After years of my mom turning her nose at cannabis, marijuana is ultimately what led her to relief.
Like me, she has migraines but working on her feet for hours on overnight shifts for years has also led to issues with insomnia and leg pain.
So I finally convinced her and gave her a dose of cannabis. Here’s how it played out when I gave my mom cannabis for pain relief.
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Why I Gave My Mom Cannabis for Pain Relief
My mother spent most of her life at work (bless her soul). Spending 12 hours on your feet every day, while working weird hours will do a number on your body.
Fast-forward some decades and the results of long shift work are apparent now more than ever.
Not only has my mom dealt with debilitating migraines for the majority of her life, but she now deals with leg pain, insomnia, and of course, anxiety.
She’s tried everything for her migraines, including some pretty invasive medication that required regular blood work.
As for her insomnia, and anxiety, doctors have been trying to give her a number of prescription medication that when looked into, only caused further problems.
Since I’ve been using cannabis for my own migraine relief and anxiety, on her recent trip to visit me, I decided to give her a remedy.
Don’t Judge a Book By Its Cover
That decided, I couldn’t just bust out a nug and roll her a jay. My mom had a huge problem with marijuana.
Not that she ever drilled “don’t use the devil’s lettuce!” down our throats as kids. But in the situations where cannabis was brought up, she made it very clear she was opposed to it.
Being of Jamaican descent, most of my friends were surprised to find out that my mom didn’t agree with cannabis use.
I was, however, surprised to find out my mom was actually given cannabis tea as a child in Jamaica. Which only led me to believe that her idea of cannabis had been tainted somewhere along the way.
While she was born in Jamaica, she spent her entire adult life as a Canadian, and with marijuana being under prohibition for years, (as well as some family members abusing the drug), it’s clear my mom had made some decisions.
I’d have to somehow ease her into this scenario and hope it didn’t involve me getting a good verbal Jamaican lashing as a result.
My Mom Has Tried Cannabis Before
Now, this wasn’t my mom’s absolute first time with the leaf.
Aside from having the leaves as a tea in Jamaica, my mom had tried edibles from a family member which she didn’t fancy too much.
Her previous experience with cannabis left her feeling weird and loopy. This was probably because she wasn’t using a strain or product that was right for her.
Easing Your Mom Into Using Cannabis for Pain
(This headline sounds like a pamphlet they’d give you at a 420 meeting run by teenagers).
After returning from a year in Europe, my mom decided to visit our home over the holidays for a few days.
And after a day of shopping and a night in a new Airbnb, my mom told me she had a hard time sleeping. She also had a headache that wouldn’t budge during her first night.
I hate seeing my mom suffer, and I knew a dose of cannabis would help ease the pain and get her some sleep. Since there was probably no way I could convince my mom to smoke it, my partner decided we would make her some tea instead. My mom loves tea!
My relationship with my mom has been getting easier and more honest as I grow as an adult. We’ve been tackling adult topics more and more, so when I met up with her that evening, I told her what was in the thermos.
I mentioned I used it for my own pain relief and she was surprisingly open to it. After dinner, she drank half of her tea and tried to take a nap.
What Happened When My Mom Tried Cannabis for Pain?
When my mom and I met for breakfast the next morning, she actually seemed better rested and peppier than before.
She told me she woke up in the middle of the night with a headache, drank the rest of the tea, and slept through the night.
In fact, she asked me for more! We were all super surprised.
Since then, my mom has asked questions about where she can get cannabis oil and tinctures that she can use for her own concoctions.
I’ve also heard of her trying some edibles of her own to get some relief as well.
Why Does My Mom Prefer Cannabis for Pain Relief Over Other Drugs?
My mom is from the ‘pill generation’. While she prefers natural remedies, she’s the type to pay $200 for a month of ‘organic pills’ but would scoff at paying for cannabis. Yes, that’s irony.
However, the pills she was using before negatively altered her overall health for the small benefit these medications were offering.
When she uses cannabis for pain, the only side-effect she reports is feeling a little groggy in the morning. Besides that, she’s fine!
Breaking news: My mom literally just called me to ask what she should look for at her local dispensary.
To Pack This Up
While our parent generation may still have their ideas of marijuana, educating and actually introducing curious or suffering people to cannabis can help them understand more about its benefits.
Also, this was just a great story to tell.
Do you have any experiences introducing your parents or others to cannabis for pain relief?
