On November 6th, Michigan became the first state in the midwest to legalize recreational marijuana. It was a very controversial vote that has garnered a great deal of support, and a lot of public outcry along the way. But how will this new law change things for parents? And what do Michigan parents need to know, moving forward, about the use of recreational marijuana? As it turns out – a lot! Let’s unpack this complex issue, and see what factors you may need to be aware of, and what you should look out for!

Kids can’t use recreational marijuana!

If your concern, as a parent, was that your children will now be legally able to access weed, then take a deep breath – that’s definitely not the case! Under the new laws, recreational marijuana is only legally available to people over the age of 21. People under the age of 21 are not allowed to have, use, buy, grow, or keep marijuana in any quantity, for any reason.

That also means that no one is allowed to give it to kids! Selling or providing pot to people who are under the age of 21 is against the law and could get you into a lot of trouble! So whether it’s your teenage kids, your younger friends, or just underage coworkers who want you to “hook them up” – don’t do it! The criminal charges, and possible child abuse charges, will be steep!

But what about kids in homes where the parent use it!

This was the primary issue of concern during the pre-election days. Parents who were worried that their kids would have access to the drug because now that people can legally possess it in their homes, they might not be as vigilant about storing it as they should be. And in homes with teens, this can lead to problems.

So what happens when a parent doesn’t pack away their weed after they get high, and their child gets into it? Or they do a rotten job storing their weed, and their teen finds it and uses it, or sells it at school? Well, chances are that parent will be facing criminal charges! But they could also be accused of child abuse. After all, improperly storing drugs in your home so that minors can find and use them is against the law, and can have all kind of unpleasant results.

The issue of marijuana use can be somewhat scary for parents!

During this time of transition, there’s likely to be a lot of confusion. People may end up misunderstanding the changes in the law, or making assumptions about how these changes will be implemented. And this often leads to poor choices. So if you have any questions about how the new recreational marijuana laws might affect your children, we recommend you contact an attorney.

Please join us next time, as we look at some of the possible consequences of kids having unregulated access to drugs in their parent’s homes, and how that could affect you as a parent! Until then, if you have been accused of abusing or neglecting a child in Michigan, call 866 766 5245 right now, and speak to one of our skilled and experienced child abuse defense attorneys. We’re to help, 24/7.