by Karli Duran

Created on: July 21, 2010   Last Updated: January 29, 2011

Well, I was raised much differently than most children. I spent a lot of my early years in my parent's well-known head shop in Dallas, TX named Strawberry Fields. My parents were high contributors to NORML and in 1979 they were invited and attended an art auction hosted by NORML at the Playboy mansion. Marijuana (and it's paraphernalia) was always around me. My parents would smoke marijuana in front of me on a regular basis. My parents never told me about it being harmful. It was just a very open drug they used, even grew and sold.  This was not a good beginning to exposing a child to alcohol and drugs.  By the time I was in 3rd grade,  I was set to believe by society that my parents were "bad".

In 7th grade, I remember saying I would never drink alcohol or do drugs. By 9th grade, I was drinking vodka like a fish. I made so many careless, dangerous, stupid mistakes, but I did not try marijuana until I was 17, and I did not like it.

The simple ABC formula:

Adult - you are the adult. You are over the age of 18. You are the parent. You make the decisions. What makes you an adult? Your...

Brain - a child's brain is still growing. Adding ANY substance can hurt the development of their brains and bodies. I'm also talking about alcohol, caffeine, over the counter medications, and prescription drugs.

Cognitive Development - studies have shown that kids who start smoking marijuana at an early age show cognitive defects which are not shown in people who begin smoking when they are older.

It's really that simple, but there are more drugs and things to talk to your children about than just marijuana. At least your children cannotoverdose on marijuana unlike the chemicals under your sink, pills in your medicine cabinet, alcohol, and more harmful drugs. It is very important to also talk to your children about the effects of other drugs and the risks of having sex.

What I found useful is pictures.

I hope this helps someone how to explain not  only marijuana to your child but also how to show them the effects other drugs and sex.  It is very important to teach your children about drugs, and I don't mean by using them in front of them.  Children are not stupid and know when something feels wrong based on what our society has taught us.

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