Adolescents and marijuana
A worried parent describes their nearly-18-year-old son smoking weed and feeling blamed and helpless, unsure what to do to avoid losing him.
Answered by Jim LaPierre, LCSW, CCS
Question
I am at a loss. No one really wants to help me and everyone said it's my fault because I let my kid get a license, which gave him freedom to leave small town. Now he's in the throes of loving to smoke weed. I can't reason with him, and he tells me he smokes it, and now that I know what it smells like, he has not hit the other drugs, as far as I can tell. I can tell.
He's so close to 18 and I just am not sure what to do to not lose him forever. He listens to underground rap and, well, he wants to look like them and, well, I am not a millionaire.
Thank you for connecting with us. I totally understand the feeling of being concerned about your son as he is on the cusp of becoming an adult. I certainly would not fault you for allowing him to get a license as this is an important life skill. I would say the best you can do is express your concerns to your son and I urge you to do so without being overly critical of his those he looks up to. Relating to our children as adults is a huge transition. Share concerns without judgment and be patient. As a father who has been a young man and raised a young man I can tell you that at 18 we know everything and as Mark Twain noted, "By the time I was 21, my father (or mother) was the smartest person I knew. It's amazing how much he learned in three years!"
About the Expert
Jim LaPierre
LCSW, CCS
Brewer, United States of America
Specialties
Anger Management, Gay Lesbian Issues, Spirituality, Divorce, Compulsive Disorders, Trauma and PTSD, Life Coaching, Addiction or Substance Abuse, OCD, Mood Disorders, Parenting, Domestic Abuse or Domestic Violence, Anxiety or Fears, ADHD, Impulse Control Disorders, Relationship Issues, Women, Loss or Grief, Eating Disorders, Depression, Finding Your Purpose in Life
License
my_license #LC9830