Parenting Practices in the Context of Legal Marijuana: Voices from Seattle Parents

Abstract

Objectives: This study examined marijuana-related parenting attitudes, behaviors, and challenges in the context of nonmedical marijuana legalization in Washington State. Method: Qualitative data were collected via 6 focus groups with a total of 54 parents of preteen and teenage children, following the opening of the first marijuana retail store in Seattle in 2014. A structured interview protocol was used to ask parents about their marijuana-related parenting behaviors and about information, skills, or strategies that parents might find helpful while raising children in a state where nonmedical marijuana use is legal for adults. Transcripts were analyzed using thematic content analysis with NVivo software. Results: Findings indicate that most parents talked to their children about marijuana, communicating rules and information about the effects of the drug. Although most parents felt that marijuana use by underage youth was not acceptable, many recognized that it was something teens would likely experiment with. Most parents set guidelines about marijuana in their households, but several faced challenges monitoring their children's behavior (e.g., use of edibles), imposing consequences when children used marijuana, reconciling societal and personal norms, and deciding whether or not to disclose their own use. Parents expressed that they would benefit from learning strategies to deal with these challenges, including factual information and parenting skills, through programs offered in schools or community settings.

Parental openness and communication regarding cannabis and alcohol use with their children

“…The current study examined correlates of parental openness and communication regarding cannabis and alcohol in a sample of US adults from six MSAs. Notably, parents reported greater acceptability of child use of alcohol versus cannabis, were more likely to allow its use in the home and when children are present, indicated more communication about alcohol versus cannabis, and were more transparent about their own use of alcohol relative to cannabis—aligning with the limited prior research in this area 15,18 . Additionally, in this study—and others 4–8 —cannabis and alcohol users (vs. nonusers) were more open about cannabis and alcohol, respectively 4–8 .…”

“…The most frequent communication about cannabis was related to parents telling their child that they should talk with them before they try cannabis (~50%), which was as frequently noted with regard to alcohol; otherwise, parents more frequently endorsed communication about alcohol, especially related to the dangers of use, using and driving, or riding in a car with someone who had been using. Findings reflect prior research indicating parental challenges with effectively communicating cannabis‐related risks and their own use 15,18 . Findings stress the need for resources to help parents more effectively communicate with their children about cannabis 15,18 …”

“…Some research has documented that parental communication regarding cannabis use with adolescents 15,16 and young adults 17 increases after cannabis legalization. Qualitative research has indicated that, although most parents disapprove of youth cannabis use and set rules about use, many are concerned about how to effectively communicate about cannabis (e.g., risks, consequences, parents’ own use) and express the need for resources (e.g., via school‐ or community‐based programs) to help them more effectively communicate with their children about cannabis within this relatively new policy context 15,18 …”

Adolescents’ Perceptions and Experiences of Their Responsibilities for Their Alcohol Use—A Group Interview Study

“…These findings were in line with previous research that pointed out that parents were primarily responsible for caring for their children. Parents also had the main responsibility for adolescents’ alcohol use, even when they were not physically present when the adolescents were drinking [ 42 ]. The adolescents in our study were split on the issue of parents adopting a permissive approach, with some of them supporting clear, even strict, rules and punishments.…”

Cannabis use, self‐perceived risk, perceived peer approval and parental attitudes among youth at clinical high‐risk for psychosis

“…Moreover, among adolescents, perceived risk significantly declined over the last several years (Johnston et al, 2019), and emerging research suggests that cannabis decriminalization and commercialization relate to these shifting perceptions (Hasin, 2018; Schuermeyer et al, 2014). In terms of parental perceptions, despite a decrease in perceived harm following legalization, parents remain largely opposed to adolescent use (Eisenberg et al, 2019; Jones et al, 2020; Kosterman et al, 2016; Lamb & Crano, 2014). In light of these attitude and possible use changes, identifying contributing risk and protective factors could help mitigate effects of legalization on use.…”