Patient Feature ►
Nicole ’ s Story ,
A Missouri Medical Cannabis Patient and Mom
by Alexandria Stith , contributing writer
The term “ Canna Moms ” may be new for some ; however , for the moms that understand both parenthood and the cannabis world , they are all too familiar . However , that doesn ’ t negate the fact that these “ canna moms ” face a harsh reality from not only their peers but the very world where they are told to raise their children — moms shouldn ’ t use cannabis . After speaking with a few self-proclaimed “ canna moms ,” one thing was also very clear — they are not only devoted parents but also present parents . Something they felt could not have been achieved without the support of being a medical cannabis patient .
The age of being a cannabis consumer comes with both familiar and new territories that define this unique market . The traditional glass of wine before or after dinner has now “ grown ” to become something else . What was once accepted and normalized has now shifted to a more holistic approach for handling stress and anxiety , especially in parenthood .
Meet Nicole , a Missouri medical cannabis patient and mom . Through Nicole ’ s journey of being a cannabis user , taking the medical approach versus the good ol ’ “ I ’ m just trying to get baked ” shifted the trajectory of the type of mother she wanted to be to her children . “ I remember much of my childhood and not having that emotional connection to my mom because she was always so tired from working and being a single mother ,” she said . “ I almost wished that she would have sought an alternative to the medication she used to treat herself , and maybe our bond could be closer than it is now . I don ’ t want that for my children .”
Born and raised in the St . Louis area , Nicole had a traditional upbringing centered around family and the church . Like most of us , Nicole wasn ’ t introduced to cannabis until she was a bit older , only really seeing its use through recreational purposes while she was in college . After graduating , she found herself putting cannabis on the back burner as she tried to navigate her career and what the rest of her life would look like ; sound familiar ?
Fast forward a few years , and Nicole now finds herself facing a new battle — trying to conceive . “ You know , I remember for two years , me and my husband tried , and nothing was happening . Funny enough , it wasn ’ t until I smoked cannabis again at a concert that my daughter was conceived shortly after ,” explained Nicole . Understanding the “ immediate ” benefits , she dug a little deeper . The results , in her words , “ It was a complete game-changer . I could build a connection that , at the time of having my first child , opened a whole new door to me in terms of understanding the medicinal side to this . Not just for patients that are suffering from debilitating ailments in their last days . There are actual benefits .”
Through doing her own research , as she said , it opened something in her life she hadn ’ t felt before . Becoming a little obsessed with the different uses , she was able to understand the benefits of knowing and understanding the effects of identifiable terpenes . If you aren ’ t familiar , terpenes are the aromatic oils that color cannabis . You may be familiar with distinctive flavors like citrus , pine , mint , and even berry in some of your favorite strains . The tricky thing with the world of terpenes , however , is that studies have identified over 400 types . However , according to recent studies , only a handful can be used for specific effects . Nicole said , “ It just amazed me ; all the things it could do . From understanding cannabinoids to actual medical preventive measures , it was amazing .”
With a newfound understanding ( and love ) of cannabis , Nicole knew she needed to visit the place we all know to be a canna-users paradise — Denver , CO . “ When I visited for the first time , that ’ s when it sort of hit me that my heart belongs to the cannabis community . It was just amazing , the community and the people . For the first time in my life , I feel like I belonged ,” said Nicole . “ I wasn ’ t scared to talk to people ; I wasn ’ t afraid of their judgment . I had a sense of belonging that I had never experienced before in my life .”