It’s Time: Moms Who Smoke Pot Should Be Able to Talk About It [OPINION]

It was fine and, dare I say even encouraged for me to be a "wine mom," so why shouldn't I be able to admit that I smoke pot?

I grew up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where drinking is as common as TV watching. We were the birthplace of Miller, Pabst, Schlitz and more. In fact, my grandparents are buried in the same cemetery as the Pabst family in South Milwaukee. Hell, the baseball team is named the Brewers and they play at Miller Park.

Interestingly enough, we weren't big drinkers in my family, despite being a big south side Irish clan. There was a beer here and there but nothing over-the-top.

I didn't start really drinking until I was in college, which was followed by a myriad of bad decisions and hangovers. When Pat and I found out that we were going to have a baby, I stopped, obviously.

After going through a personal trauma in 2013, I started drinking again. Heavily. A bottle of wine every day, sometimes more. I talked about being a "wine mom" on the radio and women LOVED it. It was relatable. It was okay. And we were normalizing alcoholism.

What I didn't talk about on the radio was that I'd started using marijuana, too. I tried it for the first time when we moved to Seattle in 2007 and I loved it. I was going through some postpartum depression and it relaxed me. It made me a better, calmer person. But it was illegal, so we kept it quiet.

And then, states started to legalize it medicinally...and then recreationally. In fact, on my last trip to Seattle to visit friends in 2016, I walked into a dispensary, presented my ID and walked out with a joint and an edible. I wondered when we'd have that luxury in Michigan.

As of yesterday, we do.

I'm not saying that moms can't drink wine - these things are there for our enjoyment, within reason. But to normalize a culture of moms downing a bottle a day or more isn't healthy, either.

I eat an Indica gummy every night before bed. I've tried Ambien, Zzzquil, and every other sleep aid and I swear by these gummies. I take a quick hit off a joint or a vape pen when I'm anxious or nauseous. And I absolutely SWEAR by marijuana for my migraines.

I've never called into work because I was hungover from pot. I've never made bad, lifechanging decisions while high (other than regretfully finishing a bag of chips by myself). I have, however, done those things after drinking alcohol.

Let's get rid of the stigma. Moms should be able to admit that they smoke pot here and there to get through this crazy thing called life. Marijuana has so many medicinal uses, while alcohol has none...yet it's still taboo for people to talk about smoking pot, but drinking is celebrated.

Moms, you're safe with me. I don't judge. And I'd hope that you wouldn't judge me in return.