By: Rebecca O.
Cannabis consumption is not one size fits all, like any form of medicine, it is an experience that is unique to the individual. This is my story.
I have been smoking weed for over 15 years. My relationship with cannabis continuously fluctuates. Depending on my schedule I may smoke the whole day, I may smoke once a day, or I can go a few days without it. It has evolved as I have.
I used to just love getting high and hanging out with my friends, which I still do. Now, I have access to the new legal cannabis market in California. I have learned to curate my consumption to my specific health and wellness needs.
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I have learned that cannabis helps me with anxiety, depression, grief, and trauma. I combine it with coping mechanisms like meditation and yoga. Physically it helps me with my shoulder pain, back pain, menstrual cramps, and PMS. I’ve used topicals before and after workouts.
Socially, it connects me with so many people. Sharing a joint with someone is an act of love and communication. Blending cannabis with my love of writing allows me to stay focused, be creative and generate new ideas. I even became a cannabis writer to be able to share research, create and share the love and respect I have for cannabis.
In my early 20’s cannabis was a social activity. As I’ve grown it has become much more of health and wellness ritual.
As a kid, I completed the D.A.R.E (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) program. I was taught that weed was another bad drug. I negatively judged any of my peers who participated in smoking. Then puberty brought on a change in my perspective.
I took my first hit off a joint when I was 16, with my first love in his backyard. I’ve smoked ever since. Weed just always made everything better. Don’t get me wrong, I had my moments of overconsumption, like the first time I took a dab or those few times I ripped the bong just a little too hard. But overall it just made me feel calm, less stressed and allowed me to enjoy the moment.
Three years ago I had a major life transition accompanied by a series of losses. I was overwhelmed and depressed. Depression manifests itself in many ways. I tend to hyper-focus on the negative, I’m uninterested and unproductive and I just generally feel like I have a boulder of overwhelming emotions on my chest.
Thankfully I was able to access low-cost mental health resources like counseling. I was taught coping skills like meditation, which led me to start doing yoga and researching other forms of holistic healing. Naturally, my cannabis usage fell in line with these activities. I found outlets like Ganga Yoga in Oakland and met with other like-minded people who also benefited from infusing their lives with cannabis.
I’ve also been able to use cannabis products like topicals and tinctures to help with my constant neck and shoulder pain. I currently use Papa & Barkley’s 3:1 CBD Relief Balm almost daily for relief. My PMS symptoms and menstrual cramps are also pretty intense.
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For those days I like to use topicals and bath bombs from Whoopi & Maya. I swear I can feel my uterus relaxing once I’ve used them. Cannabis is also a great general mood enhancer. If I’m hanging out with my friends, I love to eat one or two of Kiva’s Camino Gummies (my favorite flavor is Wild Berry).
If I’m writing I take a couple hits off my Gold Drop vape pen or a Brotherly Love preroll. When I’ve got the whole morning to just relax I treat myself to some Somatik cannabis cold brew. I usually have the best coffee nap after that. Cannabis just allows me to appreciate the moment just a little bit more.
An important part of my cannabis and wellness journey has been education.
Beyond products, the cannabis industry has many activists and educators. In the Bay Area, I have been able to access educational cannabis resources to get a better understanding of the holistic value and history of the plant.
I have visited Ellementa’s women-focused events to learn more about topics like CBD, dosing, and pain relief. I have sat in on 101 courses to hear about cannabis prohibition helped shaped the minds of older cannabis consumers.
Most recently I attended the Bay Area’s First Annual Cannabis Pride Celebration. I listened to some of the activists from the 1980’s medical cannabis movement in California. These have all been amazing opportunities to get to communicate with people in my neighborhood who appreciate cannabis as much as I do.
As I’ve grown and developed, so has the California cannabis market. I have my choice of local dispensaries in different cities all filled to the brim with a buffet of different cannabis products. If you’re lucky enough to live in a legal state I highly encourage you to go out to different dispensaries, talk to budtenders, talk to brand ambassadors, attend educational and social events and ask questions.
If you’re new to weed, keep a journal of how different products and dosages make you feel. You’d be surprised but I consider myself a micro-doser. Although I can smoke all day, I usually only need a small amount. If you feel like you’d consumed too much, stop, drink water, lay down or tell a friend.
Cannabis can be fun, but it’s also a medicine, so it’s important we respect the way it interacts with our body. I have found unique and helpful ways to infuse cannabis into most aspects of my lifestyle. I enjoy it that way. I hope you find your own unique cannabis way.
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Rebecca O. is a cannabis writer who focuses on changes in the industry, health, and wellness. If you’d like to see more of her work, visit her website.