The Cannabis Craze: A Practical Guide for Parents and Teens

Fact: The use of cannabis for medical and recreational purposes has never been as accepted and common in the United States as it is today.

The question is:  If you are a Parent or Teen, how does marijuana affect your life?

The Cannabis Craze: A Practical Guide for Parents and Teens is the first book to address teen marijuana use in a straight-forward and useful manner offering parents and teens options for being "smart" about a controversial subject. Written in short vignettes, The Cannabis Craze neither promotes nor dismisses teen marijuana use. Rather, the book examines ways to navigate the potential dangers and traps of smoking marijuana.  Written for Teens who are either considering smoking pot or already smoking and Parents  who are wondering what to do and how to cope, The Cannabis Craze is a no-nonsense resource guide focusing on harm-reduction and minimizing risks. The book covers a range of subjects associated with teen marijuana use, from peer pressure and addiction to pot-smoking parents.

The book also tackles a unique truth: statistics have shown "just saying no to drugs" is not effective for most teens. If an adolescent chooses to smoke marijuana, and his or her mind is made-up, it is almost impossible to stop them. If this is true, there is a need for parents and teens to be skillful about the subject. This means, knowing how to dialogue as effectively as possible and keeping the lines of communication open. If we cannot stop our teens from smoking pot, we can at least offer options for being smart: practice making good choices, communicating honestly, and exploring self-knowledge. For Teens, The Cannabis Craze explores a myriad of issues that may be difficult to talk about, like Why Start?," "Secrets and Lies," and "Who am I?" For parents, the book offers insight into the challenges teens face with marijuana use and what a "good enough" parent looks like.

"A Mental Health Counselor, Aronoff makes it clear from the beginning, that his purpose is neither to promote nor discourage marijuana use. Instead, he offers tips to teens on how to be a ’smart’ consumer and guidelines for making informed decisions regarding relationships, goals, and personal habits."    School Library Journal

Marc Aronoff, MA, is a free-lance writer and Licensed Mental Health Counselor with over 25 years experience working with teens and youth at risk.  He is Executive Director of The Berkshire Project, working with youth at risk offering innovative Hip Hop Dance-based workshops and intervention programs.

Contact: Marc Aronoff- 413-358-5755