I am going out on a limb to write this…. Or should I say stem, because I know there are people out there who will judge away, luckily for all of us, I don’t mind.

I , like many people I know, have dabbled, very lightly, in recreational drugs, nothing really exciting to be honest, marijuana being the main attraction. Although I enjoyed it, I became a teacher, so along with that I became such a square, those who really know me, know that for the most part I am (was!) a rule follower, even when no one is looking. So while teaching, I didn’t partake in any fun other than the occasional drink here and there (or 13, but who’s counting?). Then I found freedom, when I quit my job in January of 2021. I decided then that I would stay at home with my newborn, I breastfed for the first 10 months of his life, so I didn’t use anything then either, but towards the end of October we stopped nursing, praise the lord. I have never been so excited to get back on my prescription medicine y’all… and I also decided that after a 15 year weed hiatus, I would dip my toe in the water and see what it had to offer.

First, y’all weed has changed. Like so much. I literally put a post on social media asking how do grown ups legit buy weed because I had no idea. You know I am trying to order something from a website, or through a Google form, send someone money through Venmo…… I would like to avoid lurking around a sketchy dark corner or meeting someone in a random parking lot for a deal. Luckily for me, you can basically get it anywhere. I mean the people who came out of the woodwork texting me or calling me telling me they knew where I could get it, etc. I was in shock, I honestly never realized that so many adult people I knew were casually smoking marijuana during their every day lives. I was kind of mad at myself for waiting for so long. So I got my hands on some, and gave it a try.

I became a totally different person, marijuana is a gateway drug…… a gateway to peace, calm, patience, relaxation, sanity, a life without anxiety. I honestly felt like a better mother, a better wife, a better friend. Now I will admit, there were a couple of times that I may have went a little bit too far and was stuck having a conversation that I was participating in, but not actively, I could hear words coming out of my mouth but wasn’t sure how they were getting there because I know my brain wasn’t thinking of them, like I said, the marijuana these days is different! But when I had just the right amount, I could clean my house with out all of the anxiety, I could read a book to my kids without feeling antsy, I could speak to my kids in a normal tone to solve problems and listen to them and offer help, I could cuddle with my husband without being annoyed by hearing him breath, I could let all the tension in my shoulders go long enough to fully relax my body. It was beautiful.

We are seeing an increase in popularity of medicinal marijuana… finally!! From what I understand, it is pretty simple to get your medical marijuana card, if you meet the requirements, and I am sure the list of things they will consider treating with MM will just increase with time. Most people I know who have their MM card still purchase through individuals instead of a dispensary, mostly due to cost. But there are perks with using a dispensary, many more options, and some regulation.

I think using marijuana in any sense is frowned upon, especially if you are a parent, but just like any other medication or similar items, you have to do things in moderation. No one notices the mom drinking a glass of wine with her dinner, but would obviously judge a mom who is doing back to back shots at the bar with her kids at a nearby table. Well, the same thing goes for smoking, most parents are using once their kids are in bed or occupied, sneaking away for 2 to 3 minutes, if that. They aren’t having their kids pack their bowls and hold their lighters.

I find my parenting to be completely different when I am using vs when I don’t. I seem to be more objective and patient, which are both super important when parenting. I certainly don’t do it every day and I have my moments where I get overstimulated or frustrated or anxious and it isn’t a good time for me to step away, so I just cope with everything the best I can. But having the option is nice.

What rate your thoughts? Should marijuana become legal for recreational use and medicinal use? Do you think people should still be getting fired if they have weed in their system? Is it possible to still be productive and an active member of society while also using drugs?