| When I was asked to write a story about the experiences of parents who consume cannabis, I thought it would be a fairly easy reporting assignment. After all, more Americans today smoke marijuana than cigarettes. Medical cannabis use is legal in 38 states, including 19 where it's also legal recreationally. And at least where I live, in the District of Columbia, evidence of its growing popularity is literally wafting through the air. But I was wrong. Almost no one wanted to talk for this story, certainly not on the record and certainly not using their full names. Which speaks to the point of the article: Though cannabis use has been normalized for much of the population, there is still a big stigma around parents who consume pot. I found a couple main reasons for this. First, most people who are parenting today grew up during the "Just Say No to Drugs" era. The other reality is that there are more ramifications for parents who consume cannabis. It could work against them in custody cases. It can be used as grounds for eviction. It can even spark investigations by child protective services, including in instances when kids get ahold of their parents' stash of cannabis gummies and wind up in the emergency room, which is happening with increasing frequency. And, of course, the penalties are almost always harsher for people of color. Regardless of those potential risks, parents are still using cannabis. Most of the people I spoke to — on the condition that their identities be concealed — felt sure that using cannabis made them better parents. Calmer. More patient. Able to ignore their long to-do lists and be fully present with their kids. One mom I interviewed said cannabis pulled her from the grip of a paralyzing postpartum depression. But even in places where cannabis is fully legal, parents who use it said they still often feel like delinquent teenagers, sneaking around so they don't get caught — or attract the harsh judgment of neighbors and relatives. One mom told me she was desperate to find parent friends who also smoke pot, but even that was fraught. James Kahn is the one parent who was willing to be publicly identified in this story. He works in the cannabis industry, and also writes articles and offers lectures about cannabis. And even he said that despite all that openness, he often still struggles to talk to other parents about pot. "The War on Drugs was pretty damn effective," he told me. "It's impacting my own self-judgment — even now."  (Keith Negley) Some parents say using cannabis helps them relax and connect with their kids. But it's dicey to talk about. By Ellen McCarthy ● Read more » |    | | | | Putin's announcement of a military mobilization of Russian reservists for his war in Ukraine has set off a frenzied dash for the country's borders. By Kareem Fahim, Zeynep Karatas and Robyn Dixon ● Read more » | | | | |  (Ted Richardson for The Post) Harrowing stories of survival surfaced across southwest Florida on Thursday as first responders rescued hundreds of people from homes turned into islands surrounded by still-deep floodwater. By Tim Craig ● Read more » | | | | | | As home-care aides become more scarce thanks to the pandemic and tight labor market, it is threatening the independence of a generation of older Americans who had planned to age in place. By Christopher Rowland ● Read more » | | | | | Since April, DALL-E has triggered an explosion of images generated using artificial intelligence. But the technology is spreading faster than creators can shape norms around its use. By Nitasha Tiku ● Read more » | | |  (Bing Guan/Reuters) For the millions of Iranians in exile, the protests have allowed them reconnect with their homeland. But they have also reinforced the pain of separation. By Babak Dehghanpisheh ● Read more » | | | | | | Special master Raymond Dearie had told Donald Trump's attorneys lawyers to address in court whether documents were planted or declassified. By Perry Stein ● Read more » | | | | | A fascinating new study in rodents suggests that the exercise you do now can carry through your genes and benefit future grandchildren. By Gretchen Reynolds ● Read more » | | | | PERSPECTIVE Chess master Magnus Carlsen makes an allegation that's hard to check. By Sally Jenkins ● Read more » | | | | | | Since Myanmar's military seized control in a coup, the losses suffered by rebels, activists and ordinary citizens have gone beyond the front-line casualties. By Rebecca Tan and Aung Naing Soe ● Read more » | | | | | |
Photo of the week  (Alessandra Tarantino/AP) | This past Sunday, Italians voted in their general election resulting in victory to Giorgia Meloni, Italy's first female prime minister, signaling a sharp shift in the country's politics toward the right. The election results set up Italy's farthest-right government since former Prime Minister Benito Mussolini. Pictured above is a Lagotto dog named Eva, who waits for her owner at a polling station in Rome. The country's far-right shift comes during a critical time for Europe, with rising energy costs and tests to the West's resolve against Russian aggression as a result of the war in Ukraine. See the week's most compelling photos here. |
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