Parent's Guide to Smoking Weed

Congratulations, you are having a baby! You are going to become a parent and your life will never be the same. What about your love of cannabis? Will you have to give that up? Not necessarily. As states continue to ease restrictions on adults enjoying weed, more people are using cannabis and more new parents are continuing to enjoy their favorite plant. Keeping responsible cannabis use in your life once you become a mom or a dad will not make you less of a parent.
Recreational marijuana is now legal in 18 states, and on May 17, 2021, Alabama became the 37th state to legalize weed for medicinal purposes. Because of the War on Drugs and anti-marijuana propaganda though, the thought of children and parental cannabis use coexisting has for years been viewed by the general public as anywhere from abhorrent to an exercise of poor judgement as a parent. That is finally changing as education, legalization, and increasing social acceptance of responsible cannabis use make raising a family and smoking weed no longer taboo.

Responsible Cannabis Use

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The increasing acceptance and legal availability of weed does not give license to smoke and simultaneously shun responsibility. Smoking in public remains illegal - even in states where recreational weed is legal, and lighting up a joint in a park with kids running around is simply bad form. Always respect the rights of others in your vicinity. Likewise, driving while high should be avoided in a similar manner to drinking and driving. The chances of losing concentration or being affected by reduced coordination and altered motor skills are too great to put your family and others on the road at risk. Using cannabis responsibly will also help to end the lingering negative impressions of recreational weed smokers that still exist.

Tips for Parents Who Want to Smoke Marijuana

Smoke Outside Your Home

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Stepping out into the yard or onto the porch is key to keeping the stinky second-hand weed smoke out of the house and away from the children. Garages, sheds or other non-house structures also work to separate the act of smoking from taking place inside the family space where kids might be affected.

Smoke After the Kids Go to Bed

Waiting until the responsibilities of the day are over and there is time to really unwind is a great way for parents to enjoy their cannabis without fear of being caught by their kids in a full couch lock or a massive munchies session. Also, if any emergency were to occur that would necessitate travel to a hospital or doctor, the proliferation of car services makes it easy to get safe transport.

Use a Vaporizer

Keep it discreet, quick and clean. While it might not be as enticing as hitting a big bowl of smelly and sticky flower, using a vape can provide the desired relaxation and buzz without any of the smoke that comes with burning buds. 

Microdose

The popularity of strains with high amounts of THC is off the charts. But that does not mean that parents have to smoke with the goal of getting as high as possible. Microdosing, or smoking a smaller than your normal amount or choosing a strain with a small amount of THC in order to avoid extreme psychoactive effects is a great way to take the edge off but remain lucid and prepared for the demands that parents regularly face.

Smoke a Cannabis Concentrate

On the opposite side of the spectrum from microdosing, smoking a concentrate or extract like rosin, wax, or shatter is a quick and relatively clean way to get an immediate psychoactive experience without a large amount of tell-tale weed smoke. Parents can precisely control dosage and not have to continue to hit a bowl over an extended period of time. Note that a process like dabbing should only be done by experienced smokers who expect and know how to handle an intense high since they fall anywhere between 60-90% THC.

Play With Your Kids

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This is a must. Parents smoke to relax and have fun, right? Cannabis can enhance the experience of interacting with children by providing the extra focus and patience that is sometimes necessary to enjoy extended quality time with kids. Some parents feel that smoking pot makes them a better person in general because of its calming qualities.

Talk About Weed with Your Children

Once parents deem their children to have reached an appropriate age, an honest discussion about cannabis and its history and medicinal use can be very rewarding for both child and adult. Talk about the health benefits that weed can provide and outline the expanding legalization movement. Some background on the effects of cannabidiol (CBD) and other cannabinoids is another provocative topic, especially as they relate to helping children like Charlotte Figi cope with rare health disorders and their horrible symptoms.

Securely Store Your Stash (& Paraphernalia) 

The last thing a parent wants is their child to stumble across their cannabis, pipe or bong. Kids are naturally curious and leaving marijuana where it might be found is not only dangerous but also negligent. There are now plenty of lockable marijuana-specific storage boxes on the market that will keep your stash safe and out of harm's reach. If you are not able to access a proper lockbox, keep your cannabis out of sight on a high shelf that children cannot access.

Are you a parent who enjoys smoking weed? How do you balance your cannabis smoking with your parenting? Share what tips you have in the comments section below!