I heard Tina Givrad, PhD, test out her teenage brain presentation that she is making tonight at the Crescenta Valley High School library, and I cannot stress the importance of coming to the presentation to learn this information. Bring your kids and your kids’ friends. Spoiler alert: Until you’re in your mid-20s you have the power to make your brain as big and as effective as you want. (Parallel this to building bone density and it’s the same principle.) By avoiding drug and alcohol use and by engaging the brain in positive activities and ideas, a person sets the course for the future s/he wants. Rest assured that, though based on research, this talk makes perfect sense.

President Obama’s New Yorker interview about marijuana took my attention from the NFL play-offs. He admits to smoking marijuana and tobacco, equates marijuana with alcohol yet he doesn’t want his children smoking marijuana. Your take on this president and your experience with recreational use and addiction is going to color your analysis of these comments … and I get that. So, here’s how I see it. When he says he smoked marijuana, he gives them permission to break the law and inhale because he did, and now he’s the president!

Marijuana and booze are not equal. Legally they’re not and, thanks to “High Times” magazine, we know today’s marijuana is stronger than what his “Choom Gang” happily smoked in Hawaii. In spite of his positive past and professional success, he doesn’t want his children smoking, saying, “It’s not something I encourage, and I’ve told my daughters I think it’s a bad idea, a waste of time, not very healthy.”

As the president’s daughters, they have bright futures. As a nicotine addict, he knows about lung damage. I hope he’s heard about the negative impact on teenage brain development.

We don’t want Sasha and Malia smoking any more than we want our kids to smoke marijuana.  Visit our website, CV-Alliance.org, and click on Drug & Alcohol Info and follow the link to SAM, Smart Approaches to Marijuana.

See you on tonight at CV High’s Library, 2900 Community Ave. in La Crescenta from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

  Suzy JACOBS