Pot-Smoking Parents Say Parenting While High Is Totally Fine

Traditional parenting notions are going up in smoke as more moms and dads openly identify as potheads. The general consensus of eight pot-smoking parents is that it’s perfectly fine to parent while high; weed makes for better parenting and any stigma is unwarranted.

“I don’t smoke in front of my kids, but I do parent while high and I believe it positively contributes to my parenting because it keeps my anxiety levels in check,” said Julia (34; content creator). “Parenting can be overwhelming, stressful and require a ton of patience. Pot helps me relax so I can focus on our quality time together.” She and her husband smoke weed daily in their garage – far away from the children.

Todd (49; marketing professional) was a pot-smoking single father (“only one-hitters, I don’t roll fat joints) to two daughters, who are now in their 20s. “The little amount that I smoke heightens my awareness and emotions and my kids brought out the inner kid in me – we always had a blast. I laughed and was silly with them,” says Todd. “I could also do house work better as a bonus.”

Kris (36, comedian) has been smoking weed for 17 years and usually does so with his parent friends. “Having a child while being a stoner is extremely fun! I’m also a big child, so watching cartoons, playing video games and pretending to play Superheroes in the park is vastly more fun,” he says. “Plus, you get to do things like see a Raffi concert on weed!”

While it decidedly makes playtime more enjoyable, parents also smoke pot for medicinal purposes.

Jared (30; design and construction) has severe ADHD and says that weed helps him focus in ways nothing else can. “I was prescribed both Ritalin and Dexedrine at an early age, neither of which helped. I had a doctor write me a prescription for pot and am very selective about how and what I use,” he says. “It’s very different than earlier times of just wanting to be stoned and smoking whatever was available. I now only use a vaporizer and only certain strains, and being managed that way, it truly does make me a better person, both professionally and as a parent.”

**Anne (30, stay-at-home-mom) even admits to smoking weed while pregnant and breastfeeding. “I currently have postpartum depression and have been hesitant on taking my antidepressant while I am still breastfeeding as – while it’s unlikely – they can have an impact on your infant,” says Anne. “Marijuana is a 100 per cent safe alternative.” She has no qualms about smoking weed while pregnant and says it helped with nausea. “My firstborn is currently in the 97 percentile for height, 78 percentile for weight and the 99 percentile for head circumference. Both the pediatrician and the neurologist say he’s advanced for his age,” she says. The stigma, she says, prevented her from telling her doctors about her pot use.

Pot-smoking parents still face judgment, especially from the non-smokers, says ***Alex (36, writer/photographer), who uses pot to “refocus and be more present” with her young son. “It’s so socially acceptable and common to tell a stressed-out mama to drink a bottle of wine to take the edge off, but the stigma of taking a few tokes is still there, even though doing so is actually healthier. Granted, not everyone is a functioning pot smoker, but those who are able to work, parent and live while using pot should not be punished.”

***Ed (36, tech professional) agrees. “While people would shame someone for having a toke or two at a party with their kids, they wouldn’t blink at someone drinking three beers,” he says. “With weed, you remain incredibly cognizant of your kids’ safety and wellbeing. In some cases, being a little buzzed helps me engage with them more when I may otherwise be buried in my phone or simply not engaged with their play and lost in my own (sober, anxious) thoughts.”

Of course, all parents recognize the need for boundaries. “A few parents I knew let their kids smoke pot in their very early teens with them; I always felt uncomfortable about seeing this or participating,” says Sandra, a pot-smoking mom now in her 60s. Julia tries to instill a “healthy understanding and respect for this plant” in her kids. “I want them to know its amazing properties, but I also want them to understand that it should only be used by responsible adults, in moderation,” she says.  “I think pot is one of the greatest natural gifts in the world.”  

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Do you think it’s okay to parent while high? Would you ever consider being a pot-smoking parent? Share your thoughts with us on Facebook or tweet us at @ViewtheVibe.