Moms Have Experienced Discrimination For Weed Use, Says New Study

Iris Dorbian

Just in time for Mother’s Day comes a new study on moms who smoke pot. Conducted by Miss Grass, an online cannabis-focused publication for women, the survey, which polled over 700 women who are mothers, aimed to find out how they use cannabis in 2019.  Among the findings: Nearly 70 percent have experienced discrimination for using cannabis while a growing percentage say weed has replaced alcohol for them--at least most of the time. Also, over half admit to concealing their use from professional colleagues yet very few do so from their partners. Below are key takeaways that should disabuse mainstream perceptions about mothers and their relationship with marijuana.

A new study offers insights into how moms use cannabis.

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• *68 percent of moms say they’ve experienced discrimination for using cannabis. Yes, even during this time where a majority of Americans support legalization, according to a recent Gallup poll, pot-smoking moms are still frowned upon by many. Said one survey participant, “If a parent, especially a mother were to even admit to smoking cannabis, they’d be reported for child abuse. It’s a complete shame; the stigma and judgement people pass.”
• 64% consumed cannabis regularly before they became mothers; 27% used once in a while 9% starting using after they had kids. Becoming a mom can be stressful, apparently. Said one respondent, “A happy mom is a happy baby! Sometimes I need a few hits to feel like myself again. I think it’s safer than being stressed out and sad.”
• Flower is the most popular form of cannabis consumption among moms with 82% reporting they prefer this intake. Also registering strongly are vapes (71%) and edibles (64%). At the bottom are sublinguals, which comes in at a middling 37%;
• 21% say that pot has completely replaced liquor for them, while 38% admit to preferring cannabis to alcohol, at least some of the time. Interestingly, this takeaway seems to mesh with a finding put forth by top cannabis analyst Vivien Azer who, in her 2019 outlook for the legal marijuana industry, said that 2018 was the worst year for beer sales thanks to surging cannabis use;
• While pregnant, most moms (81%) said they had reduced nausea, 76% said they had less stress; 67% report they experienced better sleep; and 62% had less pain. Only 4% said they had negative side effects; and,
• Over half (51%) said they hide their cannabis consumption from professional contacts; 42% hide it from their children; 36% hide it from their parents or family; 27% hide it from no one; and 20% hide it from their friends. There is transparency among those in relationships as only 2% hide it from their partners.

Speaking to Rolling Stone magazine, Anna Duckworth, one of the co-founders of Miss Grass, said this was the second survey they conducted revolving around women and cannabis consumption.

The first one was launched last Mother's Day as a test. Fielding over 200 responses, the inaugural study's focus was mostly on the “shame and stigma surrounding mothers who use cannabis.

” The overall reaction, which Duckworth referred to as “impassioned," was the catalyst for the new survey, which explored in a deeper, more granular way cannabis consumption among women who are mothers.