Beginning on July 1st Maryland residents 21 years or over will be able to purchase marijuana for recreational use from licensed dispensaries. The Centers for Disease Control issued a public warning about how using marijuana can increase the risk of mental illness, including schizophrenia, depression, and suicidal ideation. Concerningly, a graph from the National Institutes of Health shows marijuana…
I didn’t expect to learn so much when I started the Guiding Good Choices parenting classes offered by HC DrugFree several years ago. I wish I had taken these classes sooner. My older children would have benefitted greatly – and so would I. I’m a relatively well-educated person, but I wasn’t prepared for the requirements…
As a parent, you are bursting with pride at the sight of your high schooler walking across the stage at Merriweather Post Pavilion. They are about to embark on an exciting journey towards full fledged adulthood. But they aren’t there yet! Their brain won’t be fully developed until 25 years old (we used to think 21!) They…
Usually, I think of myself as a kind, thoughtful & compassionate person – I probably pride myself on that, or at least carry a sense of “I’m a good and decent person” around in my mind and spirit. But my adult child pointed something out to me recently which I had not realized: I can…
According to the CDC, there are many risks to teens who drink and take drugs. Movies and television shows depict parties filled with care-free, beautiful, youthful, smiling faces cavorting and drinking alcohol and taking drugs. So, parents worry their children may be influenced by these messages and get carried away by end of year high school festivities…
When is the “right” time to start talking with kids about vaping? Probably earlier than you think! Results from the 2022 National Youth Tobacco Survey indicated that 380,000 middle school students and 2.14 million high school students reported using e-cigarettes. Not sure how to start the conversation or what to say? Check out the American Lung Association’s Vaping Conversation…
Recent research by the American Heart Association has found that teens and young adults (ages 13-24) who vape nicotine and/or THC are more likely to also report symptoms of anxiety, depression and suicidal thoughts than teens who do not vape. Of those who vape, around 20-30% reported that they started vaping to help cope with stress,…
“Senior Week” may be every parent’s worst nightmare. Should I let my child go to the beach unchaperoned for the week or not? Do I give into peer pressure from other parents, or will my student be ostracized if they don’t go to this expected event? This practice seems to be an east coast tradition.…
Many of us grandparents have kept our medications in the same place since we were young parents, which most likely we learned from our parents. Times have changed and we need to be more aware of the dangers of keeping medications within reach of our grandchildren. In a recent study it showed that 80% of…
Many parents struggle with when to start allowing their teens to travel with friends without adult supervision. While 18 is the magical age of adulthood, not all teens are equally mature and ready for the same level of responsibility at that age. If only there were some test that we could just give our teens…
