You’ve likely had a “Just say NO!” conversation with your child ─ especially if he/she is a tween or teen exposed to the temptations of drugs or alcohol. Perhaps, your heart-to-heart conversation focused on the dangers of substance abuse, such as impaired judgment, addiction or dependence, and a long array of serious health effects, including death. And, of course, you continue to hope, pray, and even snoop on your curious youngster to pick up on any sign of experimentation. But has publicity surrounding the legalization of marijuana made you warnings go up in smoke?

Recently, legislation of marijuana ─ both for medical and recreational use ─ has been splashed all over the media. Kids (ok, most of us) are addicted to media and so, odds are that, in between Justin Bieber and Taylor Swift tunes, your child has heard John Morgan, prominent Orlando attorney, talk about how medical marijuana helped his ill father.

According to the Office of National Drug Control Policy, since 1996, 20 states and Washington, DC have passed laws allowing marijuana to be used for a variety of medical conditions. As stated on the Morgan & Morgan website, “With the help of United for Care, attorney John Morgan has become the face of a statewide, grassroots initiative to get the vote to legalize medical marijuana added to Florida’s 2014 general election ballot.” Translation: Mr. Morgan hopes Florida will become the 21^st state to pass medical marijuana.

Ok, so let’s say your child hears a commercial about medical marijuana and, then, questions your “Just say NO!” chat because pot can “help” sick people. Maybe you can shoot back with guidance about how use may (or may not ─ it’s your call!) ONLY be beneficial for medical use, but not recreational. Oh wait…two states ─ Colorado and Washington ─ already have legalized recreational use of marijuana (and a recently proposed initiative could soon see Alaska joining the pot-approved ranks).

Parents, here’s my question to you:

With many states legalizing medical marijuana and, now, some legalizing recreational use, how will you stand firm during a “Just say NO!” debate with your policy-educated or media savvy child? Ultimately, how will legalization impact your parental guidance?