The culture around marijuana use is in transition and it’s hard for parents to understand what is going on and how to address it. We’ll talk about this in an interview with Amy Rose a substance abuse expert and Program Director of Recover Happens Counseling Services in today’s podcast, The Truth About Youth and Marijuana Today.

Last month, I presented at a substance abuse forum and met Amy Rose, a passionate and experienced substance abuse treatment professional. Amy is the Program Director for Recovery Happens Counseling Services that has several treatment program centers in Central California from the East Bay to the Sacramento Area.

What Makes Marijuana Different Today

I asked Amy to be with us to talk about what’s really going on with youth and marijuana use today. Even if you think you understand marijuana, you might be surprised by what you hear.

In this episode, Amy Rose explains that the marijuana of today is nine times more potent than the marijuana that was being smoked when it first hit high schools and college campuses.

Amy goes on to explain that marijuana is being processed into a wax that instead of being the 4% THC of yester-year and 30% THC of the new cannabis, the wax is now 90% to 100% THC with profound consequences:

• Many kids are ending up in hospitals with Psychotic Reactions and Panic Attacks.
• Some are ending up in serious auto accidents. While they know they can’t drink and drive, they mistakenly believe they can drive under the influence of marijuana.
• Severe abuse and addiction seriously impacting their functioning and development including neuro-development.

The Vaping Trend

Vaping devices are used to ingest the waxy THC and the devices are very hard to detect and often look like USB drives. The exhaled vapor can have little to no odor. Parents should be wary of any vaping activity. Even nicotine liquid is at such high concentrations that it can be intoxicating and kids are using it for that effect.

Amy explained that some kids will experiment with marijuana and quickly realize that it’s not for them. Other kids will have the same experience of trying it and very quickly know they enjoy it, and those kids are immediately at risk.
Amy explains that all kids that use marijuana are not addicted and the sooner treatment begins, the faster and more completely kids will recover and get back on a healthy developmental path forward. Parents shouldn’t wait for kids to hit bottom before they seek help. She also emphasized that it’s important for parents and kids to know that abusing marijuana isn’t something parents or kids need to be ashamed about. Abuse or addiction is easy to get to and clouds one’s ability to think and see things clearly.

Amy and I emphasize the importance of parent-teen communication beginning in early adolescence as a critical element in supporting healthy choices for teens throughout their adolescence.

Thanks for tuning in this week listeners and thanks to Amy Rose who now has us all on notice that marijuana is not the non-addicting “natural high” of yester-year. Now, we as parents and professionals are informed and must not let our kids control the narrative.

Have you read my book Ending the Parent Teen Control Battle? Whether you have or not, you can go the publisher and access free tools for the whole family!

Click this link and select the Free Accessories option. Download the chapter For Teens Only. It also comes with a free Control Battle assessment. Control Battles are a family affair so we might as well include our youth in resolving it. And it’s free and that’s my favorite price, how about you?

And please remember, take care of yourselves; you need it, you deserve it, you’re worth it. Bye for now.

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