Just found out my 16 yr old is vaping cannabis. What now?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’d get a medical card for myself and make sure he’s got access to good quality weed from a dispensary. Weed is better than adderall.

I'd be more inclined to do this to prevent him from vaping. He doesn't sound like he has much of a life right now, so I don't know that I would punish him.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’d get a medical card for myself and make sure he’s got access to good quality weed from a dispensary. Weed is better than adderall.

This. Do it properly. It will be better quality, safer, appropriately matched (the right strain for him). He’s prob use less this way too if he’s truly using it to self medicate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:"He has a part time job." Probably has a connection at the job, most likely source.

Talk to the doctor about it. A good friend of mine has better luck with weed to relieve anxiety than with prescriptions. I would be concerned about the vape delivery though.

Would he be willing to try cbd?

I like this approach.

[Anonymous]

FFS, ignore the hysterical PPs. Do not call the police. We have five kids - all young adults. Three of them (that I know of) experimented with weed. None are potheads. I talked to my kids about the risk of eliminating possible job opportunities later. Issues with clearance, etc. The legal ramifications of getting caught. Driving while high. But we didn’t panic over a little weed.

[Anonymous]

I would be equally concerned about his ridiculous lie. I have child this age and saying he found it seems so incredibly stupid even for a 16 year old.

[Anonymous]

It is EXTREMELY easy to get in the DMV

[Anonymous]

Around the same age we discovered our son using. He said the same - that it was helpful for anxiety. We tried so many things including a treatment program for mental health and substance abuse and working with doctors to better medicate his anxiety. Nothing worked. So we went to boundaries. Can’t be in the house. Can’t be used in the house. Can’t be used at school - he was already in a therapeutic school so they were on top of this sort of thing. Can’t be purchased with our money - we now give him none, if we want to give him anything it’s gift cards.

Honestly, our current plan works best. He rarely uses and we don’t fight a losing battle. I hate that he uses but I’m happy that he found something to control his anxiety because Lord knows, nothing the medical profession did worked. He’s much more functional than he was for the previous few years.

[Anonymous]

OP you do know that vaping can cause permanent, irreversible lung damage- sometimes at the magnitude of a lung transplant. I would focus on the hierarchy of risks you are facing. In my assessment the mechanism of vaping is the most dangerous, secondary to utilization of weed.

[Anonymous]

^if he is dry vaping, permanent lung damage is not likely. Oil in a pen is a different story.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As a parent of grown children I would like to say that at 16 you need to treat him as a soon-to-be-an-adult person, not as a kid who needs punishing or discipline. Help him figure this out. He may end up using something to help him with his anxiety and counteract med issues but he needs to do it thoughtfully and intelligently. You can help with that. I hope you are able to open a real line of communication with this kid. It will benefit you both for many years to come. Maybe start by accepting that he should have a significant say in what works for him. He clearly needs guidance, though, yours and perhaps a doctor or other professional.

Best post here.

[Anonymous]

As for where he's getting it, I would guess his whole school knows which fellow students to get it from.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thank you PPs. I guess I'm a bit freakout out because relatives on both sides of his family have past addiction issues (alcohol) and I know how many issues it caused.

I don’t think you need to freak out but some pps don’t seem to be aware that cannabis for teenagers is totally different than for adults whose brains are formed and are past the high risk period for developing schizophrenia. I would be calm and loving but take it very seriously. Also, for him to tell you such a dumb story about finding it you have to wonder what else he’s getting up to. Good luck.

+1

I would freak out for sure. My friend's son started smoking around that age and it was so heartbreaking to see his pot face. He was the sweetness boy growing up but barely graduated from high school...

Mom was always so laid back about it. This is an affluent family too.

[Anonymous]

There are plenty of addiction recovery resources and programs out there. If he is lying about how he got it, it is probably time

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's illegal, call police to scare straight

NEVER voluntarily involve people with guns over whom you have no power into your life or that of your family.

Ditto this. The police are not your friends, they are not your child's friends. The system is set up so that a can cop can basically say anything and that's enough for your child to be in a lot of trouble.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are plenty of addiction recovery resources and programs out there. If he is lying about how he got it, it is probably time

Everyone lies about where they got it! “I was holding it for a friend” was a favorite back in the 80s.