Why Entrepreneurial Moms Can Benefit From Cannabis, According To An Entrepreneurial Mom

By: Dr. Leslie Apgar

Back in 2016, when I was running a medical spa and helping raise five kids, I never thought cannabis would be the thing that brought balance to my life. Three years later, I now own three businesses—two of which are cannabis related.

In that time, I’ve studied the science behind cannabis. I’ve seen it make a huge impact in my patients’ lives. And though my life is perhaps more chaotic than ever, cannabis has become an important part of my self-care routine, allowing me to be the best doctor, mom, and entrepreneur I can be. Here’s why:

1. Cannabis can help you relax

As an entrepreneur mom, you work hard all day trying to keep your business afloat—then you come home to the hard work of parenting.

You might find time to enjoy a glass of wine after your kids go to sleep, but by then you’re too exhausted or too anxious (or both) to sink into the moment. And that’s when you get a ping on your phone informing you that an important client is not happy.

These worries can seriously cut into your relaxation time or keep you from getting a full night’s rest, leaving you unprepared for the next day—and on and on until you’re an exhausted wreck.

Cannabis won’t make you forget about your worries, but it will help you recharge at the end of each exhausting day so you can keep your eyes wide open for the next.

2. Cannabis won’t necessarily get you “stoned”

I know what you’re thinking: I can’t smoke pot under the same roof as my kids! What if they see me? What if there’s an emergency in the middle of the night? First off, you don’t have to “smoke” cannabis. Instead, you can take a discreet hit from a vape pen and exhale a barely perceptible puff of air.

Second, cannabis won’t necessarily make you “high.” The truth is, moms—especially working moms—don’t like to feel impaired. We feel obligated to be alert twenty-four seven in case our kids are in crisis or we need to put out fires at work.

So instead of choosing cannabis with high THC (the chemical compound responsible for cannabis’s psychoactive effects), choose something with higher CBD, which will have a calming effect on your body but leave you clear-headed. Think of a glass of wine without the mental fogginess or the next-day headache.

3. Cannabis can help treat a wide variety of conditions

Relaxation alone is enough of a reason to consider cannabis, but it’s not the only reason. Women are wired specifically for cannabis, and it’s been used in female medicine for thousands of years.

The reproductive system is densely wired with CB1 and CB2 receptors—and things like infertility, preterm labor, labor itself, breastfeeding, and bonding are directly related to our endocannabinoid system.

Inflammatory conditions like endometriosis and chronic pelvic pain plague women all over the globe and cannabis can successfully help alleviate the pain associated with them. It can also help relieve menstrual cramps, headaches, and many other frustrations that moms suffer from.

4. Cannabis has zero calories

In addition to the pressures of running a business and raising a child, many entrepreneur moms feel society’s pressure to stay trim. If staying fit is on your list of worries, you certainly don’t want to be stress eating or consuming unwanted calories from alcohol. A cannabis vape pen has exactly zero calories, providing a guilt-free alternative to other stress-relief measures.

5. Cannabis can help with intimacy

A working mom must learn to compartmentalize. This can be particularly difficult if you own a business, which can linger in your mind well after business hours. Entrepreneur moms often find it impossible to close all the browser tabs in their mind and focus on themselves.

Your kids come first, your business comes second, and if there’s time, you might think about yourself and your partner. But if you and your partner neglect each other for too long, it can all fall apart.

Just as home problems affect your work life, work problems can affect your home life, and oftentimes, our sex lives are the first to take a hit when this happens.

Cannabis can help in many ways. First, it can activate the desire for intimacy. Second, it can help to relax the body and accentuate nerve endings, enhancing the sensations of sex. Third, it can lessen inhibitions, allowing moms to focus on the intimacy of the moment.

The fact is, we’ve learned a lot about cannabis in the past few years; turns out it’s not nearly as harmful as we’ve been led to believe. In my experience—and in the experience of many working moms I’ve known—cannabis is a viable wellness solution for adults with real responsibilities.

Dr. Leslie Apgar is a former obstetrician-gynecologist in Columbia, Maryland. She received her medical degree from Penn State College of Medicine and had practiced for more than 20 years. She’s also the co-founder of Blissiva, Pura Vida, and Greenhouse Wellness.