Despite it being legal, stigma around cannabis B次元官网网址� and those who use it B次元官网网址� certainly arenB次元官网网址檛 going anywhere anytime soon. But one B.C. woman is hoping she can change the negative perceptions of weed-smoking moms, one website view at a time.
Shannon Chiarenza, a Vancouver mom of two, said she started to act as a guide for newcomers to legal cannabis, specifically mothers who are interested in ditching the merlot for the versatile plant.
B次元官网网址淢y background is website design, but IB次元官网网址檝e been a stay at home mom now for a few years,B次元官网网址� she told Black Press Media. While living in the Kitsilano-Point Grey area, she said as a cannabis-user herself, she noticed quickly that other mothers seemed to be comfortable drinking wine, but smoking up was left for the dads.
B次元官网网址淚 never really figured out why B次元官网网址� but then I felt it myself, as a mom B次元官网网址� feeling that as a mother you have to hold up a higher standard than even dads, for some reason,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 not really a spoken thing, itB次元官网网址檚 a felt thing. ItB次元官网网址檚 something we have in our own heads, in our own consciousness.B次元官网网址�
Chiarenza herself admitted that she oftentimes hid her cannabis use from other parents at her childrenB次元官网网址檚 school to avoid criticism or judgment.
B次元官网网址淵ou do kind of feel like youB次元官网网址檙e the bad mom,B次元官网网址� she said. She quickly realized she wasnB次元官网网址檛 alone, as she connected with other moms and kicked off her Weed Mama project on social media.
B次元官网网址淭hey hide it. They were embarrassed and they didnB次元官网网址檛 want to tell anyone and they had to hide it in shame. So I realized there was definitely a market or place for this kind of a thing where women can feel accepted for what they do and find other moms who do the same thing.B次元官网网址�
Ironically, it was motherhood that reintroduced Chiarenza to cannabis.
B次元官网网址淚 had a very traumatizing birth with my son, and my first pregnancy was painful, too, and it left me with a lot of painB次元官网网址� she said.
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After a six year hiatus, at the age of 41, Chiarenza decided to try vaping with her husband.
Despite being worried at first that it would trigger her anxiety, B次元官网网址渋t made me relax, but it took all the pain away,B次元官网网址� she said.
From the basics like how to purchase pot to what it does to your body, as well as how it can help stomach pains or the top three B次元官网网址渁hhhmazing ways to experience cannabis,B次元官网网址� Chiarenza said sheB次元官网网址檚 hoping her website she can educate people on safe use but also the positive culture.
ThereB次元官网网址檚 also a special section dedicated to cannabisB次元官网网址� benefits for women.
B次元官网网址淔or me, at least, this is one of the biggest areas that cannabis can help woman B次元官网网址� for painful sex and menstruation and pain that comes after child birth B次元官网网址� it can really help reduce that,B次元官网网址� she said.
As Canada enters a new age of legal cannabis, Chiarenza said the culture will hopefully move away from negative connotations for those looking to take part, especially for moms.
B次元官网网址淵ou can find things that are very sophisticated B次元官网网址� there are connoisseursB次元官网网址� itB次元官网网址檚 not just this one-sided thing,B次元官网网址� she said, pointing to those who use it as soft-medical relief for pain and other symptoms.
Since launching her website, Chiarenza said sheB次元官网网址檚 received both support and concern, including one person who asked her if she thinks itB次元官网网址檚 wise to be be doing this as a mother and questioning her responsibility.
B次元官网网址淭his is exactly why a lot of moms donB次元官网网址檛 talk about using cannabis, because people still have this old-fashioned ideas about what it is, and modern cannabis is so much more than that and there is a lot of good science coming out about it now. My goal is to educate people so moms donB次元官网网址檛 feel that anymore, they can feel like theyB次元官网网址檙e a good mom and can also do cannabis to unwind.B次元官网网址�
ashley.wadhwani@bpdigital.ca
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