5 Studies About Parents Smoking Weed That Break The Stereotype

Earlier this week American sweetheart Kristen Bell admitted she likes to smoke a little weed and watch 60 Minutes every once in a while after the kids are in bed, and now it's all the internet wants to talk about. While there were loads of people pointing the crooked finger of shame at her for smoking pot, Bell had plenty of support from other moms who find solace in the same relaxation ritual. With marijuana use slowly becoming legalized in more and more areas, more parents can turn to pot to help them relax. And here are 5 studies about parents smoking weed that prove this is totally okay, so everyone chill.

Despite the fact that humans have been using cannabis to deal with a whole slew of ailments for more than 3,000 years, there's still this weird stigma about it. A forbidden, seedy element (sorry for the pun) that seems to give people the right to judge the smoker in question. But now that medical marijuana has been legalized in 29 states including D.C., clearly things are changing. Unfortunately the molasses-slow de-stigmatization of weed use does not seem to extend to parents, who are still expected in modern society to be absolutely perfect, it seems. Just ask Kristen Bell, whose husband Dax Shepard had to jump to her defense for admitting she enjoys her vape every now and then.

Weed Helps With Anxiety

Approximately two-thirds of parents suffer from some form of anxiety or depression, and raising children definitely can exacerbate this issue. Fortunately weed might be able to help you with that. A 2017 study published in the Drug and Alcohol Dependence journal found that cannabis use (whether you use edibles, vape, or smoke it) can help reduce anxiety. The trick is finding the right dosage, or the "Goldilocks" dosage, according to Business Insider. Emma Childs, the author of the study, explained that "low doses of THC reduced stress, while higher doses had the opposite effect." So enjoying a little could help you a lot.

Keeps You Creative Enough For Craft Time

Everyone knows that parents need to be creative... I mean, just coming up with a fresh idea for a Halloween costume was enough to send me to my bed with a fit of the vapors every year. You know what might have helped me with that? Smoking weed. A 2011 study in Psychology Today found a link between creativity and cannabis use, noting:

From American Indian use of peyote to Chinese people using plum wine, to Coleridge’s opium use, and Hemingway’s alcohol consumption, individuals have found that the exaggerated emotions and altered perspectives they’ve gained from drugs stimulated their creativity.

This happy side effect could happen because of the dopamine released to the brain, according to the study, helping to loosen inhibitions.

A Side Of Cancer Prevention

Beyond staying creative and keeping your anxiety levels low, your kids need you to stick around in the long term. Enter weed. A 2014 study published in the American Association for Cancer Research found that cannabis use in tested animals (mice and rats) helped to reduce the spread of cancer in their molecules and reduce tumors. While this might not translate to humans, it's certainly a step in the right direction.

Actually Healthier Than Your Pinot Grigio

As a mom who is absurdly loyal to her pinot grigio, I also have to admit that I'm starting to realize it's probably not that great for me. I don't want to become a Wine O'Clock person, so maybe I should switch to weed. And science is backing me up here. A 2009 study published in the Harm Reduction journal found that smoking weed helped users reduce their wine intake, not to mention helping people who need to kick more serious drugs like opioids. Marijuana is less addictive than alcohol, has caused far fewer deaths, and does not cause cancer like alcohol does, according to Business Insider.

Getting Better Quality Sleep

I don't think you ever understand true exhaustion until you become a parent. And yet as tired as you are, it also gets harder to get a good night's sleep. According to Psychology Today, smoking weed might help you get a better sleep. The journal noted studies from the 1970s that found low doses of THC helped people achieve a better REM cycle and users involved in the study reported a deeper, longer sleep than they would have had without cannabis use.

If that doesn't sell you on smoking a little weed now and then, I don't know what will.