Cannabis and Fatherhood with John Shute

John also acknowledges that it was more dangerous because he had no way of obtaining cannabis legally. “Who knows what I was actually smoking?”

His early consumption – and how it was received in his community – gives him perspective. “I was judged all my life for my consumption. When I was caught smoking in high school, my life spiraled. I want to give my kids a conversation, not a guilt trip or a punishment.”

His decision to enter into the cannabis market was also questioned. “I started this agency when I was 25, and people did not think cannabis marketing was the way to go.”

But John’s unwavering commitment to the plant over the years has also begun to sway his loved ones. “I go home, and people I know have so many questions for me about pain, relief, investments. It’s turned me from being an outcast into a thought leader.”

There’s a strange sense of dissonance in being in the cannabis industry, but it’s also not something John would trade. “It’s a strange thing, running a successful business in something my friends went to jail for. But it’s led me to this place where I can share my experience with people who don’t have my experience or are in states where cannabis isn’t normalized yet.”

Raising Kids in Colorado’s Cannabis Culture

John’s kids are still too young to really have conversations about cannabis. But it’s not something hidden either. “It’s a normal way of life for them and for us. When they’re older, we’ll have open discussions on cannabis and alternative wellness versus prescriptions and alcohol, and what those do in the body.”

Right now, his kids know that dad stops at the whistle store (dispensary) to get whistles (vapes).

His plans are based on the conversations he wishes someone had had with him when he was growing up in New Jersey. “The people I looked up to beat around the bush about this. There was so much more risk and stigma.”

Raising his own kids in Colorado means starting from a much more elevated place in the discussion. “Colorado is an old medical state, so it’s really cool that I get to navigate this conversation differently.”

How Weed Helps John Be A Parent, A Husband, and A Human

As all working parents know, the translation between “work mind” and “parent mind” can be challenging. For John, cannabis helps him connect with his kids, even after a long day. “Cannabis affects my fatherhood journey in the best way possible. It takes me out of a stressful environment I put myself in with work, and allows me to step back and be with my kids. I can navigate tough situations better than I otherwise would if I were this stressed and sleep-deprived.”

It’s about finding a moment of pause to re-center himself, and show up as the dad he wants to be. “Cannabis changes me in a great way. I strive to get my kids outside and show them the beautiful things in the world, and cannabis helps me with that.”

John knows that it’s less about being a present parent, and more about being a present person in his family in general. He openly acknowledges the increased stress that comes with running an agency in cannabis, trying to actively grow it, while making band practice and getting enough boarding time, while still making his wife and kids feel like a priority.

“I am in a constant state of motion. It never really stops. My breaks are yoga and working out. Cannabis is just a part of my normal routine to maintain the flow state I’m in every day.”

John doesn’t call himself a canna-dad. “But I guess I would be, in the sense that I’m a huge advocate for alternative wellness, for the future of my kids and the world they live in.”