(ThyBlackMan.com) I was having a conversation with a few parents, and the topic of marijuana and their minors came up. Though most parents took the position that pre-teens and teenagers should not be smoking, there were a few that raised the idea that in moderation it might not be a bad idea. The logic was the children would not be sneaking behind the backs of the parents to smoke, so the parents could have more governance over the situation. It was even mentioned that marijuana is natural, and it’s better than the kids smoking cigarettes or vaping. These lines of thought as an adult, and parent, have weighed heavily on my mind. I had to think back to my own upbringing, and that of the community I was in, and I needed to ask myself would I have been allowed. Would I have had the nerve to even bring this idea to my parents or try them in this area.
It seems that in the name of independence and wanting children to have more of a say in the process of their upbringing, the line between minor and adult can get very blurred. It doesn’t take much for an adolescent to feel they have the same autonomy as their parents, and that they are on equal footing. This is not about subjugating minors, but at some point, we as parents and adults in the community need to be reminded that the children are not adults. They don’t have adult minds, experiences, maturity, nor physicality. The frontal lobe of the brain, says the medical community, of a teenager is not fully developed. Weed should be a hard no for minors. Given the other things that is a no…this shouldn’t be an issue.
The easiest part of this argument is the most obvious. As with alcohol and cigarettes, marijuana is illegal for minors. There is no way around the under 18 rule in regard to this, in states where it’s legal. We know that following laws doesn’t always protect our children, it should still be the standard that we as parents expect. It’s not wise nor safe to encourage our children to put themselves in situations that can invite law enforcement into their lives. We already deal with enough in that department. Teenagers are still learning boundaries, so if we say weed is okay…they may take it further and deduce in their mind that everything else is okay. This is a door of support we should not open.
This leads us into the medical aspect of things. Yes, medicinal marijuana is a thing…for adults. There are too many issues with children and their developing bodies for this to be okay. Furthermore, though some argue whether marijuana is or is not a gateway drug…a minor can very well become addicted and us it as a coping crutch. If your child is always high, how are they learning to process and deal with their emotions and challenges, hence making adults that can’t cope with life. Even if you make the argument that marijuana is a better alternative than a child being medicated on different anti-depressant and anxiety…it can be argued that the outcome is still the same.
A mood altering thing that numbs the children to emotions while the brain is still trying to develop. So, we still have children unable to learn how to properly process emotions and life challenges. Just of the fact that children are still growing and developing marijuana shouldn’t be a thought; it would be better to invest our time in raising our children with methods to manage life where they are so that they can build on that muscle as they grow. In taking that approach we may raise children that have a more balanced response to life as adults.
Children and weed should be a hard no. It is very important to remember that kids have parents for a reason. They can’t raise themselves. The children should not have to create their own standard, and lay their own foundation of principles, morals, and values. It is our job to train them on how to embrace and manage life. We help them learn what boundaries are, and how to take care of themselves. Even more so our presence in their life should mean that they are not alone. They should feel that home is a safe place, so if they are curious or even under pressure about smoking, they should be able to talk about it at home. We can’t be with our children 24/7, and they may attempt to try us in various ways, but we ought not create the space for them to do so. Weed and the kids should be a no.
Staff Writer; Christian Starr
May connect with this sister over at Facebook; C. Starr and also Twitter; MrzZeta.
Also via email at; CStarr@ThyBlackMan.com.