Now that cannabis is both legal and more readily available, it’s more important than ever that parents talk with their kids about smoking pot.

According to statistics from Drug Free Kids Canada, teenage usage is increasing. One in five teens aged between 15-19 have used cannabis in the past year.

Scientific facts show that the brain keeps developing until the age of 25, and frequent use of cannabis among youth can have some very bad effects on the development of the brain.

Chantal Vallerand, the executive director of Drug Free Kids Canada, says it’s important to have an ongoing conversation about the consequence of use and misuse of cannabis with your kids.

She says if you don’t know how to approach the talk, they have a tool to help with the difficult discussion. She says they have a great tool called the Cannabis Talk kit that you can find at their website.

There are all sorts of tips on how to approach the subject. Vallerand says they want this to be an ongoing conversation and they want parents to educate themselves on the cannabis and the effects that it has.

Also on the Drug Free Kids Canada website are Facebook live sessions with practice kids where real teens suggest ways for you to practice your approach and prepare for the cannabis talk.