'Talk to your children about marijuana, don't fearmonger' - Marianne Thamm

John Maytham speaks to Marianne Thamm, South African journalist and author.

In her Daily Maverick article titled, Lessons from a truant mind — why we need to talk to our kids about marijuana Thamm explains her views on marijuana and explaining its use to kids as a parent. 

Marijuana use is now legal in South Africa for personal use and for home cultivation, making access to pre-rolled joints, edibles and any other cannabis infused item you can think of easy, especially for teens.

Kids are learning about different strands of weed from employees at dispensaries but they're not learning about 'what it does' and 'why you must be careful' when using it or how various strands of the plant and variants like smoking a joint or ingesting it as an edible can have different effects at a faster or slower rate, says Thamm. 

While weed can have a positive and negative effect for adults, extra caution around kids consuming the plant should be considered since their brain is still developing, notes Thamm.

Thamm believes that misinformation around dagga leads to its 'terrible stigma.'

This might be because many parents still believe that weed 'is a gateway drug or level seven drug and use fearmongering as a tactic to get their kids not to use it. 

But this tactic might send kids into spaces where they try marijuana anyway without their parents knowing, especially if they're intrigued by it, adds Thamm.

Thamm recommends that parents 'tread cautiously' but definitely speak to kids about weed from an educational point of view. 

Consider having a conversation about marijuana use and inviting professionals to educate kids at schools about the effects of its consumption and responsible enjoyment, suggests Thamm.

"Young developing minds should play gently with this generous plant; there are many who cannot tolerate its effects, as I could not tolerate alcohol."

- Marianne Thamm, Journalist - Daily Maverick

Scroll up to the audio player to listen to the full conversation.