Let’s Talk About Your Cannabis Consumption

• With legalization spreading, more women are opening up about their cannabis consumption.
• For tips on how to start talking about your cannabis consumption, our founder Kristina’s got you covered.
• You might be surprised by how many other people in your life are also cannabis consumers.

6-minute read

66% Of US Women Hide Their Cannabis Consumption

How’s that for a crazy stat? We get it. We once hid our cannabis consumption, too. Most of us who partake do it quietly—even in states where it’s legal. That’s because most of us aren’t worried about legality. We’re concerned about being judged. While nobody would get judgey with us for indulging in a glass of wine or filling a prescription, 70% of us don’t want anyone thinking less of us just because we prefer a puff.

Not that we’re telling you anything you don’t already know. You’re a high-functioning careerist, a multi-tasking mom, or maybe both. The last thing you want is for cannabis to define you. Sure, Seth Rogan and Snoop are out there waking, baking, and empire-building. But not everyone can rock that look. And openly consuming doesn’t mean you’ve gotta switch out your Chanel for stoner gear.

Do You Need to Start Talking About Your Cannabis Consumption?

You do you. Absolutely no judgment here. If you don’t want to be more open, legalization is bringing more discreet ways to avail yourself of the benefits of cannabis every day. 75% of us are all about the medicinal benefits anyway. No matter what malady you’re looking to treat, there are tons of canna-meds you can use without anyone being the wiser.

If You’re So Nervous That You Don’t Want Anyone to Know

If you want to keep your cannabis completely on the low, cannabis pills might be your best bet. Just toss the container you buy them in and transfer them to an old prescription bottle. Voilà, you still fit right in with everyone else and their Big Pharma fixes that no one will think twice about.

Cannabis Consumption Is Becoming More Socially Acceptable

It’s not quite as socially acceptable as opening a bottle of wine yet, but it’s getting there. So, people who have kept quiet till now about their usage might be ready to share more openly. Maybe you’ve been using cannabis for years but never told anyone because you didn’t want them to think of you as low functioning. Or you believe that others might think less of you. We get it. We’ve felt like that, too.

Pure CBD Is Federally Legal Now—That’s Why It’s Popping Up All Over in Mainstream Beauty and Wellness

With literally no shame, you can buy cannabis in tinctures, creams, and even flower formulated for everything from sexual enhancement to decreasing inflammation or lowering stress. For more about that, check out our CBD primer.

If Straight CBD Isn’t Cutting It for You, THC Is Also Available in a Huge Variety of Forms

Edibles are a great way to get the benefits without the risk of being outed. They’re not just your hippy-dippy mother’s brownies anymore. Don’t get us wrong—we love a baked good as much as the next girl. THC butter or (if you’re dairy-free) coconut oil can turn a Whole Foods gourmet mix into a week’s worth of indulgence without a hint of that telltale smell. Then there’s gummies—by far the most popular edibles. They come in great fruit flavors and can be really tasty. While they’re perfect for home, they can get sticky in your handbag. They’re also not high on the sophistication scale when you’re gussied up for cocktails. Mints are one of our fave ways of imbibing on the go. They’re the über-discreet edible. Fill a vintage pillbox with them, and you’re chic to go from here to Cabo.

How Do You Start Talking About Your Cannabis Consumption?

That’s it. You’re ready. You’re a grown woman and an independent thinker. All the cloak and dagger stuff is behind you. So how do you start? Before you whip out your sleek ceramic one hitter and take an aromatic puff, you might wanna lay some groundwork.

Sit down With Your Loved Ones

You could do what our founder, Kristina, did. After trying lots of anxiety treatments, she discovered that cannabis was the med for her. So she called a family sit-down and explained that its efficacy beat the hell out of everything else she’d tried. It took a minute. But in the end, seeing her happy and whole trumped a lifetime of ‘just say no.’

