But I'm not a "Weed Mom"
By Beryl Solomon
All these labels... entrepreneur, mom, boss, wife, feminist, activist… How do you define yourself?
Now, this struggle with labels is not new - to me, to women, or to humanity. I’ve been here before. I have certainly pontificated around “who am I”… but I am currently struggling because I am updating my Instagram bio. Don’t laugh. It’s serious business. According to the “professionals", Instagram bios are supposed to clearly share your mission. News flash - Instagram is one big search engine - so it’s all about key words.
But here is the problem - I don’t want "weed mom” in my bio. So what am I?
Yes, cannabis is a part of my life. I use cannabis medicinally daily and for fun on a Saturday night. I view cannabis as one of my key health and wellness tools. And, yes, I work in the cannabis space. But why should that make a me “weed mom” or a “cannamom”? My friend who works in tech isn’t a “tech mom”. My sister who is an anesthesiologist isn't a "doctor mom". My neighbor who is a partner at a law firm would never describe herself as a “law mom”.
Why in cannabis is this a thing? Maybe I am off base for feeling such a visceral reaction to the label. Should I just embrace it in an effort to fight the stigma around cannabis and parenting? I turned to the all knowing internet to gain some clarity and this is what I found…
On Instagram, there are more than 80,000 posts tagged with #winemom. The pictures are chic and sophisticated.
There are 16,000 posts with #weedmom and more than half are what I would call “bongs and thongs” photos.
In advance of this Mother’s Day, The Harris Poll, a national research company, conducted a nationwide online survey about parents and their cannabis use. They gathered responses from 2,047 adults. Now, this is clearly not a representative sample of the United States parenting population. This online survey was not based on a probability sample and therefore no estimate of theoretical sampling error can be calculated. However, the data is fascinating, nonetheless. It demonstrates anecdotally that while more and more parents are using weed, many are not using it openly.
Specifically the survey showed:
- 67% of parents believe that using cannabis makes them better parents.
- 78% of parents with kids under 18 who drink alcohol said they would “try replacing it with cannabis”.
- 53% of parents of kids under 18 used cannabis during the pandemic with three in five of those parents (61%) declaring they plan to use cannabis post pandemic.
However…
- 46% said they would perceive parents and their parenting abilities more negatively if they consume cannabis responsibly than if they drink alcohol responsibly.
- And only 28% of parents of kids under 18 who have used cannabis use it openly.
So, the stigma is real.
The increase in consumption is not universally translating to acceptance around cannabis and parenting. And that is so f*cked up. And so, after a little internet research and self-reflection, I feel differently about the “weed mom” title. I have concluded:
- It’s pretty rad that “weed mom” is a thing and that it resonates with others. I am totally here for it.
- As long as there are “wine moms” - there should be “weed moms”.
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It is ok that the label doesn’t work for me - pre-2007 “wine mom” didn’t resonate with me either. However, I MUST include a reference to cannabis and/or weed in my Instagram bio. Shying away from it will never set the plant free.
So who am I?
Per Instagram I am:
The Co-Founder and CEO @poplar – Your Modern Drugstore
Boy Mom/ New Yorker/ Cannabis Advocate
Traded my anti-depressants for weed
I’m steering clear of proclaiming myself a “weed mom” – but I am totally a mom who uses cannabis. I will not shy away from following the hashtag #weedmom and liking all the content! To all the weed moms – you are an inspiration. Only supporting each other will we change the stigma.
Note: If you are a mom (or an auntie) who is interested in understanding how cannabis can be a part of your life - sans bongs and thongs - I got you. We can create a tribe of caretakers who also use/want to use cannabis. Join us this Wednesday, May 19, at 8:30PM EST on Clubhouse in Poplar’s Room – The Modern Medicine Cabinet to chat further. Some bad ass moms who also use weed will be joining me to moderate. There is even a giveaway courtesy of one of my personal favorite brands - @omura.
DM me on instagram @berylaliza for more details or if you need a clubhouse invite.
xx
Beryl
