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Parenting is hard work! Every day there seems to be something new to be worried about when it comes to our kids. 

One Chance to Grow Up strives to better support parents, educators, and trusted adults where we can. Please look through our education series called “Know THC”. 

We hope this helps you stay up on the constantly changing marijuana of today while better supporting the kids in your lives. 

While it won’t cover every detail, we hope it serves as an important starting point for further learning and thoughtful discussions with your family and friends.

2025 Quarter 2 False Messages –  On January 1, 2014, adult-use sales of marijuana began in Colorado.  Since then, impressionable youth who were in middle and high school are now young adults.  With every single year, however, new kids and new parents have to navigate the barrage of commercialization and normalization information to make decisions that can affect the trajectory of their lives.– Because of genetic modification, THC concentration has gone from naturally occurring 3-5% THC to 30%+ in today’s commercially sold flower or bud.  Chemical manufacturing (solvent-based extraction) uses substances like butane, CO₂, and ethanol to isolate cannabinoids and create concentrated products with a THC potency of 90% or higher.

2025 Quarter 1 Market Shift – Is the Colorado marijuana market shrinking?  Absolutely.  It was inevitable as more and more states legalized adult use of THC.  Initially, tourists were flocking to Colorado to purchase and consume marijuana legally.  However, as legalization expanded across the country, many of those out-of-state buyers disappeared, taking a significant portion of the market with them. The industry blames stricter regulations for their declining sales instead of the obvious shift due to market saturation and increased out-of-state competition.  Additionally, as early as 2022, Coloradans began reporting concerns about their personal increased drug and alcohol consumption. 

2024 December Know THC…Accomplishments Reviewed – One Chance has accomplished so much since forming as a nonprofit in 2013 after Colorado voters approved Amendment 64.  Without you, other youth-serving organizations, and the leadership of many elected officials and regulators, the positive outcomes that put the health and safety of kids first, might never have happened.

2024 November Know THC…The Big Picture– The changes in both Washington, D.C., and your local community may cause uncertainty regarding protecting America’s youth from the harms of THC. Your voice is important and will continue to matter.  Become an activist for kids by keeping informed about the rapidly changing landscape.

2024 October Know THC…Making Change– Data collection around THC use is important because it informs policymaking by measuring the effects of current legislation and policy gaps in public health and safety while identifying at-risk populations.

2024 September Know THC…Keep Talking– Cannabis use disorder (CUD) and mental health are very complex topics.  Find a sample of critical information that could spark an important conversation about the concerning effects of THC on the adolescent brain. 

2024 August Know THC…Opportunity for Education– The Healthy Kids Colorado Survey is a sample of middle and high school students from Colorado taken every two years on several topics important to understanding youth behaviors. The survey is voluntary and anonymous and this year 120,236 students from 344 schools were surveyed.
2024 July Know THC…Concentrates–  In the ever-evolving marijuana industry, the preferred method of intake for concentrate products appears to be shifting to the simplified and discrete use of a wax or dab pen.  Visually there may be little difference between a dab or wax pen and a vape pen, yet they have distinct internal components and differ in how they are used to consume.  
L2024 June Know THC…Delta-8-10-HHC-THC-O– Intoxicating hemp products are available in almost every state and online both legally, and illegally, but always circumventing the intent of the 2018 farm bill which excluded hemp plants from the definition of marijuana, provided the plant contains no more than a 0.3% concentration of delta-9 THC on a dried weight basis. 
2024 May Know THC…Graduation and Beyond– First-time use of most substances peaks during the summer months of June and July. The summer months typically see a 30% increase so this is an important time to have a conversation with your teen or young adult about THC.
2024 April Know THC…False Messages– The use of false messages including that marijuana helps with focus, learning, depression, anxiety, morning sickness, sleep, and the notion that it’s sold as medicine so it must be safe, encourages initiation and use with our youth.  The growing number of states with legalized marijuana and the marketing tactics exploiting these false messages continue to promote the normalization of marijuana while ignoring the science-based warnings.

2024 March Know THC…Regulations Matter– Co-founder Diane Carlson, National Policy Director (pictured above) recently traveled to Washington DC to meet with key members of the U.S. Congress to educate and inform about the importance of protections for kids and transparency for THC products including false health claims.

2024 Feb Know THC…Edibles– The 3×3 inch (1.76oz) package in this photo contains 100mg of THC which in Colorado equates to 4 pieces per serving with 10 servings in the package.  The serving size of THC-infused products and the serving size of everyday products are often not the same.  The serving size for a standard non-THC candy product would be the entire package. This inconsistency has the potential to land a consumer in the hospital emergency department because of over consumption.
2024 Jan Know THC…Vaping– Vaping (both THC and nicotine) among our youth is at epidemic proportions. Sweet and fruity flavors, social acceptance, low cost, and the ease to conceal make it attractive to kids, enticing them to use vaping devices they might otherwise avoid.