How to Talk to Your Family About Cannabis

Posted December 17th

Have you ever had “the talk” with your family? We’re not referring to the birds and the bees, we’re talking about the “cannabis conversation”. Even if your family is super chill, telling your loved ones you enjoy weed can be an awkward conversation to have—but it doesn’t have to be. 

Whether you’re sitting around the holiday dinner table or chatting on the phone, you never know when this touchy subject might come up. To help your conversation start off on the right foot, we’re sharing some of our tips for how to talk to your family about cannabis.

 

Five Tips to Help You Talk to Your Family About Weed

1. Start with the medical benefits of cannabis. 
Let’s be honest. It’s pretty easy to get a medical marijuana card these days for a wide range of conditions. And although this miracle plant may be able to help in a rainbow of scenarios, allowing doctors to write a prescription for everything from headaches to insomnia leaves many skeptics wondering if weed has any real medical properties—or if legalization was just an excuse to get high and sit around the house.

Start by introducing some of the basic wellness applications for cannabis and consider coming armed with facts to back up your claims. Like this 2015 study that found strong evidence that CBD may be able to reduce your daily anxiety. The more you have to support your particular case, the better. Let them know there are a whole host of products, like Glass House Farms’ Jelly Fish strain, that are specifically grown and/or manufactured to reduce the psychoactive effects of cannabis, while highlighting the other beneficial impacts of CBD.

2. Be honest about your why.
Sometimes the easiest way to continue this conversation is to simply state why exactly you consume cannabis. Whether it’s to treat chronic pain, help you fall asleep, reduce stress, or just for fun, there are a million valid reasons to enjoy weed in its many forms. 

Take this time to open up with them and let them know how this plant has helped you, even if it’s just to relax on a Friday night. Anyone who has ever had a glass of wine after work can hopefully understand that! Be as truthful as possible about what your personal why is and take the conversation from there. 

3. Acknowledge their concerns.
At this point, your family members might have a few questions or concerns. Listen and let them say their piece before calmly responding. It’s easy to become frustrated and even defensive when having these types of discussions, especially if cannabis is something that you’re passionate about, but try to avoid turning this into a heated argument. 

At the end of the day, everyone just wants to feel heard. If you listen to your family’s point of view and acknowledge any concerns they may have, the discussion will likely branch off neatly from there. You can address these concerns and explain why you think they might not be as big of a deal as your family members might think. This should be a mature back and forth instead of a pointless debate that leads nowhere.

4. Let them digest this information.
When new information is presented to us, it can take a while for it to really sink in and mean something. Try not to overwhelm your loved ones right away with every fact in the book or the entire political history of the plant (unless they ask for it, then let them have it). 

Instead, let them breathe a bit and take some time for them to do their own research. Point them to resources or websites that might be helpful for them to peruse at their leisure. The important thing is to give them space to really digest all of this new information.

5. Temper your expectations and theirs.
Repeat after me: You cannot control how others react to your truth. You may have a picture in your mind of how you’d like this discussion to go, but you never know how someone will take in this information. 

All you can do is show up, be honest, and be firm. No matter how your family reacts to your cannabis consumption, let them know that you are an adult and this is your choice. Set clear boundaries for yourself and them to maintain your peace of mind.

 

Final Thoughts

No two family dynamics are exactly alike so while you can take these tips into account to prepare yourself, you know your family best. Have this conversation whenever and however you feel most comfortable. Ultimately, this is your journey—we’re just here to support you with the best green around town. 

Kelly Graham

Kelly Graham

Kelly is a creative multi-hyphenate and chef with an affinity for all things weed. She currently lives, works, and bakes in sunny Los Angeles, California. To see what she’s cooking up next, check her out at Not Your Mom’s Kitchen.