When I was a kid I did not know any parent that supported their child using marijuana. Alcohol was taboo too. Given today’s liberal parenting, it is no surprise that some actually do not have a problem with the kids smoking weed.
Other parents who support legalization of marijuana also expect strict regulation of its availability to kids and teens. As reported in www.usatoday.com.
The nationally representative online survey was done for the Partnership at Drugfree.org, a New York City-based non-profit organization formerly known as the Partnership for a Drug-Free America. It reached 1,603 adults, 1,200 of whom are parents of kids ages 10-19. About 35% of parents favored legalizing marijuana for recreational use, 46% said it should be decriminalized, and 70% supported legalizing marijuana for medical purposes.
About half of both mothers and fathers said they had used marijuana. The number saying so in Colorado was 62%. Voters in Colorado and Washington state made marijuana use legal last year.
About 90% of moms and 94% of dads say the legal age for marijuana use should be 21. As opposed to what? 18?
Some other findings
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About 95% of moms and 96% of dads say marijuana should be prohibited in public places where smoking is banned. About 92% of Colorado parents and 96% of Washington state parents agree. Still 4-8% of parents think public use is perfectly acceptable?
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About 88% of moms and 90% of dads say marijuana advertising should be banned. Who are these other 10-12%?
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About 90% of moms and 85% of dads agree that marijuana can have strong negative effects on the still-developing brains of teens. Do they really have any sort of education on the issue?
The data bring to life the fact that parents have serious expectations that legal marijuana will be regulated and restricted to protect kids and teens. The scariest thing is that those expectations far exceed how legal marijuana is being implemented. So the fact remains, whether marijuana is legal or not, much more needs to be done to protect the health of our children.
All the more reason why mandatory drug classes should be implemented for kids and parents!