by Sabrina Lowe, connect with her on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook

Cannabis has always been a huge part of my after-work wind down routine. Sitting outside smoking a bowl and having a cup of tea or a glass of wine is the ultimate relaxation for me.  I stopped smoking when I was pregnant, but I knew that after having my daughter I would continue to smoke. Why should I deny myself the same level of relaxation just because my job title is different? I don’t want to have to be in the closet as a cannabis loving mom just because of the current stigma.

It was a tough battle whether or not I would continue to smoke as a mom. I knew I wanted to, but I felt like people would think it was wrong. What is the difference between smoking a bowl and having a glass of wine (or two or three)? Both have an intoxicating effect that help you to relax, so why is one accepted over the other? Here is a small glimpse of my nightly routine. After dinner, I give my daughter her last bottle for the night and put her to sleep. I wash her bottles, do dishes, do laundry and walk the dog. After everything is done, I grab a cup of tea and my pipe, grind up some Granddaddy Purple and sit outside on my patio for much needed relaxation. I know my limit and if I do go a little bit over at least I don’t wake up with a hangover. Since I don’t have to worry about a hangover the next day and get great sleep, I have increased productivity levels to tackle my day. Another plus (as long as you can control the munchies) is consuming fewer calories. As a mom who still needs to shed some baby weight swapping wine for cannabis is very helpful in that category.

 Responsible Parenting is Still of utmost importance

I usually don’t smoke throughout the day because I just don’t have the urge to. I usually smoke only at night when everyone is asleep. This ensures that I am 100% available to my daughter and fiancé. As I mentioned before, smoking at night increases my productivity for the following day. Sometimes, things like a headache, backache or a sore arm from carrying my daughter all day will get in the way. Here’s where micro dosing comes into the picture. Instead of taking pills that are marginally effective and exponentially worse for my health, I will take a puff here and there to manage pain. I don’t smoke enough to get me high, but the physical effects help the day go much smoother. It also helps put me in a better mood which makes me more emotionally available for my fiancé and a better mom for my daughter. The ongoing stigma of cannabis making people lazy and the constant barrage of the typical stoner stereotype dissuades us as moms from enjoying all that this plant has to offer. Realizing its potential to actually help increase productivity and elevate your mood could help us moms create a better home life for our children and spouses.

Since I’m not giving up cannabis in the home, I know one day I will have to explain what it is to my daughter. My fiancé and I are prepared to have an open, honest conversation about it. It shouldn’t be something I have to be on the down low about. I grew up knowing that adults drink alcohol and kids do not. My family still drank around me, and I saw alcohol in the house. I just knew it wasn’t for me until I was much older. Of course, we are going to put it away somewhere that she can’t get to it, but that’s what we’ll do with alcohol as well. The alcohol and cannabis conversation will be one in the same. Both are for adults and both should be consumed responsibly in moderation. Cannabis is legal in our state and it is something she will see whether or not it is in the household. Making it something mysterious will only drive her curiosity and most likely make her do it before she’s of age in a risky environment. Treating it as if it is commonplace will hopefully deter her from that and help her to have a good relationship with it in the future (if she chooses) when she is of age.

  Cannamoms Help to destigmatize

As a canna-mom, I hope to de-stigmatize cannabis and put an end to the pothead stereotype to show that it has a place in a family setting. By smoking responsibly and treating it as something that is commonplace, my daughter will be part of the generation after prohibition that can hopefully help normalize the use of cannabis. I don’t view cannabis as a drug. Alcohol has always been worse in my opinion, yet society is more accepting of it. I hope other canna-moms can come forward and we can sit back, smoke a bowl and relax without judgement.