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It’s that special time of year when we are dreaming up ways to celebrate the amazing beings who gave us life and the superheroines who brought our children into this world. Moms are the glue that holds our families together. Motherhood is and has always been, quite literally, the mother of all roles, with pressures and responsibilities rivaling those of Fortune 500 CEOs or heads of state! Moms today are being, having, and doing it all, juggling career, family, personal growth, social activism, and so much more. And increasingly, they’re doing so in the public eye, thanks to social media, “momoirs”, and good old-fashioned mommy blogging. In parallel, legalization has brought our favorite herb out of the shadows and into the light and raised awareness about the many ways this magical and versatile plant supports our physical and mental wellness. With all that they’re juggling, modern moms are apt to be more open about their relationship with cannabis, its role in their mental health and self-care rituals, and the ways in which it helps them parent in today’s fast-paced, high-pressure world.
This Mother’s Day GRADE is celebrating moms who say that cannabis makes them better mothers, more present, more joyful, more playful. To understand this unique relationship, we went straight to the source and interviewed ten mothers from across California. Some moms, like our favorite Blunt Blowin’ Mama, Shonitria, are passionate public advocates, helping to erase the stigma around moms who use cannabis. Others like Jennifer, Napa Valley Fum?’s very own NorCal Territory Account Mananger, are all about the mental and physical health benefits of our favorite plant and the emotional and spiritual relationship she has developed with it over the last 20+ years. And others are just working moms with thriving careers and families who have developed their own relationships with a plant that they say helps them put aside the pressures of adulting to enjoy the precious, fleeting time with their kids in a calmer, more present way. While some moms asked to remain anonymous, we found none of these moms are embarrassed about their use of cannabis and are all in fact out about their use to friends, co-workers, and family. Those whom we did not name in this piece felt uneasy speaking about their use in a broader setting which speaks to the hangover stigma cannabis still has in our society. We’ll leave that topic for a future post.
Shonitria, aka Blunt Blowin’ Mama, is a delight and a force! We admire her and support the work she is doing to normalize cannabis in all facets of life. Her superpowers include rocking the corporate world as a writer, editor, and journalist and a mom-preneur who hosts the top-rated parenting, cannabis, and wellness podcast and Instagram account, Blunt Blowin’ Mama, all while being a proud, present, and playful parent. Her mission in life is to destigmatize cannabis use by moms, telling the stories that she says weren’t getting told. She loves the versatility of flower and the myriad ways you can enjoy it. For her, cannabis is all about relationships. Her relationship to the plant, the budtenders who introduce her to new joys at the dispensary counter, and the black and brown, women-owned businesses she supports. Her most common use case is at night when she takes tinctures or soft gels before bed to ensure restful and restorative sleep. As a mom, she says cannabis “humbles and tempers you and allows you to be more present and patient with your kids. Kids need your patience and your presence. Be present when they’re playing with blocks because you blink and the blocks are gone.”?
Like Shonitria, Jennifer wants to help erase the stigma around cannabis use, promoting its compassionate use as a plant medicine and the way in which it brings people together, connecting them more deeply on an emotional and spiritual level. Her journey with cannabis started 20 years ago when she discovered at a young age through recreational use that cannabis helped her anxiety without the side effects of prescribed medications which she says suppressed and disconnected her from her emotions. A single mom whose preferred strains are indicas enjoyed in pre-rolls or one-hitters from handcrafted, small-batch companies, Jennifer says: “With life being so hectic work, pick up kids, shop, cook, busy busy busy my mind is always racing and I can’t relax and enjoy the moment. Cannabis brings focus and helps me to drop in. Gives me back my peace of mind and centers me. It reminds me that you got this, you’re smart, confident, and beautiful.”
Daughter, sister, badass businesswoman, wife, and mom of two?three if you count her adorable fur-baby?Grace has developed a relationship with cannabis that she says makes her a better mother. She recently decided to ditch alcohol and now prefers the healthier alternative of weed and a mocktail. She loves the convenience and experience of cannabis elixirs which she mixes with club soda when she wants to relax and unwind after a long day or celebrate a night out with friends. She’s a passionate advocate for the benefits of cannabis for parenting. “You are a better mother. You listen. You take the time to really appreciate your kids and what they have to say. Cannabis helps you to be a more present parent.”?
Meagan is a dynamic and stylish force of nature. She?s the COO of the restaurant she owns with her extraordinary chef husband in heart of wine country and the proud mother of their two, very active young children.?She enjoys edibles on the weekends, a high potency sativa that she pairs with music cranked to 11 to clean and organize the house. She uses a vape pen to leave the pressures of the day behind on weeknights so she can be more present during family time. She loves that cannabis enhances her connection with her kids, allowing her to be on their level and changing her mindset from taskmaster to fun mom again. “Cannabis helps me to see the joy in my children and experience it more openly. I get to meet them in a space of joy instead of focusing on all the tasks on my to-do list.”?
All of the moms we spoke to in our sampling say they feel comfortable speaking more freely about their cannabis usage thanks to legalization and are more open with their friends and family as a result. Each in her own way is helping to normalize the role of cannabis in self-care, mental wellness, and healthy parenting one conversation at a time. They all say they are better moms because they use cannabis. One mom summarized the benefits by saying: “Weed helps me with perspective and allows me to be more open, patient, and accepting with all aspects of my life. I’m more creative and calm with cannabis in my life.”
We want to thank all the moms we spoke to for your candor and for taking the time to share your experiences with us. We see you, we hear you, and we celebrate the way in which you are incorporating cannabis (and GRADE) to make your lives richer and more enjoyable and to ensure the calm, grounded, and present parenting that supports our future generation.
This Mother’s Day, we suggest celebrating your mom with LAKE GRADE Purple Gelato. Purple is the color of royalty and our moms deserve to be celebrated as the queens that they are!