CannabisTeen Cannabis and Vaping: When to Worry. What parents need to know about today’s cannabis, the signs of use, and how to respond without losing your teen.

THC is the part of cannabis that causes the high. Public health agencies report that THC levels in cannabis products have been rising, and some products are far stronger than older forms of the plant.

• Vape pens and cartridges. These hold THC oil. They look like nicotine vapes or USB drives, have little smell, and are easy to use in a bedroom or a school bathroom.
• Concentrates. Wax, shatter and oils are heated and inhaled, often called dabbing. They can deliver a large amount of THC very quickly.
• Edibles. Gummies, chocolates and drinks often look like regular candy or snacks. They can take up to two hours to kick in, so people often take more before the first dose hits, and the effects can be strong and hard to predict.

Nicotine vaping is a separate issue but often shows up alongside cannabis. Most vapes contain nicotine, which is highly addictive. The CDC says nicotine can harm the parts of a teen’s brain that handle attention, learning, mood and impulse control.

• Red eyes, eye drops, heavy use of gum, mints, cologne or air freshener
• Small devices, cartridges, chargers, lighters, rolling papers, or candy packaging you do not recognize
• A sweet or skunky smell, or no smell at all with a vape
• Big changes in appetite or sleep, or seeming slowed down or spacey
• Grades slipping, missed classes, dropped activities
• New friends they will not talk about, more secrecy, a locked phone that was never locked before
• Irritability, restlessness or anxiety when they cannot use, which can point to nicotine or cannabis dependence

Many of these also show up with depression, anxiety or plain teenage stress. Our guide to signs a teen needs mental health support can help you sort out what you are seeing.

The CDC notes that the brain keeps developing until around age 25. NIDA, the federal research institute on drug use, links regular, heavy cannabis use in the teen years to problems with memory, attention, learning and school. Starting young also raises the chance of developing a cannabis use disorder, which is the medical name for cannabis addiction.

Cannabis can also affect mental health:

• Anxiety and depression. Cannabis use is linked to depression and social anxiety.
• Psychosis. Very high doses can cause a short episode of paranoia, hearing or seeing things that are not there, or losing touch with reality. Using young and using often raises the risk of longer-lasting psychotic illness, especially for teens with a family history of it.
• Cannabis hyperemesis. Some heavy, long-term users develop repeated bouts of severe nausea, vomiting and stomach pain. People with this problem often take very long hot showers because it eases the symptoms for a while. It usually only goes away when the person stops using cannabis completely, and it often needs medical care.

When mental health and substance use show up together, both need attention. Our guide to co-occurring disorders explains why.

• Pick your moment. Not when they are high, not in front of siblings, and not when you are furious.
• Start with what you saw. For example: I found this in the laundry and I am worried. Facts land better than labels like stoner or liar.
• Ask, then listen. What do you like about it? What does it help with?
• Share real facts. Teens often hear that cannabis is natural and safe. Calmly share what you know about strength, the developing brain and mental health.
• Say what you expect. Be clear that you do not want them using, and why.

If it turns into a shouting match, stop and say you will come back to it. Many parents find the CRAFT approach helpful for staying connected while still holding a line.

• Write down a few simple rules: no cannabis, no vapes, and no driving or riding with anyone who has used.
• Tie consequences to the behavior, such as losing the car or late nights for a set time. Keep them short and doable.
• Notice and reward good stretches. Earned trust works better than endless punishment.

A safety note for every home: edibles look like candy, and young children who eat them can get very sick. Keep any cannabis products locked up and out of reach, including any that belong to adults. If a child may have eaten cannabis, call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. The call is free and confidential. If a child is hard to wake, having trouble breathing or having a seizure, call 911.

Signs it may be more than experimenting:

• Using most days, using alone, or using before school
• Needing more to get the same effect, or getting sick or edgy without it
• Grades, sports, friendships or family life falling apart
• Lying, stealing or breaking rules again and again to keep using
• Panic, paranoia, deep low moods, or repeated vomiting
• Promises to stop that do not last

Testing. Drug testing can turn guessing into facts and give a teen a reason to say no to friends. You can test at home or use a program for more structure. Blackburn Monitoring offers random testing, home testing and lab confirmation, with results shared with consent. Our guide to how drug and alcohol monitoring works covers the options.

Evaluation and therapy. A professional evaluation can find out what is driving the use, such as anxiety, depression, ADHD or trauma. Blackburn Clinical Services works with adolescents, including a teen Concierge Outpatient Program of 3 to 5 hours a week that fits around school, plus family-focused therapy and family coaching.

Structure and a positive adult. Some teens do better with a steady, trusted adult who is not a parent. Blackburn Mentoring pairs high school students with a mentor for one-on-one sessions on goals, school and daily habits, with parents kept involved. Mentors are not licensed clinicians, so mentoring works best alongside therapy when a teen needs treatment.

• CDC: Cannabis and Teens
• CDC: Cannabis Frequently Asked Questions
• NIDA: Cannabis (Marijuana)
• CDC: E-Cigarette Use Among Youth
• HRSA: The Poison Help Line
• SAMHSA: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline

If you are not sure what kind of help fits, start with Where to start, or see our page for families. You can also call us at (888) 305-5422 or email info@theblackburngroup.org.

If your teen talks about wanting to die, or you are worried about their safety, call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. In an emergency, call 911.

• Signs a Teen Needs Mental Health Support
• How Drug and Alcohol Monitoring Works
• Fentanyl and Naloxone

All guides →