Breaking Social Stigmas

The other evening we had dinner at a friend’s house.  There was a gaggle of teenagers excited about the next step in their lives, college. There was also a young precocious twelve-year-old who came after dinner

Earlier in the evening, before dinner, we were hanging outside having a cocktail and smoking weed. When the meal ended I asked the twelve year olds Mom would if be okay if we smoked again, while sipping my martini, and she said I would rather you not because our daughter is so aware right now.  I asked if she drank in front of her daughter and she said yes. I asked but why not weed which we know is better for you than alcohol.  She said you are right.  So the next question is obvious. How do we change the false narrative?

Access to legal cannabis products gets better every day. The economy surrounding the plant is hard to ignore, encompassing everything from jobs to taxes.  Even the medical research that has been put on ice for so many decades is showing countless benefits.  But still, lighting up is a no-no around the tweens?

I receive daily updates from the Gotham stores. On Sunday morning, I read this—a great moment for cannabis culture. I invited a family inside who knew we were a dispensary and were very open with their son about cannabis. They explored the store and bought a few products. It’s a beautiful day to see cannabis normalized and with that, eliminating the stigma we are fighting against!

We can only change the narrative when everyone participates.  We can point to other aspects of our society that have been difficult to change. Unfortunately, it is one family, one person, one step at a time.