Q. My grandson was introduced to the use of marijuana by classmates of his in the eighth grade. That was nearly five years ago. He continues to use pot quite regularly and I am noticing a decided lack of motivation. For example, he often skips school and rarely comes with his parents to family gatherings, preferring to smoke in his room recreationally or with friends. When I have asked him about this, his response is, “Well, Steve Jobs used psychedelic drugs and look what he accomplished.” I feel like my grandson’s life is unraveling and I am powerless to stop it.

A.Yes, you are powerless to stop it, unfortunately. With all the perceived “benefits” of marijuana that are touted throughout media resources—especially for pain relief for chronic or terminal conditions, there are some downsides. A lack of motivation is one of them. At his age and with a brain that is still not done, I understand your concerns. It reminds me of the Law of Entropy, so called, and stated by some as: Things tend to go from order to disorder. They naturally decay and break down. Given time, things become more and more random and deteriorate.

Writings about Steve Jobs have indicated he used LSD at least. Yes, he was very creative. One wonders if he had taken better care of himself whether he might still be alive today....

If your grandson’s parents are willing to involve the family in some appropriate therapy, your grandson may be open to seeing the bigger picture related to regular marijuana use, especially at his age. If not, I doubt much will change and about all you can do is let him know how much you love him, whatever his choices.