Pot Linked to More Use of All Types of Discipline.

Sorry, marijuana moms and dads: using pot may not make you a more-relaxed parent, at least when it comes to how you discipline your children. A study of parents found that current marijuana users administer more discipline techniques of all kinds to their children on average than did non-users. That includes everything from timeouts to physical punishment.

"The acceptability of marijuana is growing in the U.S. and, with that, more parents feel free to use the drug, sometimes even in front of their children," says study coauthor Bridget Freisthler, professor of social work at Ohio State University, Columbus. "Some parents claim it makes them a better, more relaxed parent, but that may not be the case."

The effect of marijuana use on parenting is a relevant concern, as a 2017 survey from Yahoo! News and Marist College found that 54% of adults who use marijuana are parents, a majority with children under age 18. The results of this study suggest that marijuana users--92% of whom also are alcohol users--are trying to control their kids more than nonusers.

"It appears that users may be quicker than other parents...