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WHAT YOU SHOULD SAY
&
CONVERSATION SCENARIOS
Here's What You Can Say to Get the Conversation Started:
“I want us to be able to discuss topics because I love you and I want to help during these years when you’re faced with a lot of difficult choices.”
“What do kids at your school say about marijuana?”
Possible Scenarios and Answers to Your Child's Questions:
Child: “Would you rather me drink alcohol? Marijuana is so much safer.”
- Adult: “What is going on in your life that makes your feel like to you want to drink alcohol or use marijuana?”
Child: “Marijuana is just a plant. How harmful could it be?”
- Adult: “I would much rather you find healthy ways to cope with difficult feelings that turn to other drugs. Can we brainstorm activities?”
Child: “But it’s legal in some states; why would they make something legal that could hurt me?”
- Adult: “Let’s look at alcohol; it’s legal, but causes damage, including DUIs, car accidents and other behavior that can lead to jail time. Alcohol can also cause major health problems, including liver and heart and problems and is linked to some forms of cancer.”
Child: “But you smoked marijuana when you were younger.”
- Adult: “I’m not going to pretend like I didn’t, and that’s why I’m talking to you about this. I will tell you that when I did smoke, my decisions weren’t great and the only thing that prevented me from getting into some horrible circumstances was luck.”
or “You may or may not believe this, but I never smoked marijuana when I was a kid. It didn’t have a place in my life, and would have interfered with the activities I enjoyed.”
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For more examples of what you can say to your teen, use The Marijuana Talk Kit from the Partnership to End Addiction.

USE THESE RESOURCES TO HELP GUIDE THE CONVERSATION
- Keep these 5 conversation goals in mind when talking to kids about alcohol and other drugs.
- Draft a family agreement – this family agreement form on avoiding alcohol and other drugs will help establish family rules about drinking and substance use.