When was the last time you sat down with your parents and had a serious conversation about cannabis?  Maybe never?  Do you wish they were more informed on the topic?  Well, here’s your chance.  You’re an adult now, it is time to have the conversation about cannabis and its effects with your parents. With 60% of Americans in favor of legalization, the highest approval in 47 years, there is no time like the present to express, educate, and evaluate how your parents may be feeling about marijuana.   Here are a few tips to get started:

Find out what they already know.  Start with an open-ended question like, “With 28 states legalizing medical marijuana, what are your thoughts on the plant as medicine?”  Or keep it simple with, “What do you think about cannabis these days?”  The question will require them to elaborate on their response.  Be prepared with a few statistics to back up your statements and offer them recommend websites for additional information, like this one: DrugPolicy.org

Show a little professionalism.  Avoid words associated with the social stigma like: pot, weed, dope, or even marijuana. Instead, use terms like cannabis, hemp, and cannabidiol (CBD).  Take the botanist approach and broaden your vocabulary with labels like: terpenes, cannabinoids, and trichomes and learn how each contribute to the medicinal components. Offer your parents details and definitions like: Leafly’s Cannabis Anatomy, as a resource for understanding the plant as a whole and its uses.

Be prepared for surprises.  As parents, it’s our job to protect our children from harm and raise them to know right from wrong.  For decades, your parents were led to believe marijuana was a deadly drug, right up there with cocaine and heroine.  But good news, parents grow too.  You may discover mom and dad partake and are already part of the majority of Americans wanting it legalized; wouldn’t that be awesome?  And don’t rule out your grandparents.  According to the Washington Post, since 2002, regular cannabis use climbed to 50 percent among those 45 to 54 years old;  and for those 55 to 64, it jumps to an impressive 455 percent, but the big surprise was the 333 percent increase among senior citizens over the age of 65.  Chances are, if your parents don’t smoke, your grandparents might.  Make it a multi-generational conversation and learn where your family stands on cannabis, you may be pleasantly surprised.

Find common ground.  Regardless of how parents feel about cannabis, show them the positives of CBD, the non-psychoactive compound in cannabis that heals the body passively without getting the patient high.  As new research continues, CBD is quickly becoming a superstar in the industry. The CBD method  is a great introduction to the herb, even for the most curious or skeptical family members.  Bring along a few industry magazines to share with family,  like the Denver-based Sensi or THC Magazine, both free publications you can find around Boulder.

The first conversation may turn out to be just an ice-breaker, but if you want your parents to be better informed about cannabis, start the conversation and introduction for them.  Remember, rely on your personal experience and reach out to your family on a level they will respect and respond to with questions or concerns. Cannabis can become the connector, the solidifier, and the joy in your family home…get the conversation started today and see what blooms!  Have you already had the conversation with your parents?  How did it go?  Share your story with us!

As always, consume responsibly.
Peace, Love, and the Power of Cannabis!

Lori M.

*Cannabis products are designed specifically for adults over 21.

Photo Credit: pixabay.com

Lori Malcolm
Lori Malcolm hails from a mountain town in western Maryland where she studied marketing, at Frostburg State University. She left a career in sales and sold her home to discover America from the front seat of her Subaru. After 48 states and 30 National Parks, Colorado was her first choice to call home. After her two year journey, Lori settled in Boulder County and rekindled an old passion with cannabis. Her affinity with the ancient plant intensified after watching her husband suffer from the debilitating impact of rheumatoid arthritis and then seeing the incredible results of CBD tinctures to his continued recovery. Lori currently works as a content writer and a cannabis trimmer. As an outdoor enthusiast, Lori enjoys all things Colorado, like hiking a 14'er or snowshoeing the high county. As a perpetual traveler, she looks forward to her next adventure, wherever it may take her. She and her husband reside in Lafayette, CO along with their two cats, Sage and Meadow.
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