Ask a Budtender: What Is Proper 420 Pandemic Etiquette?
by Haley Hansen
Cannabis consumption during the COVID-19 pandemic is one thing that didn’t slow down. Much of the world found itself shut down for business. Restaurants, bars, theme parks, sporting events, all canceled and closed until further notice. When the government shut down first started, there were talks of shutting down cannabis dispensaries. This did not go over well, and cannabis dispensaries were deemed essential businesses being allowed to remain open to serve the medical community during COVID-19. Millions of people across the nation found themselves sheltering in place. Public and private schools closed, and online learning started to become the norm. This meant that not only were millions of Americans affected by situations such as loss of work from COVID-19, they also now had their children at home with them 24 hours a day.
For many people, this changes the way they live. Cannabis consumption is becoming increasingly popular. However, the stigma of consuming cannabis, especially as a parent, has still stuck and is proving difficult to break. Never fear, though, just because your little ones are around you all the time doesn’t mean your days of medicating at home are done. All this means is that you may have to make a few minor changes in your routine. Many people out there consume cannabis on a daily basis and are some of the best parents on the planet.
The notion that consuming cannabis would make you a bad parent is nothing more than the product of brainwashing from the reefer madness era of cannabis prohibition. If someone is a bad parent, they’re a bad parent. You can’t blame that on chocolate bars, cereal, soda pop, the president, a higher entity, or anything else.
Now it may not be the best idea to blaze blunts, joints, bowls, and bongs around your children. That doesn’t mean that you have to throw them away. Just take it to another room or out on the back porch. Remember that a child’s learning environment is very important. They don’t need to have the stress of adult life surrounding them when they are trying to learn online. This is a new process that will require adaptation by both parent and child. A great way to change your routine with your children around is to figure out what your goals of consumption are. Most people are looking to keep their nerves at bay and just try to make it through the day. Many people are turning to edibles over smoking and vaping because of the lack of smell and the lack of cannabis products being out in the open.
This is a great alternative, but you must be careful. Cannabis can affect each person differently. This means it takes trial and error to learn how much of what you can consume in order to achieve the effects you’re after. Suppose you have never eaten cannabis-infused edibles before; that 100 mg chocolate bar might taste heavenly, but you can find yourself taking one hell of a cannabis-induced nap if you eat the whole thing at once. It’s best to eat small portions. Many times, these products are pre-portioned into dosed pieces, with each one containing about 10 mg of THC. Eating one or two pieces and waiting for one to two hours to see how it affects you is part of the trial and error process. You might be lucky and be one of the people that 10 mg does the trick for you. On the other hand, you might be part of that not so lucky group that ends up having to take several hundred milligrams of edibles in order to reach the desired results.
The great thing about cannabis-infused edibles is that when you find the happy medium, you found your sweet spot. By consuming the right amount of edibles, each day, individuals, for the most part, can learn what edibles and how much of them to take to help manage problems such as stress, anxiety, chronic pain, and more. As a parent, many of us strive for nothing more than the best for our children. Sometimes we forget that our homes have been opened up to be viewed by others on platforms such as Zoom. There’s been a surge in parenting problems related to cannabis and Zoom classes online. Teachers have reported parents smoking blunts, joints, bowls, bongs, and even being naked in the background of their students’ class sessions. These are great examples of what not to do.
Just remember to take it easy and avoid getting stressed out. Try applying a combination of cannabis consumption methods to your routine. Smoke, vape, eat edibles or take tinctures and oils. Try them alone or in conjunction with one another to find what is right for you. Many people find a wake and bake to be what they need to get started with their day. They then have an edible for their mid-morning snack to help get them through the day. By afternoon break, a few puffs from a vape is great. Finish your day off with a cannabis-infused ice cream brownie Sundae and or some oil/tincture. Wrap up the night with a few tokes of some smoke after your child or children have hit the sack. This is a great way to keep from smoking all day but still keep your cannabinoid levels high and your sanity intact!
Cannabis has helped me so much throughout life, but since March of 2020, it has been my lifeline. It helps me to have more patience, to stay focused, fight fatigue, and keeps me entertaining which helps with a 3 year old!
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