Weed Go Well Together
While I was away at the beach during our very last week of summer, I was in the general store in town perusing their selection of coffee mugs. I got a mermaid themed one for one sister and another beachy one for my other sister (and one for myself). As I was looking at the shelves, one mug caught my eye. It pictured an icon of a coffee cup + marijuana plant = heart. The text below said, “Weed go well together.” The mug also doubled as a pipe so you could drink your coffee then smoke dry leaf marijuana through a hole in the handle that connected to the bowl attached end (I will be posting pics of the mug on my instagram so it will make more sense).
This was one of three pipe-mug-combos, next to other beach mugs, next to the rack of the little license plates with kids' names on them. Huh. SO THEN I remembered this conversation I had with my sister about people quitting drinking. Stay with me…
We talked about how so many people we knew (mostly fellow moms) were cutting back or quitting drinking alcohol altogether (me included, now at just over two years alcohol free). However, a common theme seemed to be “I don’t drink alcohol anymore…but I have edibles every night.” We discussed how yes, there are positives to not drinking alcohol, but isn’t that just swapping one substance for another? Or, is “California sober” now the new “mommy wine time”?
Based on my instagram ads, this is definitely a thing. I get countless ads for THC drops to “add to beverages at night instead of a daily cocktail or nightcap.” Cannabis infused seltzer and wine—yep. Edibles with names like “Out of Office” and marketing scripts touting “Are you moms tired after post-bedtime wine and how it makes you feel? Instead have a gummy!” It seems to me that the cannabis industry has tuned in to the sober curious movement and is ready to market a new coping substance for those going alcohol free. This was a quote from a recent influencer in a sponsored post for THC gummies, “I haven’t drank in probably 6 months so this is a great replacement for that to take the edge off. I can take a single and still mother, fold laundry, do things.”
The marketing and endless new products, plus the legalization of marjuana, and now mugs in the five and dime store at the shore show a definite cultural norm shift. And hey, if someone wants to have nightly gummies that is their business. I guess the question is: isn’t this just another way to cope instead of feeling your feelings?
Are you seeing or hearing more about being “California sober” or THC products in your daily lives? I would love to hear about it! Email me at cdziembowski@gmail.com or send me a DM on instagram.