Danielle Simone Brand, "Weed Mom" and author provides a guide for women interested in learning more about THC, dispensaries, micro-dosing, edibles, and how to incorporate it all into a healthy family life.
Weed Mom's story in her own words
"Like a lot of other moms I know, I used to enjoy mimosas on Mother’s Day, a cocktail on Saturday night, and wine with dinner a couple of nights a week. But a few years ago—as a mother of two young kids in my mid-thirties—I realized that drinking no longer felt good. Sure, I’d initially feel giddy and relaxed with a glass in my hand. But after a short time, I’d just get sleepy and snappy with my kids. A headache was soon to follow.
And I’m not alone. Alcohol is a toxin that adversely affects the body’s organ systems, and moms everywhere are waking up to the fact that alcohol’s downsides (hangovers, cravings, potential dependence, a spike in the stress hormone cortisol) easily cancel out its short-term stress relief. In other words, alcohol doesn’t actually help us feel better—and might even make us feel worse.
Enter legal cannabis. While I had spent most of my life avoiding, and even disliking, the plant before I knew much about it, legalization in my home state of California changed the game. First, cannabis helped me find relief from chronic migraines and get a good night’s sleep. And now, with easy access to cannabis education and a diversity of products that help me calibrate how I want to feel, I find that responsibly using both CBD and THC is totally compatible with being a good mom and partner.
Be advised that only CBD with less than .3% THC is currently legal to use without a medical cannabis card in Texas. The state legislature has, however, advanced a bill to expand the current medical program to include a wider range of conditions.
While writing my book, Weed Mom: The Canna-Curious Woman’s Guide to Healthier Relaxation, Happier Parenting, and Chilling TF Out, I interviewed dozens of other “cannamoms” all over the U.S. about the role cannabis plays in their lives. Some of these cannamoms felt comfortable being publicly open about their enjoyment of the plant, while others felt the sting of judgment, stigma, and unjust laws. The truth is that increasing numbers of people—many of them moms—are finding that cannabis helps with relaxation, stress-relief, sleep, sex, and pain—as well as for patience and creativity while parenting. But thanks to antiquated laws and taboos, many moms just aren’t talking about it—yet. I’m hoping that, as progress on legalization continues, my book helps change the conversation and lessen the stigmas around responsible cannabis use for moms.
Personally, I enjoy CBD, one of the non-intoxicating compounds found in cannabis for toning down anxiety and getting a good night’s sleep. In recreationally legal states, I also enjoy consuming a low-dose THC edible (aka “microdosing”) in calm parenting moments where connection and fun are the goals. Microdosing helps me let go of my agenda long enough to get lost in crafting projects or board games with my two kids, ages 8 and 11, or to play frisbee in the backyard for as long as they want. I also enjoy inhaling cannabis via smoke or vapor from time to time, and the right dose of an uplifting strain helps me feel both focused and creative; of course, responsible use is key, so I make sure to do so outside of my kids’ presence.
There are so many ways cannabis can enhance the health and wellness of moms like me, and so many reasons that—for many of us—consuming the plant is a healthier alternative to alcohol. So, this Mother’s Day, I probably won’t be clinking any celebratory glasses of champagne, but—with a little TLC from THC—I will be engaged, happy, and chilled out—all without the hangover."
Bio
Danielle Simone Brand is a freelance writer and the author of Weed Mom: The Canna-Curious Woman’s Guide to Healthier Relaxation, Happier Parenting, and Chilling TF Out. A few years ago, she wouldn't have self-described as a "weed mom" but she's found her sparkle in writing about cannabis to inform, uplift, and occasionally challenge her readers while helping push the conversation forward. Her articles have appeared in numerous publications including The Week, Civilized, Vice, Double Blind, What’s Up Moms, and Scary Mommy. She holds a BA from Dartmouth College and an MA from American University and has worked as a yoga teacher and trainer, a staff writer, and a researcher on issues of international conflict resolution.
This is a guest post, written by Danielle Simone Brand. All views are her own.
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