Spotlight Series: Amie Jay of Mommy's Inside Voice

Amie Jay is just like any other woman out here just trying to live her life and love her family. The difference though, is that she'll happily show you her dorky side, her vulnerable side and sometimes even her angry mommy side. Amie is the writer behind the wildly inspiring and downright ridiculously funny blog Mommy's Inside Voice. She shares stories of raising three little boys and of her sweet marriage with her husband who grows medical marijuana for legal cannabis patients.

Recently, Amie came out to her audience as a cannabis advocate and although she was worried she would offend some readers she tells us that she hasn't seen a whole lot of pushback and that in general her community - made up primarily of mothers - has been nothing short of gracious, curious and accepting.

We think that its great that women like Amie are using their platforms for healthy, honest dialogue, not just about cannabis but to help show all of us that we're all dealing with challenges and that we will all be alright.

Visit Amie on her website or here on her Facebook Page or here on her hilarious Instagram feed.

How did you get involved in the cannabis industry?

I met my husband online. I was living in Calgary, he was living on the coast. We chatted for a few months before he decided to hop a plane to see if "this" was as real as we thought it was.
Spoiler alert... Sparks flew, guys.
My new hottie boyfriend was a successful musician, and I was jazzed!
I moved out to the coast shortly after meeting in person, with an acceptance into the University of Victoria. A few days after moving in, he took me for a little drive, wanting to show me where he works. I was picturing a recording studio. Or a lounge. Instead, he walked me into a great big government regulated medical marijuana grow.
As a sheltered farm girl from the prairies, I was raised believing that "pot" was a dirty drug for lazy people. Obviously realizing that the man that I loved was not only a "pothead" but growing it was how he made his living, I was forced to confront my own opinions on marijuana.
He helped me open my mind up to the possibility that what I grew up believing wasn't factual.
With his help, my own research and spending time around the plants myself, I began to realize what a criminal LIE I was told. WE have been told.

Tell us a little bit about your website

I write a blog. I make people laugh. I speak hard truths, and I have a passion for connecting people. I want to open minds, eliminate judgment and encourage people to embrace themselves for who and what they are. Each voice, unique and authentic, is SO needed. Especially in our world right now.

What time does your day typically start and what does a normal day look like to you?

My day starts whenever my children come and poke my face, usually tattling on a brother for stealing a Lego or asking for cereal on repeat until my brain has been jolted enough to respond.

What is your vision for your company going forward?

My blog was a journey of passion. It was an outlet for a young Mom of 3 little boys under 3. I was drowning in my newfound responsibility, struggling to figure out who I was as a person, not just Mom.
I had no thoughts for what it would turn into. I honestly doubted whether my own friends or family would read it. It was just for me.
Once it was live, I realized how desperately we all need the realism. My hard, ugly, vulnerable truths were making people realize that they are ok. That there's nothing wrong with feeling anything but perfect. That we are literally all living parallel lives with minor differences. That we really all have pretty much the same goal...to be loved. To be safe. To be healthy, and to be happy.

Now that Mommy's Inside Voice has become bigger than I had anticipated, I'm just riding the wave of where it takes me! I'm still a work-at-home Mom to 3 little beasts, and they still have my number one priority. But I think that I can use my platform to spread a really important message. No matter what happens with this "career", I want that to maintain as my motive.
Having "followers" makes me feel highly uncomfortable. I am no different than any of you. I am just an ordinary person. I want friends. I want connection. That's what I'm trying to build.
Acceptance. Of ourselves. Of others. Understanding. Empathy. Open-minded growth. Empowerment. Community.

That is my vision.

What would an ideal post-prohibition society look like to you?

