Weed Mom: A Mother’s Take on Cannabis

• Danielle Simone Brand, the author of Weed Mom talks cannabis consumption for moms.
• Weed Mom is the perfect guide for cannacurious moms ready to dip their toes into the cannabis space.
• For advice on how to talk to your kids about cannabis use, check out what Danielle Simone Brand has to say.

7-minute read

A mom’s take on cannabis

You’re a mom who consumes cannabis. But even more than most of us, you might have kept quiet about it in fear of being judged. Or maybe you’re not a weed mom quite yet. But you’re looking to dip your toes into the cannabis world and would love some advice from other moms. There’s absolutely no shame in being both a parent and cannabis consumer, as writer Danielle Simone Brand knows. Her latest book, Weed Mom talks about parenting, cannabis, and how the two overlap. If you’re looking for a guide to cannabis written specifically for moms, Weed Mom is your next read.

What was your inspiration for writing Weed Mom?

I was a bit late to the cannabis party. I only discovered it for my health and wellbeing as a mom of 2 in my 30s. Prior to that, I had a lot of stereotypes and misconceptions about the plant. When I found cannabis as a tremendously helpful tool in my pursuit of a healthy and (relatively) well-balanced life as a working mom, naturally I wanted to tell other moms about it. I was working as a freelance journalist and essayist at the time. I found myself writing with increasing frequency about cannabis and parenting. When moms in my community started popping out of the woodwork with their weed questions, I knew it was time to write a guide to cannabis that’s just for moms.

Do you think your cannabis consumption has changed the way that you parent?

Definitely! I sleep better with cannabis in my life. That gives me the energy and patience to parent and work full-time in this crazy stressed-out world. In itself, that’s golden. Regular CBD use helps me maintain a healthy baseline when it comes to my mood and anxiety. And adding THC at the right time, place, and dose helps me shift into a more present headspace so I can play and connect more easily with my two kiddos. In Chapter 6 of Weed Mom, I talk about more of the ways that cannabis has changed—enhanced is really the right word—my parenting. I see that happening for a lot of other women, too.

Describe Weed Mom in 5 words?

Educational, fun, empowering, progressive, swear-y.

What made you want to start using cannabis again when it was legalized?

The legal marketplace offers a huge advantage—the chance to really know what you’re consuming. THC and CBD percentages in flower are tested and labeled. Many edibles also come in easy-to-microdose servings. In other words, with legal cannabis you can calibrate your product and dose to get specific benefits, like creativity, focus, relaxation, sensuality, and more. That fact drew me to venture into the dispensary for the first time—along, naturally, with the abolition of criminal penalties for buying and consuming in a legal state!

What’s been your favorite part of writing and publishing Weed Mom?

My favorite part, by far, happens every day when I hear from cannamoms out in the world who tell me the book has helped them. Some moms have come out of the “green closet” after reading, and others have felt more empowered to talk about their cannabis consumption to their kids, partner, or parents. After learning enough about cannabis science from my book to understand how helpful and supportive cannabinoids can be for the human body, some tell me that they feel less shame. Each time I hear something like that from a cannamom (or a potential cannamom), it makes my day!

When you tell other moms you consume cannabis, what’s their typical reaction?

Usually, I get one of 2 reactions: affirmation (“oh hey, I love cannabis, too!”) or interest (“tell me more!”). Once in a great while I get side eye from another mom. But I’ve gotten pretty good at sussing out who’s open minded enough to strike up a cannabis conversation. So that happens increasingly less often. Or maybe it’s living through the pandemic that’s stripped away some of the mainstream stigma around the plant. Most likely, it’s a bit of both.

What are 3 things you want people to know about weed moms?

Moms across the US and beyond are consuming cannabis medicinally, for wellness, or to relax and socialize without the hangover.

The vast majority of us “moms who consume” are responsible and loving parents.

Mindful cannabis consumption is 100% compatible with being a good mom, a good partner, and a freaking boss lady.

How do you suggest cannabis curious moms dip their toes into the plant?

Weed Mom covers this question in lots of detail. But I’d recommend checking out the wellness-oriented brands in your dispensary. They’re increasingly geared toward women and newbies. These products will give you the smoothest entry into the new world of legal cannabis. You can microdose mints or gummies, take a few drops of tincture, or slip a strip or sublingual tab under your tongue. All are discreet ways to start experimenting with cannabis for wellness and fun. Ask yourself how you want to feel while consuming and what your desired benefits are. Knowing that will go a long way toward determining the right products and doses for your needs.

What about dosing?

Whatever you do, start low and go slow. Legal cannabis isn’t going anywhere, and you’ve got plenty of time to experiment without going overboard. Low and slow is a super sane way to weed mom.

What do you look for in flower?

If smoking flower is your jam (as it is mine), start with moderate THC content—15% or less. Seek out women-owned and BIPOC-owned brands. Also go for sungrown flower that’s cultivated with regenerative agriculture techniques whenever possible. We have the opportunity to build a more equitable, inclusive, and earth-friendly industry from the ground up, so let’s all vote with our dollah bills!

How do you talk to your kids about cannabis?

This is such an important conversation for so many reasons! Canna-parents can change the narrative with our kids’ generation to end the misinformation and unnecessary stigma. My aim is to educate kids, to teach them respect for the plant, and to refrain from fear-mongering. I believe that moderate cannabis use is healthy for most adults who choose to consume. And I want my kids to grow into adults with a positive—though respectful—relationship with it.

Give us specifics

I tell my kids that cannabis is a plant that’s medicine for some adults, and fun or relaxing for others. Many of us consume it for multiple reasons. I tell them that cannabis isn’t healthy for kids’ developing brains and bodies unless they’re treating a medical condition under a cannabis doctor’s (or nurse’s) care. My kids are a little older. So I’ve also taught them about the racist history of prohibition in this country and the continued harms of the war on drugs. I also teach them that we, as a white family, have to speak up against those harms—that are mostly perpetrated on people of color. In writing Weed Mom, I became fascinated with the harm-reduction approach to drug education for teens. Chapter 8 of Weed Mom covers this subject in detail!

Can you suggest any other resources that weed moms should follow or know about?

My advice is to keep educating yourself about cannabis. The industry is progressing so quickly. The proliferation of new products and technologies, along with advances in cannabinoid science, mean that there’s always more to learn! Keeping up with the educational content of your favorite brands is one way to stay informed. Reading a women-centered cannabis publication like Canna-Curious magazine is another.

Do you have a favorite cannabis product (or way to consume)?

I’m a flower girl through and through. To me, it feels like the most direct, natural way to consume. I smoke from a glass pipe or bubbler (just loooove House of Puff’s beautiful smoke accessories!). Or I use a flower vaporizer with my herb. I also enjoy making my own edibles from time to time. I can easily be persuaded to try the newest tincture, spray, or sublingual. I’ve rarely met a quality cannabis product that I didn’t like.

You’re clearly adventurous. What kind of adventures are on your horizon for 2021?

My family and I love to get outside in the Northwest, where we live. We’ve got rivers to float, foothills to traipse, and urban corridors to meander along. This summer, unlike last, we’re taking full advantage of all of it! In September, I’m also really looking forward to meeting a ton of colleagues and friends at the Women Empowered in Cannabis Expo in Reno.

How can people stay up to date on everything you’re up to?

These days, I’m most active on Instagram, @daniellesimonebrand, and Facebook, @WeedMomAuthor. Folks can find Weed Mom online and in stores from Amazon, Bookshop, Ulysses Press, Barnes & Noble, or at their local bookstore by request.

Top image: Photography by Kelsey Parfitt