Children and Cannabis

Children and cannabis don’t seem like an ideal pairing for many folks. I appreciate why. When individuals under the age of 25 consume cannabis it can affect memory and brain development, so just the very topic of children and cannabis can be a conflict. As a mother and cannabis entrepreneur, I have been transparent with my children about the industry I am in, the medicine I work with, and how consumption of that medicine before their developing brains are ready can affect their health. Cannabis has about as much excitement in our house as Benadryl. 

Last week my daughters asked if they could attend the monthly Las Vegas Medical Marijuana Association’s Market Trends in Marijuana panel. We were serving Unicorn Poop (a dessert ice cream truck) and they wanted the opportunity to see their mother leading from the podium. So, they came with nanny in tow- just in case things got out of hand. They enjoyed the Unicorn Poop ice cream, but what surprised even their own mother was just how interested they were in the conversation. Later that evening, as I tucked them into bed, they asked questions about branding and brand development, but were mostly moved by the stories of cancer patients using cannabis to conquer cancer. 

As a parent it can be uncomfortable to have conversations about topics that make you uncomfortable. However, it is important to have those uncomfortable conversations in the safety of your own home. No matter how you feel about cannabis, communicating with your children about what cannabis is will help them to grow into adults who can make their own decisions about cannabis. Access resources like NORML and Leafly to have constructive conversations that educate your children.