EDUCATION!
We have been denied basic FACTS on an incredible medicine for way too long. Knowing firsthand the power and potential of marijuana, I'm really hoping that the government switches to sanity and funds in-depth studies on it.
We deserve to know. We deserve to feel comfortable exploring a natural alternative, without fear of judgement from those that are ignorant to the truth. That has been a consequence of the wrongful prohibition, and it is the responsibility of the powers that be to reverse it and equip all of us with the opportunity to utilize it. Parents need to be advised on how to speak to their children about it, given facts to share so that we can all move forward feeling enlightened and secure.

Safe medicine. Newly regulated pesticides and fungicides that lead to quality product.
Craft markets that give consumers choices on medicine and whom they want to support.
SMART technology that keeps people on the roads SAFE without incriminating wrongfully.
Ya know...I could go on and on. Such an exciting time!

What was your first experience with cannabis like?

I remember one of my best friends was a HUGE fan of cannabis. He was a regular user, raved about how much it helped him and how he way preferred it to winding down with a glass of wine like I did.
I decided to let him pop my green cherry.
We equipped ourselves with a ridiculous amount of snacks, several frozen pizzas, and lots of water.
I didn't realize that, as a first-time toker, I needed to go SLOW.
I got out of my freaking MIND high.
I was convinced that the painting on the wall was moving. I thought he had laced it with something. I made him take me home, I got butt naked, climbed into bed but couldn't sleep. I kept waking myself up because I was paranoid that my friend was still there and was going to see me naked.
It was a terrifying experience! It left me wondering about the sanity of weed-enthusiasts. Ya'll are crazy.

Tell us about some of the challenges you face working with cannabis

I have recently decided to go public with my involvement with cannabis.
A vast majority of the readers on my page are mothers. A lot of them American.
I have to try to keep in mind that the headspace and opinion that is widely engaged here in British Columbia isn't adopted in most other places. Weed is still highly shameful. It's still viewed as dirty and for "drug addicts".
I knew that coming out about my own experiences with cannabis, I would lose some people. But to me, staying quiet about what I know was only fueling the fire of ignorance.

What are some solutions you've found?

Accepting that not everyone is going to understand you and your choices is a must. That goes for everything in life, not just the cannabis industry. Hoping that speaking intelligently about my relationship with it, how it has helped me both physically and emotionally, the miraculous medical advancements that I have seen firsthand (through my husband's cannabis consulting)...I'm hoping that it urges more people to do their own research. I don't care if you're not interested in using it. I don't care if it's "not your thing" or you don't like it. All I want is for you to understand it, and let other people do what they need to do.

What is one thing you wish everyone knew about cannabis?

I wish everyone knew the science behind cannabis. I wish they understood how it interacts with the body's endocannabinoid system, how it heals, reversing both symptoms and cause. It isn't just to get "high". It isn't to escape. It is a genuinely potent medicine that interacts seamlessly with the human body!

What is your favorite way to consume cannabis?

I take Charlotte's Web CBD oil almost every day. I find that it really helps me manage my anxiety and pain that I experience from endometriosis. If I'm having a particularly hard day, I sneak off and take a puff or 2 from my vaporizer. I'm not someone that likes to feel "out of it", so the vaporizer is a perfect solution for me! It leaves me feeling relaxed and happy, without putting me on the couch.

Concentrate or flower? Why?

Flower! For the reasons I listed above ;)

Do you think cannabis legalization will change the world for the better? Why?

I think that, if done properly, it has the potential to change the world. If education is highlighted and valued, if people understand it and use it responsibly, it can shape the future. Eliminating the need for harmful and addictive pharmaceuticals, providing a safe alternative to alcohol. Inducing relaxation, creativity, connection and interaction. All things that we need right now. Honestly...how cool would Trump be if he started hitting the bong? Not cool, but not as much of a dick, I'm pretty sure.

What advice would you offer to another woman who is looking to get into the industry?

Work hard! Don't be intimidated. Hold yourself with confidence and let your voice be heard. There IS space for you. You ARE needed. Being open, speaking with intelligence and integrity. You're a fuckin' rockstar and we need badass feminine voices ringing loudly in shifting times.
Get it girl.