EXCLUSIVE: Why Teens Are Confused By Cannabis Products And How Parents Can Help
Cannabis legalization has flooded the market with a variety of products like sodas, gummies, chocolates, oils and more. But for teens, these products are more than just tempting, they’re often confusing and potentially dangerous.
Jessica Willoughby and Stacey Hust, researchers and professors at Washington State University, have spent years studying how young people understand cannabis. Their findings suggest there’s a lot of work to be done.
See Also: Sharp Drop In Teen Marijuana Use: Legalization And Demographics Examined
“Young people in particular are not very aware of cannabis products, the packaging, and how to navigate that if they’re choosing to use or learning more about it,” Willoughby said, in an exclusive interview with Benzinga. This lack of knowledge often leads to misuse, especially when products look just like everyday snacks or drinks.
Looks Can Be Deceiving
The way cannabis products are packaged is a big part of the problem. Gummies and chocolates often resemble popular candy brands and cannabis-infused sodas can look like any other soft drink.
“It looks like a Starburst package,” Willoughby said. “To them, it looks like something you could sit down and eat five or six of—but one of those is going to impact you very differently.”
Serving sizes add another layer of confusion. Cannabis sodas, for instance, typically contain multiple servings in a single bottle.
Yet, Hust told Benzinga, “Adolescents we spoke to were unaware of that. The majority of them perceived that you should drink it like you would a Coca-Cola or a root beer.”
Some U.S. states are trying to address this issue. Washington has banned certain design features, like bubble fonts and cartoon characters, …