Marijuana use may not make parents more 'chill'
Pot linked to more use of all kinds of discipline
Date: July 17, 2019
Source: Ohio State University
https://www.sciencedaily.com/release...0717084343.htm

Summary:

A study of California parents found that current marijuana users administered more discipline techniques of all kinds to their children on average than did non-users. That includes everything from timeouts to, in some cases, physical abuse.




Sorry, marijuana moms and dads: Using pot may not make you a more relaxed parent, at least when it comes to how you discipline your children.

A study of California parents found that current marijuana users administered more discipline techniques of all kinds to their children on average than did non-users. That includes everything from timeouts to, in some cases, physical abuse.

"The acceptability of marijuana is growing in the United States and with that, more parents feel free to use the drug, sometimes even in front of their children," said Bridget Freisthler, co-author of the study and professor of social work at The Ohio State University.

"Some parents claim it makes them a better, more relaxed parent, but that may not be the case."

The effect of marijuana use on parenting is a relevant concern: A 2017 survey from Yahoo News and Marist College found that 54 percent of adults who use marijuana in the United States are parents. A majority of those parents have children under the age of 18. Some groups of "marijuana moms" claim that use makes them better parents.

The results of this new study suggest that marijuana users -- who are nearly always (92 percent of the time) also alcohol users -- are trying to control their kids more than non-users, Freisthler said.

"It appears that users may be quicker than other parents to react to minor misbehavior," she said.

"We can't tell from this study, but it may be that parents who use marijuana or alcohol don't want their children to spoil the buzz they have, or bother them when they have a hangover."....




...And the more substances that parents used, the more often they disciplined their children in all types of ways, according to the study. For example, parents who reported using the most substances practiced physical abuse at a rate about 1.45 times greater than those who used only one substance.

Results showed that the annual frequency of physical abuse was 0.5 times higher among parents who used both alcohol and marijuana in the past year, compared to those who consumed only alcohol.

"The use of several different kinds of substances certainly is a warning sign that parents may be relying more heavily on discipline to control their children," she said.

Freisthler said this study shows that while marijuana use has become more mainstream and is legal in more states, there is still need for caution.

"Marijuana use is not risk-free. It affects a lot of behaviors, including parenting."

The study was supported by a grant from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.