When pictures of Justin Bieber smoking marijuana at a party in Newport Beach, CA, went viral online, he made no official comment on the incident to the press. But when he recently hosted Saturday Night Live for the first time, one of his skits referenced the incident, and he offered an apology, albeit in the third person.
In his skit, he played the president of The Miley Cyrus Fan Club, and his character calls Justin Bieber “a douche” saying, “I also heard he got busted for smoking weed. And he’s really sorry about it, and people make mistakes, and he’s never going to do it again.”
Marijuana Messages in the Media
Few teen boys are fans of Justin Bieber, but yet another celebrity in the spotlight behaving badly does nothing to help teens realize that doing drugs of any kind for any reason during their teen years when their emotions and brains are rapidly developing is a bad idea. It’s not easy to convey the message that marijuana use is an unacceptable choice to your son when he is constantly being bombarded by passive messages from the media that marijuana is harmless. Justin Bieber getting caught smoking weed right after the passing of the legalization of marijuana for recreational use in Colorado, the pro-marijuana message found in popular music and from friends—it all adds up to a confusing message to teens.
Helping Your Teen Avoid Marijuana Abuse
There are a number of different ways that you can combat the mixed messages your son is receiving from music, TV, celebs and the news.
- Make your anti-marijuana message clear.
- Talk to them about their opinions on marijuana use and ask them about their experience or personal knowledge with the drug.
- Set a clear rule against marijuana use as well as consequences if that rule is broken.
- Get to know their friends and don’t be afraid to bring up the issue of drug abuse in front of them and pay attention to their response.
- Keeping an eye out for signs of marijuana use including bloodshot eyes, paraphernalia, and stories that don’t quite add up about their whereabouts, missed school, etc.
- Intervene if you think there’s an issue.
Marijuana Abuse Is Not Harmless
If you need assistance helping your son to stop using marijuana, we can help. At Muir Wood, we offer a comprehensive rehabilitation program designed just for substance-abusing teen boys. Call today for more information.