Did you know that Utah has an educational and media campaign to combat underage marijuana misuse? It’s called Gray Matters!
What is Gray Matter?
Gray matter is the part of the brain responsible for critical thinking, creativity, and analysis. This area continues to develop until the early to mid-20s. Misusing marijuana before the brain has fully developed can disrupt this process, leading to negative consequences such as memory loss, cannabis use disorder, anxiety and depression, distraction, a decline in IQ, psychosis, suicidal ideation, poor judgment, school dropout, and related substance misuse.
Parents, Start the Conversation!
Parents are the most influential people in a child’s life. They listen to you more than you think. It is crucial to communicate your expectations about avoiding underage drug misuse and be clear about the consequences of using marijuana at a young age. If you are unsure how to begin the conversation, here are some tips:
- Stay calm
- Be clear
- Open up
- Use positivity
- Walk in your kids’ shoes
- Check your body language
- Talk, don’t lecture
- Actively listen
- Stick with the science
Start these conversations early and remain encouraging and supportive. Early and consistent dialogue shows your kids that you care and that you are a safe person to talk to. This increases the likelihood they will open up to you in the future.
Visit graymattersutah.org to join other parents in taking the pledge to talk to your kids about underage marijuana misuse!