Cannabis and motherhood is a complex and taboo topic that deserves a more nuanced conversation. Moms (and parents, generally) who consume cannabis are not inherently bad parents, any more than parents who drink are bad parents. The stigma around cannabis has pervaded this conversation to the point where it’s challenging to have a real discussion about it. In this series, I am to highlight the reality of moms who consume cannabis, why they do it, and how they approach the conversation with their children.
Mom Spotlight
Name: LaWann Stribling
Location: Maryland
Occupation: Urban Homesteader
Kids: 6 kids: 30-year-old son, 18-year-old bonus son, 17-year-old daughter, 13-year-old twins, 11-year-old daughter.
Preferred consumption method: Edibles, microdoses of smoking, and topicals
Cannabis has helped my motherhood journey. It helps me be more relaxed and deal with the stresses that come with being a mother of many
Cannabis & Early Motherhood
LaWann Stribling came to both cannabis and motherhood at a young age.
“I started smoking at 17 because everyone around me who smoked was happy. I was depressed and homeless. It gave me the giggles. It elevated me.”
LaWann had her first son soon after being introduced to cannabis, and she did not consume during her pregnancy or while nursing. But when she came back to it, she leaned in hard.
“As soon as I stopped nursing, I started smoking again. It became a little ridiculous. When I look back, I see that it wasn’t about health; it was about getting over my sadness. But I didn’t realize it was still hiding things.”
So eventually, LaWann stopped entirely. She had consumed for nearly a decade before deciding to just walk away.
“I had to learn how to function as myself, being with myself, without something taking me to a happy place all the time.”
For the next decade, she stayed away from cannabis, focusing on her family and building a successful daycare business. But when stress started to make the walls close in, she considered cannabis through a different lens. LaWann said it took measured conversations with her husband and discipline to bring cannabis back into her life. Her mindset was also completely different this time.
“So many things changed between 2006, when I stopped, and 2017, when I started again. My relationship with cannabis is very spiritual now. I use herbs in more ways, and see nature as a guide.”
These days, LaWann spends her time as an urban homesteader, carving out a little plot of farmland in Maryland. And now, all plants are welcome.
“Herbs go in everything! I use mullien, especially when I’m smoking. I love lavender and chamomile, ginkgo, hibiscus, and lemon balm.”
From specialty tea blends to herbal baths and topicals, plant medicine plays a big role in the Stribling home. As an urban farmer, LaWann grows many of them herself.
Evolving the Conversation Around Cannabis
Starting her motherhood journey young meant LaWann learned a lot along the way–like how to talk to her kids about cannabis.
“My oldest didn’t know I was a closet smoker until he was an adult. I didn’t know how to present it to my younger children, but when I started making edibles, they were curious.”
Having a variety of consumption methods helps LaWann tailor her seshes to her needs.
“When I told them about edibles, I called it mommy’s medicine. It helps me be calmer and sleep better, stop yelling. But I can’t always depend on edibles because of how long they take to kick in. So I started smoking and explained to them again about mom’s medicine.”
At this point in the journey, her kids are hands-on.
“They’ve helped me grow and harvest the plant. They see how it helps people.”
Being a canna-positive household means embracing all of the cannabinoids, particularly for kids.
“I’ve given my kids CBD honey.”
The Nuances Around Cannabis & Kids
As her kids get older, LaWann is rightly concerned about what substances they’ll be exposed to and where they come from.
“I told my daughter–if she chooses to consume cannabis, I want to know she’s getting it safely. She had a friend who passed from a contaminated product, and it was terrifying.”
An important piece of talking about cannabis with kids is being honest about both sides of the coin. As much as cannabis can heal, it can also hold people back.
“I’m honest with them about my experiences consuming when I was younger and how it prevented me from growing and maturing. When you’re dealing with a lot of sadness from the past, it’s important to take the sober route.”
But LaWann is glad to have the plant back in her life, in a better way.
“Cannabis has helped my motherhood journey. It helps me be more relaxed and deal with the stresses that come with being a mother of many. It helps me sleep better.”
Navigating Motherhood with and without Cannabis
11 years is not a small amount of time. And yet, her time away from the plant was important, LaWann reflects, for helping her become the person she wanted to be.
“I never stopped following cannabis, even when I wasn’t smoking. The science was still important to me.”
Her life is also radically different now than when she first came to the plant
“I’m in a much better place now to advocate for it. I’ve been through therapy, I’ve released the guilt for getting through what I went through. This plant has expanded my range so much–I don’t know if I would be an urban farmer without cannabis.”
In this evolution of her relationship with the cannabis plant, LaWann is embracing a bigger spotlight.
“I wanted to advocate [for the plant] back then, but I didn’t know how. I’m very shy. Cannabis calms my nerves and helps me have an open discussion. I still get nervous, but it’s manageable. That’s how I was a National Cannabis Festival panelist twice.”
What advice would LaWann give to parents curious about cannabis?
“Education is important. Take time to do your research. Trust in nature–and do your research.”
She also advocates for exploring different dosing and consumption methods.
“I use multiple methods because it works for me. Maybe someone else just needs a drop of tincture under their tongue.”
She closed with words of wisdom for cannabis consumers of all ages.
“Don’t vape. It’s too accessible, and you’ll be too dependent on it. You don’t know what’s in that vape. Just don’t.”
