Parents Using Pot - Is it okay? - Dr. Green Relief Marijuana Doctors

“You have kids, and you smoke marijuana??? Are you out of your mind? Parents using pot is not okay!”

Have you ever wound up in a conversation like this?

Or maybe you’re a parent who wants to use medical marijuana, but you don‘t want to wind up in a conversation like this. You may even be postponing treatment because of it.

Hey, we get it. We’ve been told for decades that marijuana is bad, especially for kids. And even though the green medicine grows more popular every day, there’s still a stigma around it.

So in this post, we’ll explain why the idea of parents using pot may not be as bad as people think.

At the same time, we’ll give you four important questions to consider before deciding whether or not it’s a road you want to go down.

Parents Need Medicine – Just Like Everybody Else

When we hear the phrase “I’m using pot,” it has a certain connotation to it.

But when we hear someone say, “I’m taking my prescribed medicine,” it sounds a lot different, right?

The first one sounds like something you shouldn’t be doing. The second one sounds like something that’s perfectly fine.

Same substance, different phrasing.

Marijuana is medicine. It may not feel that way sometimes because the stigma against it is so powerful, but that doesn’t alter the fact that cannabis has the power to relieve pain and, in some cases, help people recover from real illnesses.

When you have a headache, it’s okay to take ibuprofen or aspirin. If a doctor prescribes opioid medication because of your chronic pain, there’s no question of whether or not you’re going to take your medicine, regardless of whether you have kids or not.

With any type of medicine that has serious side effects, you have to exercise caution when taking it.

Why is marijuana any different? Especially when it’s less toxic than many prescription and over-the-counter drugs?

A Glass of Wine After the Kids Go to Bed? A Nighttime Toke is No Worse.

Obviously, we deal solely with medical marijuana, but we’re not blind to the fact that people also use marijuana simply to unwind.

Some parents only use marijuana at night, after the kids have already been tucked away in bed.

If that sounds shocking, consider the fact that many parents have a glass of wine after the kids are asleep. Marijuana isn’t that much different. In fact, it’s much safer and less toxic than alcohol.

Some Patients Feel Like Marijuana Has Made Them Better Parents

It’s 2 AM and the baby is crying. Again.

Or maybe it’s 3 AM. It’s hard to tell. By this point, you’ve lost track of time.

Raising a child is one of the most rewarding experiences you can have as an adult. It’s also pretty stressful. It’s easy to become overwhelmed by anxiety and/or lose your temper.

For some folks, marijuana offers much needed anxiety relief from the pressures of parenting.

This doesn’t mean the parents are skipping out on their responsibilities. In fact, some parents report that marijuana actually makes them better parents. It calms them down. It helps them be more compassionate towards their kids and the problems they might be going through. In some cases, it even helps parents relate better to their children.

ALL Medicine Should Be Used Responsibly, Including Marijuana

Prescription drugs usually come with warning labels. That way, you know about the possible side effects, as well as possible negative interactions with other medications.

Medical marijuana is no different.

All types of drugs can be used inappropriately or irresponsibly. So really, the issues isn’t whether or not parents using pot is okay.

It’s really a question of how parents are using pot.

Obviously, we can’t tell you whether or not it’s okay for you to use marijuana while parenting. You’ll need to decide that for yourself.

However, we can give you a list of questions to think about if you do plan on parenting while medicated.

4 Questions For Parents That Use Marijuana

1. Are you still able to be productive?

As a parent, the well-being of your kids always comes first. Your marijuana use shouldn’t impair your ability to be a good parent. In fact, it should make parenting easier, in that it allows you to do what you need to do without struggling through pain.

So that’s the first question to think about: are you still able to perform your parental duties on a consistent basis?

2. Is your marijuana use harming you and the people around you?

Not being able to perform your daily tasks is an issue of productivity.

But depending on your marijuana tolerance level, you could be putting yourself and your child’s safety at risk. Especially when you:

Consume marijuana before driving your child somewhere
Find it difficult to walk straight or hold objects without dropping them
Suffer from short-term memory loss, which makes you forget basic safety practices, like turning your stove off when you’re done cooking

Again, marijuana affects people in different ways. Much of it depends on the type and strain of marijuana you’re using, and how powerful the products are. There’s a big difference between taking a CBD-dominant product and consuming a concentrate that’s 90 percent THC.

It’s up to you decide the level of consumption that is the most appropriate. Talk with your doctor and a dispensary staff member for guidance.

3. Will you use marijuana in front of your children?

Some parents don’t mind taking cannabis in front of their children, especially when the children are young and perhaps don’t know any better.

Others have strict rules about only using it when the kids are out of sight.

Some go even further, not only going outside to medicate, but waiting until their children are put to bed.

Again, this is a personal decision. But if you do choose to consume cannabis in front of your children, you’ll definitely need to ask yourself the next question.

4. Are you ready to talk to your children about your marijuana use?

Children model the behavior of their parents. Whatever they see the adults doing, they’re going to think it’s okay to do themselves.

There’s a good chance that if they see you using marijuana on a regular basis, even for medical purposes, they’re going to assume that pot is fair game.

And that’s where you need to be proactive. We’re not saying you should sign up your kid for D.A.R.E. classes, but it’s important that you’re ready to have a conversation with them about marijuana and drug use in general.

Studies show that marijuana can negatively impact the brain development of adolescents. And given that marijuana is still illegal on the federal level, you should be very deliberate about how and when you decide to expose your children to your marijuana use.

If you’re interested in connecting with parents who openly support marijuana use, check out Mothers for Marijuana International and Parents For Pot.

What do you think about parents using pot? Is it totally okay or totally irresponsible? Connect with us on Facebook and let us know what you think!

And if you have one of these qualifying illnesses…