Marijuana Mamas - The Secret Lives of Cannabis Using Moms

Today on momlogic there was an amazing article called Marijuana Mamas!  It's hopeful to read that other Moms who are in the same situation I am in are "Coming out of the Cannabis Closet".

Us Moms fear the "Bad Mom" label - and we all know that "society" slaps that one on us for our choice of Cannabis as medicine and recreation. It's sad and wrong and we must try and change these views. Here is the comment I left:

I too, am a "Marijuana Mama" - and like so many other Moms, we face stigma over our cannabis use. We live with the fear of having our kids taken away or being incarcerated because we choose the safer choice - Cannabis - over addicting, zombifying, full of side effects prescription narcotics and alcohol.

Like other Moms have mentioned, using Cannabis ENABLES me to be the best Mom I can be. Before Cannabis I was a walking pharmacy, Big Pharma had a grip on my doctor & I had become a victim of the pharmaceutical industry. In early 2007 I had such a horrible reaction to a prescription medication that I ended up in the hospital, I honestly thought I was dying.

I had enough, chucked all those medicines and with the help of Cannabis I am now living a fuller, happier, healthier life. I take only 2 much needed prescription meds, (Update June 2012, I am now off of ALL prescription synthetic medications!) as opposed to my former 8-11. Using Cannabis helps me be a Hands-On Mom. Anyone who suffers from pain, in my case Degenerative Disc Disease, Crohn's Disease, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome and chronic debilitating Migraines, knows the chaos it can cause and how much it affects our physical ability and daily lives. Not being able to physically participate in every day activities with our kids is heartbreaking and I am thankful that Cannabis is available to aid me. Whether it's kicking around a soccer ball in the park, or simply going for a nice leisurely walk with my boys, I value every second of it all!

Once my (two older) kids were mature enough to understand, we (my Husband and I) were completely honest with them. Responsibly educating them fully about Cannabis includes teaching them the history of Cannabis, which has been used by Humans since the beginning of Mankind. We reassured them I would never die because I used Cannabis because it is non-toxic and one of the safest medicines to use in the world. Cannabis has never killed anyone, ever.

I've also explained to them that while I could face incarceration for my use (don't be lulled into the illusion of being untouchable because you have a MMAR Card, there have been many legal users who have still been charged, for things as silly as a few plants over the limit, or vacationing in a place where it is still illegal) if it happened I would stand up in the face of my oppressors and fight for my Human Right to use this natural plant. They like having a Mom who is brave and willing to stand up for her beliefs.

While my Cannabis use is not for recreation, I vehemently defend the rights of others to use it if they prefer it over alcohol. My Husband and I rarely ever touch alcohol, maybe at a wedding we'll have some drinks, sometimes my Husband likes a cold beer in the summer. That's it. My Husband doesn't smoke pot - he feels no need or desire to.  He is thankful that I have finally found a medicine that not only helps my pain, but relaxes my mood and stress becomes not so much of a problem. Our lives are better for it, our marriage is better for it, and most of all, the quality of our children's' lives are better for it.

I believe that no government, no politician, has the right to tell me that I cannot use Cannabis for my health and happiness. I am an adult of sound mind and I have autonomy over my own body. It is my choice and I will not be bullied by parliament, especially when legal prescription medications are the fourth leading cause of death in Canada.

Canada and the US are always trumpeting "Freedom! We live free!" well, no we don't. Living free means being able to make choices for ourselves. Now please don't confuse this with crime. Crime is hurting others, crime is when there is a victim. I know that me eating a Cannabis Cookie for pain is of no consequence to anyone else.

Moms, we have to stand up and say, we want our Police to focus on REAL Crime that does affect our kids, child predators and abusers and pedophiles - parents should be demanding the Billions of dollars our governments spend every year on enforcing pot smokers instead be put towards catching child molesters.

Does it not disturb anyone that government would rather shovel money towards enforcement and incarceration, instead of education and programs that will help kids in our communities?

How many universities could have been built (with billions of tax payer dollars) while government has been busy building prisons? How many scholarships could have been paid for instead of the government spending your hard-earned money for enforcement, court, lawyer, incarceration and probation costs?

Prohibition also does not keep drugs out of our children's' hands. Prohibition leaves drugs to be controlled by the black market, and we all know that drug dealers don't ask for ID.

If our Government was truly serious about keeping drugs out of the hands of minors they would legalize and regulate the sale to adults. Any kid will tell you, they can get their hands on pot much more easily than they can get alcohol and cigarettes.

I am truly appalled that we have politicians that trample on our individual freedom and rights. They go under the guise of being "Tough on Crime". Well, I want our politicians to be SMART about crime, and focus their efforts on punishing those who truly are a danger to our society.

Us Moms, whether you smoke Cannabis or not, have to be vocal in this fight, we have to let our cries be heard - Cannabis users are not likely abusers, and we deserve the same freedom as everyone else to choose our method of medicine and recreation. And we deserve to have safer streets for our kids to play - gang and cartel free.

And please, we must denounce the Gateway Theory, if someone gets addicted to hard drugs, it's not because they may have used pot.

