Why Cannabis Makes Me a Better Person

If I was on a desert island and had to choose between weed and booze, I would pick weed every time.

I’ve had a lot of conversations about cannabis with other people who indulge like me and with people who don't. And for me, this is part of the charm.This plant lets me talk about my feelings and social interaction and taboo and society. And these all are my favorites.

Now that dispensaries take the guesswork out of finding the right cannabis, it’s rare that I'm stuck with a product that doesn’t work for me.Gone are the days of handing over cash for whatever my guy can get me. Cannabis users are all different types now. I want my weed light and chatty and mind-opening. And now I have options.

I work at night and when I clock out at the end of a shift, I enjoy a little puff. I want cannabis that makes me feel uplifted, euphoric and energetic. Hitting my vaporizer (or weed whistle, as I affectionately refer to it) cordons off relaxation time as distinct and separate from work time.

And that's why I would pick weed every time.

I'm a member of a generation of women who were told we were equal to our male peers from birth. We slayed at soccer and science, but also always made it home from school in time for Oprah.

But now we're in our 30s. The housing crisis is real. Jobs are precarious. We either forfeit true expression in favor of ‘not rocking the boat’ with historically well-paying careers. Or we make exactly what we want, how we want, but forfeit any expectation of being paid in exchange for what we make. (I once produced a podcast called Foodstuffs).

And then there’s a constant reminder that women's strengths aren't valued in the workplace. That to invest in improving your workplace (read: to critique the current system) is to cause trouble. This is a moment in which I imagine a lot of us get tired. We gradually learn how to get-along better and be easy. We forfeit a dream that work will be the passion.

And that’s why I would pick weed every time.

Even though cannabis has a reputation for making some people paranoid, it works for me. I have a strong belief that if cannabis makes you awkward and you start making lists of all the ways you’re fucking up or being awk, it might be time to take a look at yourself.

Maybe it's time to get your debt in order. Maybe you do need to work on your book. Maybe you weren’t very nice to your mom the last time you spoke. And then there's the societal script for women that demands perfection. Be docile. Remain gracious. For working mothers, the expectation is even higher and more confounding. It's no wonder the escapism that comes with drinking is so popular.

Weed has the opposite effect. It reminds us of our connection to the world around and our relationships within it. For some, it’s so at odds with their way of being in the world, they can’t reconcile it.

And that’s why I would pick weed every time.

I want to feel connected. I want to be conscientious in my treatment of other people. I want to be my best version, to myself and to others. And I don’t want to be discouraged by all the ways we've normalized giving up on our responsibilities to the people around us.

Cannabis helps me solidify these bonds. It helps me find my people. For me to stand up and be a woman, to stand up and be at odds with patriarchy, I need weed. Well, I don't need it, I just sincerely prefer it.

And that's why I would choose weed every time. And I do.