CULTURE
The Best Resources for Information on Pot and Parenting
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Mother Knows Best points parents in the right direction.
Published on December 5, 2016

Dear Mother,

With more states becoming legal, I have a lot of questions regarding pot and parenting. Questions about my own use as a parent and how to talk to my kids about it and also questions about how to talk to my kids about pot use in general (how it could affect them, etc.). I don’t feel super comfortable talking to my doctor about it. Are there resources you recommend for pot and parenting?

— A Parent

 

Dear Fellow Parent,

I completely get where you’re coming from. Cannabis has had such a horrible stigma surrounding it for so long that talking about it can make most parents break out in a cold sweat—and wish they could get through the discussion with a joint in hand! However, one of the great benefits of more states legalizing cannabis is that there are lot more resources available to us than ever before.

Before diving into the resources I would recommend, I want to just caution you against simply Googling for answers. While at times that can yield decent results, the chance that you’ll stumble across a panic- and fear-based site is still high, and I would hate for you to waste your time getting mired in baseless articles that just reinforce stereotypes and mistruths about cannabis.

Brittany Driver wrote a stellar parenting and pot column over at The Cannabist. Over the past three years she tackled a ton of really interesting topics and questions, ranging from what her kids know about her own smoking habits, to issues like breastfeeding and marijuana, legal questions, and more. Driver’s backlog of posts could be a great place to start looking for answers and information!

Recently, a new email newsletter called Splimm launched that tackles pot and parenting. In the mission statement post, Jenn Lauder—who is experienced in the cannabis industry as well as parenting and education—writes, “We now have the opportunity to examine our relationship with alcohol and prescription drugs, to reevaluate their purpose and necessity in our lives, and to opt for a more benign alternative. We have a chance to revamp drug education and move from a moralistic abstinence model to one that prioritizes harm reduction and real drug talk: typical effects, proper dosing, and how to stay safe while consuming.”

That all sounds amazing and like something that would benefit you, dear reader, as well as many parents who are grappling with ways to discuss cannabis in this new legal frontier. So, sign up for Splimm and see where that conversation takes you!

On the legal end, California's NORML branch has a great newsletter article that tackles a lot of questions and is written by a lawyer who helps a lot of parents when it comes to cannabis-related cases. In fact, I would recommend NORML in general as a great place to find answers for any legal questions you might have.

Also, don’t forget that MERRY JANE offers up a bunch of information for parents. We have everything from being parented by a pothead, to figuring out if it’s OK to parent while on pot, discussions with parents in the cannabis industry, keeping kids out of your stash, and more!  

Good luck, and don’t forget that you can always email me any specific question! Mother is always here for you.

— Mother

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Mother Knows Best is written by a freelance writer with over 20 years of experience with cannabis. And yes, she also happens to be a mother, just not yours. Reach her with your question at [email protected].
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