--- description: A study conducted throughout six European countries reveals that children who have strict parents are more likely to abuse drugs. title: Marijuana: Children of Strict Parents Are More Likely to Smoke Pot image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt79a873b82fab6e64/6986973d35ba6f2eb3c028a5/454601963.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [Living](/tag/time-section-living/) ## Living Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # If You're a Strict Parent, Your Kid Is More Likely to Smoke Pot ## Video: Inside A Christian Pot Shop [Watch (HLS stream): Inside A Christian Pot Shop](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/vz4fpqkC.m3u8) (5:22)  _Published 2014-04-03. Bryan and Lanette Davies run a Christian medical marijuana dispensary in Sacramento. After God told Bryan to open a cannabis shop, the couple say they have been doing God's work in providing natural care to the sick._ by [Melissa Hellmann](/author/melissa-hellmann/) ## Melissa Hellmann Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Jun 12, 2014 9:19 AM CUT  Marijuana buds for sale Marijuana buds for saleGetty Images by [Melissa Hellmann](/author/melissa-hellmann/) ## Melissa Hellmann Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Jun 12, 2014 9:19 AM CUT A study [conducted](http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/06/140611102203.htm "undefined") in six European countries reveals that children who have strict parents are more likely to smoke cannabis, as well as use tobacco and alcohol. The team, led by the European Institute of Studies on Prevention, observed the relationships between parents and their children in Spain, Sweden, the Czech Republic, the U.K., Slovenia and Portugal to determine what parenting style best prevents drug usage. Over 7,000 adolescents between 11 and 19 years old were asked if their parents had a more controlling or lenient parental style. The study found that parents who reasoned with their children were most effective in persuading their kids to abstain from drugs. “Our results support the idea that extremes are not effective: neither authoritarianism nor absence of control and affection,” Amador Calafat, the main author of the study, told the journal _Drug and Alcohol Dependence._ Calafat noted that different styles of parenting are helpful in varying situations: when dealing with a child’s school performance, parents who assert low levels of control are the most effective. But, when protecting students from drugs, Calafat asserts that “a good relationship with children” is essential. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/2863028/strict-parents-kids-drugs/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/2863028/strict-parents-kids-drugs/"},"headline":"If You're a Strict Parent, Your Kid Is More Likely to Smoke Pot","datePublished":"2014-06-12T09:19:52.000Z","dateModified":"2026-04-13T08:55:27.622Z","description":"Overbearing parents may be putting their children at a greater risk of using drugs","url":"https://time.com/2863028/strict-parents-kids-drugs/","keywords":["Living","Alcohol","Drugs","Family","europe","tobacco","Spain","cannabis"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt79a873b82fab6e64/6986973d35ba6f2eb3c028a5/454601963.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Melissa Hellmann","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/melissa-hellmann/"}],"articleSection":"","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt79a873b82fab6e64/6986973d35ba6f2eb3c028a5/454601963.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"454601963","caption":"454601963","creditText":"Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/tag/time-section-living/","name":"Living"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/2863028/strict-parents-kids-drugs/","name":"If You're a Strict Parent, Your Kid Is More Likely to Smoke Pot"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"Inside A Christian Pot Shop","description":"Bryan and Lanette Davies run a Christian medical marijuana dispensary in Sacramento. 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