When in Doubt, Put the Accent on Wellness

It’s natural to be nervous about telling people. Let’s face it, not everyone is cool with cannabis yet. If you face being not-so-silently judged by people who still aren’t comfortable with cannabis use, share your experience of the wellness benefits of cannabis consumption. More often than not, people are open to learning. And who knows? Maybe they’ll decide to give cannabis a try themselves.

Family Can Be Tough

A doctor’s sanction can go a long way to diffuse generational distrust. 47 states have legalized medical cannabis. To find out whether you qualify and how you can get a medical card, just Google “medical marijuana certification near me”. Some states are more limited, with only specific conditions eligible. But in many, you can legally use cannabis to treat anything from chronic pain to menopause.

Times Are Changing, and So Are Laws

If you haven’t been keeping up, most of the U.S. has legalized cannabis in one form or another. So chances are, you live in a state where cannabis consumption is legal in some capacity. Legalization is becoming so widespread that cannabis is now only completely illegal in 3 states—Idaho, Nebraska, and Kansas. The other 47 and D.C. have legalized cannabis either for medical or adult recreational use. New York went adult-use back in March, following Massachusetts and Maine  back in 2016. But if you live in a state like New Hampshire or Connecticut, all you need is a medical card, and you’re free to light one up.

What Does Legalization Mean for Your Cannabis Consumption?

Of course, that’s up to you. You get to decide how much you want to share about your cannabis consumption. Want to scream from the highest building in NYC that you smoke a joint every night after work? Go for it. Want to start posting educational content about cannabis on your Instagram? Also amazing.

The Political Divide

Unless you’ve been under a rock the past 4 years, you already know that Democrats are way more accepting of cannabis than most Republicans are. 72% of Democrats believe cannabis should be legal for both medical and adult use. No surprise, a whopping 82% of liberal Democrats think cannabis use should be fully legal. Unfortunately, only 47% of Republicans support full legalization, and 12% think it shouldn’t be legal at all.

Conservatives and Cannabis

But deep down south, things are still looking up. Some of the most conservative states are legalizing medical cannabis. Even crimson Alabama just got with the medical program. That kind of shift shows how much US opinions about the plant are changing for the better.

Most of Your Friends and Neighbors Are Already Down With Cannabis

They might not say it aloud, but the majority of Americans now support legal cannabis. To be specific, 91% of US adults are in favor of some form. And 60% think adult recreational use should be legal. For obvious reasons, younger people are most supportive—70% of people 18-29 are for full legalization.

Newsflash—Friends Tend to Be a Lot Easier Than Family

With those stats, you’ll be pleasantly surprised by how many times you find out your friends have been keeping quiet about their cannabis consumption, too. So, if you decide to share, you won’t just be trading recipes, you’ll suddenly be swapping strains, too.

If You’re Apprehensive About How a Friend Might React to Your Cannabis Consumption, Just Accentuate the Positive

When they ask about how you’ve bumped your yoga up to a whole new level, confide that, since you joined your state’s medical program, all those aches and pains are in your rear view. If you’re at dinner and they ask if you want a third glass of champagne, explain that your migraines were such a drag that you’re good with a little less champers cuz you popped a 5mg edible in your Uber. They’ll love that you’ll finally still be up for brunch even after a night out. Also, once you share, we promise, most of them will ask if they can give it a go.

When You’re Really Starting to Feel Yourself, You’ll Discover How Receptive Even Strangers Are to Cannabis

Overheard a woman at the salon who struggles with anxiety? Pull a mint out of your bag and pass it along. At the dog park and learn that a geriatric beagle is struggling? Share your go-to CBD treats. Women have passed along the secrets of healing from the dawn of time. Keep that tradition alive—no apologies required.

Own It

The good news is that, regardless of how much or little you want to share with others, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with what you’re doing. Even if people try to tell you different. There’s no shame in enjoying something that makes you feel good and doesn’t hurt anyone else. Take it from the chicks who spent years hiding—opening up is good for the soul.