Marijuana Mamas, we must lead the way to ensure a better life for our kids, in countries that value our children and their futures. Prohibition must end and we can all do our part.

Please visit the website for LEAP - Law Enforcement Against Prohibition, this is a wonderful organization made up of Police, Judges, lawyers etc who have fought in the front lines of the War on Drugs. They will come to your town to speak and educate others about the failure and danger of Prohibition. Educating the public about the propaganda they have been fed all of their lives is necessary. Education is the key and we must spread it in the face of the yellow journalism that pervades the media when it comes to Cannabis.

Because of the illegality of Cannabis I don't use my real name, but I encourage other "Marijuana Mamas" to do what I have done - start telling the world about Cannabis, how Prohibition is draconian and immediately strips us of personal, individual freedom and brings more crime upon us - in a Blog, a Letter to the Editor of your local newspaper, Facebook, Twitter, wherever you can. More of us have to start speaking out if we are ever to change our draconian cannabis laws - laws that steal the freedom of every single one of us....

Pass It to The Left,

~Mary Jane Cannabian
http://www.maryjanecannabian.blogspot.com


" Mommy's Funny Medicine" - The World's First Children's Book about Medical Cannabis.


Update: February 15, 2010. The Tyra Banks Show has aired an episode "Soccer Mom Stoners"

I reposted this blog post in the comments, and also added the following:

p.s. For all you Judgy Judgerson's out there, I'd like you to think about this:

Poisonous Ingredient - Caffeine

Where Found * Certain soft drinks (such as Pepsi, Coke, Mountain Dew) * Certain teas * Chocolate, including hot chocolate drinks * Coffee * Over-the-counter stimulants that help you stay awake such as NoDoz, Vivarin, Caffedrine, and others Note: This list may not be all-inclusive. Symptoms of Overdose Symptoms in adults may include: * Breathing trouble * Confusion * Convulsions * Diarrhea * Dizziness * Fever * Hallucinations * In and out of consciousness * Increased thirst * Irregular heartbeat * Muscle twitching * Rapid heartbeat * Sleeping trouble * Urination - increased * Vomiting Symptoms in babies may include: * Muscles are very tense, then very relaxed * Nausea * Rapid, deep breathing * Rapid heartbeat * Shock * Tremors * Vomiting http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002579.htm

I mention it because like with all things, moderation is the key. Unhealthy eating is a cause of many of our health problems.... do you think we should throw Moms' in jail because they eat too many Twinkies or hit the drive-thru at McDonald's every day after they drop the kids off at school? Criminalizing people for what they put into their bodies is insanity. Now if someone commits a crime while under the influence of a substance, like alcohol, NyQuil, Vicodin, Cannabis, etc. then by all means prosecute away, but jailing people for non-violent drug use is in no way justifiable. I pray none of your kids are busted for possession - the incarceration for drugs does way more damage than actual drugs ever could. Thanks to MikeCann for posting the episode for you to watch HERE.

UPDATE July 16, 2012 -  Here is another article regarding women who prefer Cannabis: Pot-smoking moms tired of being judged by wine drinkers

Here is the Comment I left:

Here is a post I wrote just over 3 years ago: " That was awkward...
Marijuana Mamas - The Secret Lives of Cannabis Using Moms " http://maryjanecannabian.blogspot.ca/2009/06/marijuana-mamas.html

If someone would have told the younger me that I would become a Cannabis Legalization Advocate I wouldn't have believed them. But when presented with the truth about Cannabis/Hemp and becoming educated beyond what we were fed in DARE there really was no question that fighting Prohibition and the destructive War on Drugs was the absolute right thing to do.

Our children deserve to grow up receiving proper education about ALL drugs and to live in environments free of organized crime. Cannabis needs to be re-legalized and regulated like alcohol and cigarettes. This ensures that underage youth are restricted from purchasing and that gang violence decreases because there is no longer a Cannabis black market for them to profit from and fight over.

I am thankful for Cannabis, it is a gift from Mother Nature and because the government does not own my personal body I will utilize this miracle plant that benefits my health and life exponentially. I am not a lazy Stoner, I am not a criminal, I am not addicted to harmful legal prescription narcotics or illegal synthetic street drugs - what I am is a loving, caring Wife and Mother who puts the well being of my children FIRST. I use Cannabis responsibly and do not deserve to be convicted criminally while booze using moms celebrate "Wine o'clock" and post their drunken "Hot Mess Ladies Nights" pictures on Facebook.

If our government and law enforcement is so adamant about Pot being dangerous ("What about the children!") you would think they would support a system of regulation and quality control over the cartel and gang controlled
free-for-all that has been allowed to flourish over the last 40+ year War on Drugs.

Women in Canada, please check out the NORML Women's Alliance of Canada, Moms for Marijuana International, and Moms United to End The War on Drugs - all on Facebook. There are many of us, more than you'd imagine and we are organizing in our communities and politically active at the local, municipal, provincial and federal levels and just like the strong women of WONPR in the 1920's and 30's we will be successful in ending Prohibition!

Update July 30th. - Another article, see, we're everywhere!  Read I'm a Marijuana Mom