Good day, Kool Kats! From time to time, mothers who are medical marijuana patients often find themselves on the end of the backlash that comes with being a mother and using cannabis openly. While some think that it is a great choice for mothers in deciding to choose alternative medicine rather than racking up a ton of big pharma scripts that may cause more issues, others believe in the stigma that mothers that are medical marijuana patients are not making a wise decision for their families. I'll give you two examples. Have you heard of the one where it's implied that MMJ mothers can become addicted and place the marijuana over the care of the children? What about that it's dangerous to be a patient with small kids because they could think your medicine is candy and consume it? I have, and too many times since I've become a patient. No worries. I'll talk about how you can expel these stigmas so that you can enjoy the increased quality of life without all of the suffering from your current ailments on top of noise from people who wish to micromanage you.
Now, before I do go on, I absolutely do not condone the use of cannabis during pregnancy. I do, however, think that mothers, and even fathers, choosing to become medical marijuana patients should not be regarded as irresponsible when it comes to their parenting. I get that some people do not like the fact that marijuana is a drug… but so is anything that has the capability of altering your brain chemistry (put that in your pipe and smoke it).
Besides that, I would like to provide from a mother’s perspective just how it truly is being a responsible MMJ patient/mother. The goal of this is to demolish the stigma surrounding the use of medical marijuana, not recreational marijuana for parents from a mother's perspective. The only difference here is how cannabis is used.
Medical marijuana patients use their cannabis to relieve symptoms of physical, as well as mental, ailments. While all marijuana, medical or not, tends to produce the same effects, the only difference in MMJ patients is monitoring. We do not consume just for the hell of it as we are only allotted a certain amount every month. We are MMJ parents, and it’s okay to be.
Let’s just take some time to go over some things that I personally live by that helps me to ignore the negative stigma surrounding MMJ and its consumers. While I wish I could give you a huge manual on parenting while being an MMJ parent, that would take too much time that we do not have! You can balance both very well, and I’ll tell you how!
“Monkey-see, monkey-do”.
We’ve all heard this expression at some point in our lives or even said it to our peers, children, parents, etc. when describing a situation in which someone did what they saw instead of what they were told. This tip will be winded, but for great reason. I cannot express how important it is for you to keep in constant communication with your tiny human. They are really cool remixes of you, and can be very aware of the present moment. Our babies will always try to mimic what they see us doing, and of course we cannot have this. You must be a proactive parent and MMJ patient.
Keep your babies informed on what you do, especially if they are under the age of 6. They do not understand and will attempt to mimic whatever they see you do. Always educate your babies and do not assume they “know not to do it” - meaning smoke/vape, etc. Your children only know what they are exposed to and they do not have as much knowledge as you do.
As the parent, you are obligated to keep your child informed on the topic of drugs and how they can be harmful no matter what form it comes in. Be sure that they understand that your MMJ in particular is your medication and strictly for your use only. I keep my youngest informed on any of my products by showing what marijuana leaf (drawing of a leaf as displayed on some edible products) looks like. My child knows that if this symbol ever comes across their eyes to not go near it and to let an adult know immediately. I also explained that while the edible looks like candy to ALWAYS ASK me if they are unsure at all. To prevent any confusion from the perspective of a child, I do let my child know that my medicine is to not be touched, even if it is on the floor and needs to be picked up (if I drop something while transporting within my home).
The children we have are our responsibility.
You cannot allow your child near any of your product if they are not a patient themselves, so talk to them. I stress this so much because you’d be surprised to know how many parents feel as though they should just avoid the topic and it’ll go away. That’s old-school parenting. No more sweeping under the rug. Don’t be that parent that blames the world for the things that you signed up for in accepting the role of becoming a mother or father. It is 2019, and it’s time to be responsible adults and educate the heir(s) to your throne!
Be open to your family about when you consume.
Create some rules around when and where you will be utilizing your MMJ. Be sure to state some approximate times of the day or, if you're like me and lack consistency due to anxiety fluctuations, mention the moments you will need to use your MMJ. If your family is made aware of this early on, you can prevent them from being around you and risk contact high and a possible revocation of your certification. Do not allow your children around you while you are consuming. Just felt I needed to state that.
Emergencies happen more often than not for those suffering from PTSD or any illness with occurrences not patterned, depending on where a person is within their treatment.. As with any of the regular medication, cannabis can be consumed on an as needed basis. The only thing you must make your family aware of in these instances is when you are feeling anxious and will need to step out. Depending on how flexible your home life is, this would be completely fine for most young ones, as long as they know that you are not too far out of reach.
Be mindful of an addiction potential.
Medical marijuana has its benefits, but requires extra care when attempting to add it as part of your daily regimen. No patient should have to feel as though they will become an addict, but you must still be aware of the addiction potential. Because of the high risk associated with marijuana use and addiction, parents that are MMJ patients are placed under a microscope. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, marijuana addiction can occur in 30 percent of users in some sort of way. One way that addiction becomes more likely is increasing your usage over time. Though this is more knowledge for my newbies than anything, it is still important to consider this statistic as presented to the nation.
While 30 percent might seem like a relatively small number, this is 30 percent of all users. In 2017, the number of certified patients within Arizona stood at around the ballpark of 180,000 patients and continues to climb! Seeing the figures really places into perspective the risk that most believe wouldn’t apply to them. One way you can tear down the stigma behind you being an addict is to watch your consumption. Do you notice that the amount you spend on medical cannabis increase even though you frequent the same dispensary? Are you taking in higher doses per session?
A helpful way that you can become proactive in keeping your risk of developing an addiction low is through micro-dosing of your medical marijuana. Micro-dosing is amazing when used correctly. It involves you taking in a pretty small amount (for me about 10mg) several times over the day. It keeps you regulated without suffering from any extreme THC effects. As always, however, consult your MMJ physician to see if micro-dosing is best for your situation!
Stigmas around being a mother and a MMJ patient can only bother you if you allow them to. As long as you are being a responsible parent, you have nothing to worry about. Most of the stigmas derive from mostly verbal fiction and rumors on marijuana. If you have a family member or a friend still holding a stigma over your head, instead of lashing out, take time to explain to them what I just explained to you. Hell, you can even share this article with them just to get the conversation started. You know that if you have any questions for me, just leave a comment or visit Pass the Blunt to send me a personal message.
Catch you in the trees!
Comments