A new study from New Zealand, Motherhood and medicinal cannabis, found that mothers using medicinal marijuana found it helped make them better parents, by relieving their pain or other symptoms, including helping with their mental health. Yet, single mothers in particular worried about the financial and society price of using their medicine.
The study's authors, from Massey University, noted that despite women emerging as a key demographic for the use of medical cannabis (MC), research on mothers' experiences in many US States remains limited beyond studies on perinatal outcomes. "This newly released study explores mothers' diverse experiences of consuming medical marijuana products in New Zealand under the legal medicinal cannabis scheme," they wrote.
Conducting 25-question interviews with 15 mothers who had children aged between 4 and 18 years, researchers found that, "Mothers consumed MC to relieve their physical health symptoms such as spasms, aching, and cramps. Without the distraction of pain, they believed they could be more present for their children and attend to their needs. Similarly, mothers with mental health and mood conditions such as anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress-disorder, and pre-menstrual dysphoric disorder felt MC made them calmer, more relaxed and less overwhelmed, which in turn aided their ability to communicate and better connect with their children."
"A few respondents said consuming MC improved their overall functioning and ability to meaningfully engage in their lives. As a result, they expressed that their kids received better parenting, that is, more ‘happy, funny’ and ‘empathetic,’ rather than being ‘grumpy’ prone to ‘snap’ at them." One mother said, "Using cannabis helps me communicate better with my kids. It allows me to manage my emotions and not get so worked up over little things, which in turn opens up conversations with them that might not have happened otherwise." Another said, "If I'm not in pain, and I'm well-rested, I can be the type of parent that I aspire to be, which is patient, empathetic, fair, firm, all of those things."
"Despite strong advocacy for MC use while parenting, all participants emphasised responsible consumption, framing this as reserving MC use for the evening or night time after completing their parental duties or when their children had gone to bed," the study noted. One mother said she "did not want to expose her children to the idea of smoking cannabis, preferring to use a vaporiser, which she perceived to be healthier." All mothers in the categories of low income, singleness or disability had to budget to afford MC products, often purchasing from the illegal, unregulated market or growing it themselves to save money." Three mothers who were either separated from their children's fathers or in custody negotiations feared that their MC use "would be weaponised against them and used as a reason to suggest they were irresponsible parents. This had served as motivation for two of the mothers to transition from the unregulated market to a legal prescription in the last 12 months." White mothers felt more protected under the law than did mothers of color.
Respondents "drew comparisons between using cannabis and alcohol while parenting, describing the adverse impacts the latter has on children and the unfair reputation the former has gained due to dated, societal narratives," the authors wrote, adding, "Respondents felt that cannabis stigma was compounded by the double standard society imposes on mothers. They highlighted the higher expectations and judgement women face compared to men in general, including that cannabis and alcohol use are more widely accepted as a coping mechanism for men. Furthermore, participants articulated how easily mothers can garner a poor reputation in society."
In previous studies, the researchers noted, women have self-reported consuming cannabis for pain management, fostering better parent–child relationships and improving their tolerance of parental stress. A study of 40 mothers in the United States found regular use of cannabis for recreational and medicinal purposes helped these women regulate their moods, stay present with their children, and improved their ability to parent. In another US survey of 107 mothers who used cannabis, among the 60% who consumed cannabis regularly, 89% felt it improved their parenting. Furthermore, mothers online have asserted personal counternarratives to cultural norms by advocating for the benefits of cannabis use in motherhood. Mothers reported medical marijuana as an important "facilitator of their ability to positively parent their children,” the study found, “enabling them to manage their own health needs (i.e., anxiety, endometriosis and arthritis).”
No comments:
Post a Comment