Are you prepared to talk with your kids about cannabis use? Research shows that, on average, Canadian youth start using cannabis at 15 years old. Many people believe cannabis is harmless because it is “natural.” The truth is that cannabis can affect brain development up until age 25. This means it can cause long-term memory impairment, mental health problems, decreased academic performance, and many other health and social issues. Open up the conversation and ask what your teenager thinks about “weed”. Use information from the Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse to give your kids accurate facts.

Contact the Chatham-Kent Public Health Unit with questions or to get more resources please visit:

http://www.ccsa.ca/Eng/topics/Marijuana/Marijuana-and-Youth/Pages/default.aspx