risk they take. Add that you have been worried about teen use of cannabis and you think they ought to know the subject better. 

One of the techniques we use in Gobi is to have parents and teens take walks, so after watching the video take a walk together.  Teens have a hard time with body language and walking seems to help.  Try to ask open ended questions like “What did you learn that was new and why did that make an impression on you?” or “What part of the video didn’t you agree with and why?”

Maybe the newer higher potency forms of cannabis aren’t the safest, and we hope this stimulates a good conversation.