Being a parent is already a difficult job, but when you’re one of the many invested in the burgeoning cannabis industry you unfortunately have to tread even more carefully.
In a recent piece published by The Washington Post, Perry Stein speaks with four mothers who have banded together to form a support group where they frequently meet to discuss parenting in an age where the legal marijuana industry is on the rise.
The four mothers, Jay Mills, Chanda Macias, Shawnta Hopkins-Greene, and Jennifer Culpepper own and operate consulting firms, dispensaries, and more in the DMV area, home to the nation’s capital. While Marijuana has been legal for some time in this particular section of the country it still remains taboo and inhabits a very murky grey area. For this reason, the four mothers have some reservations when it comes to divulging to other parents what they do. This also results in a bit of apprehension when it comes to expounding what they do to their children. Code words are used, pot plants are hidden from friends on playdates, and the occasional spritz of air freshener is applied whenever their kids are picked up from school.
Leah Heise is the chief executive of Women Grow, a support network for women stepping into the marijuana industry. The concerns raised by these four mothers are those that she frequently hears echoing across the nation. To her, the best solution is to shed the embarrassment of any stigmas because the best thing these mothers can do is be as transparent and honest as possible about their professions and marijuana itself.
